An Analysis of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet Essay -- Romeo Juliet E

An Analysis of Baz Luhrmanns Romeo and Juliet Baz Luhrmanns William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet did not tie a warm reception from the literary and film critics of today. Many feel that he cut out too much of the words which lessened the showcase development and original connotation that Shakespeare intended. Even worse, he compromised Shakespeares integrity by giving in to the demands of the American teen pop culture. These critics have a point. Luhrmann takes out anything that does not speak to the current audience. He understands that in his time, Shakespeare wrote his tampers to entertain his audience, writing within the context of his culture and using sexy and violent elements with fierce comedy and passion(Hamilton 120). The Elizabethan culture understood the puns, the references to gods, and even the language that we find so archaic. Luhrmann approaches his new version with the same intent. He wants to entertain his audience with the timeless love that Shakespea re renders and tries to reclaim the play from its association as rarefied and stagy(120). The one mistake he makes keeps critics on his heels the title of his movie assumes that this IS Shakespeares play just placed into the nineties. The fact that he takes out much of the original text and even twists it in order to fit his play speaks to the idea that this is Luhrmanns version of Romeo and Juliet. Luhrmanns version tells the audience that Shakespeares love is timeless, not the actual play. He reshapes Shakespeares text in order to speak to the 1990s audience. This essay will attempt to decipher the differences in Shakespeares and Luhrmanns versions in order to find the cultural influences which form each play. It should also d... ... 1996 E6.Hamilton, Lucy. Baz vs. the Bardolators, Or Why William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Deserves Another Look. Literature Film Quarterly. Vol 28 2 (2000)118-124.Hulbert, Dan. Beware Bards Armed, Dangerous. The Atlanta Journal and C onstitution 1 Nov. 1996 14P.Millar, Jeff. Classics Revisited activation Romeo and Juliet. The Houston Chronicle 1 Nov. 1996 1. Shakespeare, William. The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York W.W. Norton & Company, 1997. 872-939.Walker, Elsie. Pop Goes the Shakespeare Baz Luhrmanns William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. Literature Film Quarterly. Vol 28 2 (2000) 132-137.William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet. Dir. Baz Luhrmann. Perf. Claire Danes, Leonardo DiCaprio. 20th Century Fox, 1996.