Analysis Of ‘ William Shakespeare’s Romeo And Essay Example

that correspond to the speaker's statements, to provide viewers with location and time information. This technique, employed by Baz Luhrmann, aims to create a sense of realism. Additionally, there are aerial shots from police helicopters, creating a handheld effect that immerses the audience in the helicopter experience. This helps them visualize the city from above firsthand. Despite the use of Shakespearian English in the prologue, the setting is modern. This is evident through the presence of guns, contemporary clothing, modern transportation, and skyscrapers. The fast editing of violent imagery, accompanied by zooming sound effects, intensifies the pace of the shots. Some of these rapid shots are so fast that they leave viewers breathless.

The director purposefully includes sounds like gun shots and police sirens before showing any images, possibly to pique the audience's curiosity and create suspense. The volume of the 'religious' music gradually increases throughout the prologue, adding to the building tension. This technique could be a symbolic representation of tension that may occur later in the film. Additionally, there is a persistent juxtaposition of religion and violence in the fast-paced editing of the prologue.

The director intentionally emphasized contrasting themes in the prologue through the use of dominant imagery, such as religion and violence. This suggests to the audience that these themes are crucial to the story. The juxtaposition of religion and violence symbolizes the struggle between love and hate depicted in the film. Additionally, amidst the frequent display of violent images, there are numerous crosses, religious statues, and religious locations shown in the fast-paced editing. In fact, the word 'and' is replaced by a cross between the names 'Romeo + Juliet'. Furthermore, a

newspaper seen in the prologue features two family trees with a religious statue at the center. This highlights the shared agreement and commonality between the two families solely based on their religious beliefs, as intended by the director.

The camera pans over the cityscape, showcasing two towering skyscrapers that stand prominently. The surnames of the two families are portrayed on each skyscraper, indicating the elevated social standing of these families. This directorial choice aims to emphasize the authority held by these families, symbolized by the skyscrapers overlooking the city. As the prologue concludes, key characters are introduced to viewers. With their backs facing the camera, actors are presented along with their character names and their relationships with Romeo and Juliet stated. This approach enables audiences to familiarize themselves with these characters prior to the commencement of the film, a decision made by Baz Luhrmann.

The director deliberately chooses not to show or mention Romeo and Juliet in the prologue, despite them being the main characters. This decision aims to convey that they have no control over the unfolding events in the film, even though everything revolves around them. It can also symbolize their secret love, known only to them and kept hidden from others.

Upon introducing the mothers, they are portrayed as worried, scared, and sad while the fathers embody stereotypical "mafia bosses." The fathers ride in dark cars, dress sharply, and display anger and seriousness. This depiction may be seen as a cliche but serves to suggest that the families function as rival gangs throughout the film—a feud that has persisted for generations.

To disrupt the film's introductory tone, a black screen emerges with bold red and white

text reading "William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet."

Once again, the use of color to emphasize the themes of the play is demonstrated here. The director's intention to grab the audience's attention and make a lasting impression on them is conveyed by including the film's title at the end of the prologue.