A Comparison of Two Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students

A Comparison of Two Film Versions of Romeo and Juliet Essay There are four main themes in the play of Romeo and Juliet. These are love, hate, violence and death. The love occurs between Romeo and Juliet, the children of the two families who have an ancient grudge. Whenever the kinsmen of the two families meet, they always seem to fight, verbally and physically. They tease each other and mock the other family. This causes reactions from the families and the violence begins. Death plays a major part in the play, because various characters decisions are based on some dying or committing suicide. For example, when Romeo thinks that Juliet is dead, he rushes to her tomb to commit suicide so that he will be with her forever. After he has poisoned himself, Juliet awakes and, seeing that Romeo is dead, stabs herself. The first main thing that happens in the play is the meeting of Romeo and Juliet and when Romeo goes to find her after the party. They then get married, but on the same day, Tybalt, Juliets cousin, kills Mercutio. Romeo avenges his death by murdering Tybalt. In the end, both lovers die for love. Act three, scene one, is a very dramatic scene. Just before this scene, some of the Montagues had arrived at the Capulets party and, because of this Tybalt goes in search of Romeo to show him that he has not got away with it. He finds Mercutio and Benvolio after they have been talking about hot weather and hot tempers (For now these hot days, is the mad blood stirring, act three, scene one). Mercutio starts to tease and wind up Tybalt, but Romeo turns up just before Tybalt draws his sword. When Romeo refuses Tybalts challenge of a fight, (I never injured thee, but love thee act three, scene one), Mercutio takes it up instead so as not to lose his honour, (Ovile submission act three, scene one). While they are fighting, Romeo tries to stop them, but Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeos arm. Horrified, Tybalt flees. Romeo soon realises what has happened and goes in search of Tybalt. When he finds him, they fight and Romeo slays Tybalt. Prince turns up and banishes Romeo from Verona. This scene is very angry from the beginning through to the end, where Prince Escales and the two families become enraged at what has happened. Some of the characters act impulsively, for example, when Romeo decides to go after Tybalt, but some act their usual selves, for example, Tybalt. He has always been fiery and hot tempered, although he didnt mean to kill Mercutio. This was an accident and, therefore, he is not impulsive. In the Zefferelis version of Romeo and Juliet, filmed in the 1970s, the fight between Mercutio and Tybalt started off jokey. There was a large crowd watching who were all laughing and cheering. When Tybalt put his sword to Mercutios throat, there was silence. Mercutio looked stunned for a few seconds, but then he started to whistle and everyone laughed again. When Romeo stepped in and Mercutio got stabbed, Tybalt looked horrified. As Mercutio staggered around, the crowd of Montagues were all laughing, thinking that he is messing about and pretending to be wounded. He fell to the ground, and the crowd continued to find it amusing. After Mercutio died, music was played in the minor key. Violins were played and the music was deep, gloomy and deathly. The pace quickened and gradually became louder as Romeo ran off in search of Tybalt. The crowd of Capulets and Montagues started off by watching the fight between Romeo and Tybalt, but they ended up fighting each other. This was effective a nd I think it was a good idea because it added anger to the scene. When Tybalt was stabbed, he looked in real pain and the shock was clearly visible on his face. Romeos expression was also effective as he also looked in shock, but because he had just stabbed someone, rather than been stabbed. He looked in complete disbelief at what he had done. After this bit, it cuts to act 3, scene two, where Juliet finds out about the murder of Tybalt. It cuts back to the end of act three, scene one, where the Capulets are carrying Tybalts corpse to Prince Escales. Courtroom Drama EssayBoth films cut to a scene with Juliet in, in the middle of act three, scene one. In the old film, it showed Juliet finding out about Tybalts death. This was effective because it cut a long scene down and the audience will have started watching again if they had lost interest in all the fighting. In the newer version, Juliet is shown talking about how wonderful Romeo is. This, again, shows that Romeo acts without thinking because he is usually so kind and generous and wouldnt even think about murder. The Prince Escales, in Zefferelis film, had much more authority than the one in Luhrmans version. He is portrayed well as the character was accurate to that in the play. He is always in control and, although there was a great deal of people, whenever he talked he was listened to. In the new film he had authority, but not as much as he should have had. Not everybody listened to what he had to say, although the characters to which it mattered did. In both films Lady Capulet is drowned out by other people when she says that she wants Romeo to be executed, although she was more heard in the older version. In the new film, the sirens of the police cars dampened her voice and so her part did not seem that important. In the play she was not drowned out and was listened to because what the Prince said next related to what she had just said. In the old film, I think that having the crowd of Capulets and Montagues witnessing the fighting was a good idea because when they started to fight within the crowd, the atmosphere was made more angry and energetic. I think that not having a crowd in the new version was also effective because the characters were aggressive and powerful enough and a crowd would have cluttered the screen. The old film was set in Italy, and the fight scene was set in the market square. This was effective because it was set where the play is. The costumes were that of what would have been worn in the 16th century, when the play was set. This helped the film fit the script and was appropriate. The new film was set in America, and the fight scene on Verona Beach. This was clever because the play is supposed to be in Verona. The costumes, along with the set and props, were modern and, therefore, helped the understanding of the play because it is easy to relate to things you see everyday, rather than things you dont. However, the modern setting did not fit the script because it is written in old English. My overall opinion of Zefferelis film is that the acting could be improved and more emotion could be introduced. The setting was accurate and overall, the quality of the film was good. I think that Luhrmans film was better as the acting was accurate and the characters, overall, were portrayed well. The emotion was realistic and the atmospheres created were very dramatic. However, I think that the script should have been made more modern to fit the setting and costumes. Apart from that, it was well presented and enjoyable to watch.