Similarties and Differences Between Romeo and Juliet Movies Essay Example

Mecrutio mercilessly.

The similarity in both versions is that when the fight ends there is a close up on Tybalt’s face that reveals his regret towards Mecrutio’s death. During the conflict, Luhrmann cleverly uses a visual metaphor in the background; the brewing of a storm. As the scene gets more intense, the storm becomes more pronounced, until finally it is unleashed as Romeo kills Tybalt. Zefirelli delivers his fight scene more mundanely. In the scene were Romeo and Juliet die, Luhrmann and Zefirelli approach it in two different ways that are both effective in their similarities and differences.

Luhrmann portrays Juliet as the centre of attention, dressed symbolically in white, surrounded by a sea of candles. Both versions include a shot of the dead star crossed lovers lying in each other’s arms, finally together. In Luhrmann’s, he builds up the suspense until you almost believe Juliet will wake up in time to stop Romeo taking the poison. Whereas Zefirelli’s leaves no doubt that they will not be together. A crucial final difference in both versions is that Luhrmann never shows the families reuniting.

In the play, Capulet and Montague agree to end their feud; in the Zefirelli film, the families converge visually. Zefirelli and Luhrmann have both made spectacular versions of Romeo and Juliet, both approached it in different but similar ways. Zefirelli’s version is intriguing, but the overall winner is Luhrmann’s. He captivates the audience with an amazing cast, exciting camera angles and enchanting music. Despite the modern outtake of his interpretation of the play, Luhrmann’s film language remains Shakespearian, which gives it that authentic touch.