Comparing Zeffirelli's The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet

The classic “Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet” can easily be seen as the foundation for modern love stories that are written today. Other than the classic plot sequence that Shakespeare pioneered in most of his plays, the story also views the two protagonists as “star-crossed lovers,” meeting and falling in love by the power of the cosmos. In more recent years, this groundwork for a classic love story has been utilized by directors for use on the big screen. There have been many prominent examples of love stories as portrayed in movies and television shows. Consequently, it is no wonder that certain directors have put two and two together and created an adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet,” the original love story that helped all others after it come

While a strictly Shakespearean film such as Zeffirelli’s that does not have much director’s interpretation could appeal to the likes of English teachers and literary enthusiasts, an adaptation of the story that includes aspects of more modern-day music and cinematography would make the film far more enjoyable to many more groups of the moviegoing public. This addition of modern twists in editing and camerawork stands out prominently as the news anchor reads out the sonnet before the start of act one of the original “Romeo and Juliet”. The inclusion of the news anchor allows for the audience to relate to something that they themselves have seen numerous times throughout their own lives. This prologue of the film allows for the audience to not be daunted by the rest of the story and plot progression. In addition, the decision to set the film in a time period that, back then, was present day, was definitely not an unconscious decision on the part of Baz Luhrmann. The original setting of Italy hundreds of years ago would definitely not appeal to the masses of today’s public. Not only does this change to the setting make the story more relatable to the audience, but it also allows for even a child to grasp a mild understanding of what is going on in the film. This does not dumb down any facets of the plot, but still makes the film more understandable for younger generations. This allows for Luhrmann’s work to be well-rounded and enjoyable to watch for all, which is a distinct characteristic of Luhrmann’s movie that is utterly absent from Zeffirelli’s. His film could not entertain a child or many teens, so how in the world could it have done a good job at interpreting Shakespeare’s work, which was adored by all ages in his