William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet filmed by Franco Zeffirelli and Baz Luhrman
In 1968 Franco Zeffirelli transformed the filming of Shakespeare by taking viewers out of the theatre and on location into the lives of Romeo and Juliet in Verona. Traditional costumes of the period were used to complement the vivid setting.
In 1996 Baz Luhrman made his modern dress version with Leonardo di Caprio and Clare Danes.
ID:
MF15
Type:
resource
Language:
English
Subject:
English Film
Suitable for level(s):
More Information
Zeffirelli's is a British-Italian production.
You should compare it with other versions:
1936 American version, with Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer
1954 British -Italian version with Laurence Harvey and Susan Shentall
1979 full length cartoon of the play was made by Polish animator Jersy Zitzman.
1954 Russian ballet version
West Side Story - stage and film musical version of the play
1996 Baz Luhrman's modern dress version.
Note that in these earlier films the actors are older and more experienced. In Zeffirelli’s version the actors are young - Leonard Whiting 16 and Olivia Hussey 15- and inexperienced. Di Caprio and Danes were a bit older.
