Franco Zefferellis Romeo and Juliet and Baz Luhrmanns Romeo and Julie

The astounding perils of young love has been eloquently captured in the story of Romeo and Juliet. Franco Zefferelli and Baz Luhrmann are the creators of the two most renowned film adaptations of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Zefferelli, the more traditional director, created his Oscar winning version in 1968. Baz Luhrmann put an abstract, modern twist on Shakespeare's classic and created the 1996 version that raised millions of dollars in box office sales. Being that these two films are so different, I have chosen to compare them to one another, using the famed balcony scene as my focus. In the Franco Zefferelli adaptation, proceeding the extravagant Capulet party, Romeo walks down a dark stone path alone with his very boisterous friends trailing closely behind him. They sound drunken and unruly so Romeo seeks refuge from them by climbing rocks into a nearby forest. He pauses in the darkness to listen to his confidants joke about how fantastic a lover Romeo is, and he smiles in amusement at the contents of their commotion. Traveling deeper into the foliage, Romeo sees the light pouring from Juliet's window and continues towards it in curiosity. He walks slowly in the darkness until he clearly sees the illuminated palace in which Juliet resides, finding his love leaning on the balcony wall. Juliet wear a white gown which makes her appear very angelic and virginal. Her hair is soft, her eyes sparkle, and her innocence is undeniable. Romeo moves slowly and quietly through the bushes trying to get a better look at her, and, doubting his presence there at that time, he pa uses and leans his head against a tree, trying to remain anonymous. Juliet rests her cheek in her hand as the moon shines down on her young face a... ...ndured, yet I'm sure that few have viewed both of these phenomenal films. Each director, in their own right, is a creative genius. They pushed themselves to create the best interpretation of Romeo and Juliet that they knew how, not knowing what Shakespeare's true directorial intentions were. Whether life is seen through a traditional viewpoint or a contemporary viewpoint, Shakespeare will always remain Shakespeare--a creative genius in the truest sense of the word. If Shakespeare himself were given the opportunity to view Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zefferelli's interpretations of his play, I believe he would be proud. Works Cited Herndon, L. (1997). 1968's Romeo and Juliet [internet] Location: http://www.geocities.com/hollywood/9521/rj1968.html Luhrmann, B. (1996). William Shakespeare's Romeo+Juliet [Film] Zefferelli, F. (1968). Romeo and Juliet [Film]