Comparison between Romeo & Juliet of Old and New .
After viewing the two Romeo and Juliet films, one of which was directed by .
Frank Zeffereli in 1968 and the other by Baz Luhrman in 1996, I was able to come up .
with quite a few comparisons to Shakespeare's original screenplay. Had I watched .
Luhrman's and Zeffereli's remakes of Romeo and Juliet without ever being exposed to .
this masterpiece of work by one of the greatest writers of all-time, I clearly would .
have been able to differentiate amongst the two productions, even though they both .
fulfill and capture Shakespeare's flavor. His very own words. Some of the .
comparisons I will make are the opening scene of the play, characters' attire, the .
setting of some of the film's scenes, the different levels of aggression in .
the two productions, means of transportation, and their weapons. .
Zeffereli's adaptation, in my eyes, is extremely conservative, in other words, .
very Shakespearean like. This film takes place in Victorian times and what is .
transcribed on the big screen is likely what Shakespeare would had envisioned when .
he wrote Romeo and Juliet. Using your imagination is an important element in .
making Shakespeare's words come to life, in fact, in anything that you read. The .
characters in Zeffereli's production seem well-mannered, respectful, courteous, and .
ride on horses as means of transportation. .
In the very opening scene of Act 1, Zeffereli's film depicts a fight scene .
between servants of both the Capulet and Montague houses. The setting of this .
quarrel takes place in the town market, for the public to see. The town market is full .
of locals purchasing groceries and their respectfulness shows when a civilian very .
mannerly buys fruit from a vendor. Another thing to note in the opening scene is the .
attire that they are wearing. As I mentioned earlier, this film was shot during .
Victorian times and the clothing that the locals are wearing confirms this.
