The Film Relived and Recreated by Shakespeare in the Truest Sense of the Term - Research Paper Example

Introduction Cinema is a form of an effective modern art. At a precise level, cinema can be termed as an effective means of modern visual art which with the passage of time has rose above its conventional terms and encountered a paradigm shift from the task of entertaining to educating the masses along with the entertainment that enables the didactic message it is carrying forth percolate easily and swiftly. Baz Luhrmann adapts the eternal romantic play by William Shakespeare and transforms it into a hip modern film set in the contemporary suburb of Verona beach very surprisingly retaining the same dialogue where the feudal families wage a war and the children of both the families meet and fall in love to become the “star crossed lovers” of all times with their tragic destiny. Major Deviation as Reflected Through the Death Scene of the Film Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo+Juliet” is significantly different from the original play of the Shakespeare. Luhrmann has honestly tried to retain the flavour of Shakespearean classicism but never attempted to adhere strictly to the stage direction as mentioned in the original piece. In not following the stage direction as mentioned by the luminary, there is nothing to be criticized as Luhrmann made his intention behind making the film clear and loud. Luhrmann wanted to keep the core message of the play intact but at the same he had an intention to make it contemporary and relative to the present time. In order to achieve it, Luhrmann’s creative unit demanded a major deviation in the climactic scene precisely in the death scene of “Romeo and Juliet” In the film too like the original piece, the last scene initiates from the death news of Juliet. In the film Romeo comes back to Verona in spite of his banishment and as a subplot or to portray the facts to the audience with a twist, Luhrmaan makes his audience aware of the ignorance that Romeo was passing through regarding Juliet’s death from Father Lawrence. Father Lawrence discovers it from John Friar that Romeo is completely ignorant about Juliet’s life. Like the original piece, Romeo buys most dangerous poison for him and heads towards the church where Juliet was lying. After this portion there is a major deviation as in the film Romeo is being chased by Captain Prince as soon as he enters Verona and Romeo escapes into the church. But in the original play, Romeo faces a duel with Paris and during that ensuing battle Romeo kills Paris who came to mourn Juliet privately. In the film the climactic scene or the most glamorous scene appears when Romeo enters the church where Juliet is lying and is considered dead by Romeo apparently. The prologue of the play in original Latin echoes once again in the background. Here the intention of the director is to reclaim the passion of the “star-crossed lovers” once again and in that vein the frame is focused on Romeo approaching the body of Juliet slowly and the surprised crowd at the church zooms out with a deliberate blur effect to portray that for the final moment at least the pinning lovers are only for themselves in the entire universe. This kind of brilliant aesthetic expertise completely attuned with the theme or intended message hidden within the scene was not possible to achieve adhering strictly the stage direction crafted during 16th century. Luhrmann wanted to use the technology and its glitch to produce before the eyes of the 21st century one of the finest plays in English Literature of all times. Next Luhrmann uses the brilliant performance potential of Leonadro-Di-Capirio and Romeo is shown saying out one of the finest dialogues though pretty different from the original one with American accent but a piece performed from heart. The camera is now focused and angled from the top at the body of Juliet lying still like a monument and the next moment with a kiss so passionate and so closely shot with a deliberate focus in order to make the audience feel the passion of the lovers for each other finishes, Romeo similar to the original piece of Shakespeare is shown taking the poison with the proclamation of his love for Juliet and kissing her after that once for the last time. Romeo kisses his beloved for the last time and dies. Next scene is again similar to the play; Juliet awakens just when Romeo finishes his poison. Juliet stabs herself to death with the dagger left by Romeo and both the lovers die in each other’s arm with the camera focusing at them from the top and then slowly zooming out. The lovers are shown lying literally star-crossed and peacefully embracing each other. The scene is most intense and brings an ever lasting effect on the mind of its audience. The film ends with the funeral scene of the lovers and the only difference here is the absence of Paris’ family which was also seen gathered at the funeral. The play ends with the elegy from Captain Princes’ mouth that goes out for the lovers in eternity: “For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo”. The film ends with the elegy of the Captain Prince but with a major difference in dialogue. Captain Prince in vein is heard saying: “All are punished!” pointing out to the devastation that futile rivalry have brought to both the families. Luhrmann is successful in terms of attaining the technological expertise with his superb blend of aesthetic but somewhere reading Shakespeare intends to much philosophical paradigm and this becomes evident with the subtle difference in the ending elegy by Captain Prince. The play suddenly becomes much stronger here with the playful banter of Shakespeare with words. Luhrmann was acclaimed and was critically received for the screenplay and direction of the film but somewhere the intensity of the Shakespearean passion in the lovers seemed to be getting engulfed under the highly modernized technical aspects used in the film. But again in his own terms, Luhrmann is successful in presenting the two lovers from the 16th century relative and acceptable fury of such obsolete mad passion even before the audience of 21st century. Conclusion The film “Romeo+Juliet” by Baz Luhrmann is indeed a blend of classic and modern aesthetic and technology that relived and recreated Shakespeare in the truest sense of the term. David Ansen, a renowned film critic has rightly commented on the film: “alternately enrapturing and exhausting, brilliant and glib…a “Romeo and Juliet” more for the eyes than the ears.” (Ansen, “It's the '90s, So the Bard Is Back”). Reference Ansen, David.  It's the '90s, So the Bard Is Back.  Newsweek, 1996. Bibliography IMDB. “Romeo+Juliet”. August 19, 2010. Overview. No Date. Read More