Romeo and Juliet 1996 version

computermaster · 11/10/14 - 12:38

So what are peoples opinons on this? I know it got a pretty mixed reception, but I quite enjoyed it when I first watched it and even more so now. I'm not really a huge Shakespear fan, or a fan of romance movies, but this just worked. The way it mixed a modern setting and soundtrack with Shakespearian dialogue was amazing.

This was Dicaprios real big break and a more enjoyable movie that Titanic in my opinion.

Lewnaticc · 11/10/14 - 12:55

It's an enjoyable watch, and the use of Shakespearean dialogue in a modern setting makes it stand out but other than that it's nothing more than Leo DiCaprio fan service. Also, I can't quite explain why but the film feels incredibly messy and poorly put together.

LM · 11/10/14 - 16:18

computermaster wrote: »

So what are peoples opinons on this? I know it got a pretty mixed reception, but I quite enjoyed it when I first watched it and even more so now. I'm not really a huge Shakespear fan, or a fan of romance movies, but this just worked. The way it mixed a modern setting and soundtrack with Shakespearian dialogue was amazing.

This was Dicaprios real big break and a more enjoyable movie that Titanic in my opinion.

Not it wasn't. What's eating gilbert grape was his big break.

CLL Dodge · 11/10/14 - 16:35

little-monster wrote: »

Not it wasn't. What's eating gilbert grape was his big break.

And bagged him an Oscar nomination.

dodrade · 12/10/14 - 00:54

CLL Dodge wrote: »

And bagged him an Oscar nomination.

True, but it was Romeo + Juilet which first made him a teen heartthrob.

TelevisionUser · 12/10/14 - 01:13

computermaster wrote: »

So what are peoples opinons on this? I know it got a pretty mixed reception, but I quite enjoyed it when I first watched it and even more so now. I'm not really a huge Shakespear fan, or a fan of romance movies, but this just worked. The way it mixed a modern setting and soundtrack with Shakespearian dialogue was amazing.

This was Dicaprios real big break and a more enjoyable movie that Titanic in my opinion.

I thought it was a good film in its own right. That said, my all time favourite film interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet just has to be Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 version - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet_%281968_film%29

Johnny Clay · 12/10/14 - 13:50

Lewnaticc wrote: »

It's an enjoyable watch, and the use of Shakespearean dialogue in a modern setting makes it stand out but other than that it's nothing more than Leo DiCaprio fan service.

I too enjoyed it very much. But you're doing Baz Lurhmann quite a disservice here. To say nothing of the text...

Quixotic · 12/10/14 - 15:55

I haven't watched the film for a few years, but I was listening to the soundtrack not too long ago.

djfunnyman · 12/10/14 - 16:04

Excellent soundtrack and is an intruging take on a Shakespeare classic

David Waine · 12/10/14 - 16:19

Shakespeare's plays are often staged in settings other than those they were written for. It has worked well in the theatre for years, so why shouldn't it work in the cinema? Even the Bard, himself, did it, albeit for practical reasons. His Roman plays might have featured the occasional toga among the leading players, but the bulk of the cast would have worn the typical clothing of the day, even their own clothes in the case of the bit part players.

Having written that, although Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet does capture a degree of the youthful exuberance of Shakespeare's original, for sheer beauty, Franco Zeffirelli's film takes some beating.

computermaster · 12/10/14 - 18:32

I don't think the movie was just fan service. Even with an oscar nom, I doubt Dicaprio was big enough to have fan service.

circlebro2019 · 14/10/14 - 15:07

its a brilliant film, i only wish i was old enough to watch it when studying romeo and juliet at school.

Grabid Rannies · 14/10/14 - 23:54

I started Film Studies in about, I don't know now, 2002, and one of the films we had to repeatedly watch bits of and write about was this... I thought it was OK at first, I'd seen Strictly Ballroom and had enjoyed that. But before long it became one of THE most PROFOUNDLY IRRITATING films I have to this day of my life since endured... I can't watch BL's stuff now, now that I realise exactly how immaturely hyper-kinetic it is for the sake of it.

GracieL · 15/10/14 - 00:01

We watched the movie when we were studying Romeo and Juliet in school. I quite enjoyed the movie, I thought it was better than it was going to be and I'm not a big Shakespeare fan, I like how they sort of made it modern. All the girls in the class loved the topless scenes

BastardBeaver · 17/10/14 - 19:44

Am I the only one who found Claire Danes to be the stand out performance? For me she just encapsulated Juliet completely.

Good film, even better soundtrack though

Hit Em Up Style · 17/10/14 - 19:57

I was in year 9 when it came out so coincidently the same year Romeo and Juliet is studied at school. So we all got a free trip to the cinema!

I like it. A modern take that stayed true to the actual story and dialog itself.

Naa_KwaKai · 17/10/14 - 20:32

Loved it at the time. But watched it very recently and feel it hasn't aged well. It's perhaps Baz Luhrmann's best but then I hated Moulin Rouge and Great Gatsby.

bbclassics · 17/10/14 - 22:31

I'm still sick of this film as we had to watch it when studying Shakespeare in high school (yrs ago).
We must have watched it at least 10 times, first time it was ok - I found it a bit jarring being in a modern setting. 10th time I watched I never wanted to see even the dvd case again!

samcains90 · 18/10/14 - 11:11

BastardBeaver wrote: »

Am I the only one who found Claire Danes to be the stand out performance? For me she just encapsulated Juliet completely.

Good film, even better soundtrack though

No, you're not the only one. Claire Danes is great in everything. Romeo & Juliet being no exception.

I love the movie, as I love all of Baz Luhrmann films. Haven't seen The Great Gatsby yet though.

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