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MED231 Australian Cinema
LISA MANGINI #30149645
ASSIGNMENT 2 Critical Review & Bibliography

Film: BAZ LUHRMANN'S ROMEO + JULIET

Part 1: Film Information: CAST & CREDITS
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117509/fullcredits

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Producer: Baz Luhrmann, Gabriella Martinelli
Co-Producer: Martin Brown
Associate Producer: Jill Bilcock, Catherine Martin
Writer (Play): William Shakespeare
Writer (Screenplay): Baz Luhrmann, Craig Pearce
Cinematographer: Donald McAlpine
Production Designer: Catherine Martin
Costume Design: Kym Barrett
Editing: Jill Bilcock
Production Company: 20th Century Fox

Lead Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio Romeo
Claire Danes Juliet
Brian Dennehy Ted Montague
John Leguizano Tybalt
Pete Postlethwaite Father Laurence
Paul Sorvino Fulgencio Capulet
Diane Venora Gloria Capulet

Release Dates:

USA 1 November 1996
AUST 26 December 1996
DVD Release April 2000

Box Office Figures:

USA Opening W/end $11.1 million
Gross $46 million
World Gross $135 million

Movie Budget $14.5 million

Film Locations :
Mexico
California

Awards:
For a full listing of awards nominated for and won, go to:
http://pro.imdb.com/title/tt0117509/awards

Bibliography of Literature Listings:
http://pro.imdb.com/title/tt0117509/literature

Literature Listings Printed Media Reviews
Antunes, Joao. In: Diario de Noticias, Programas (Portugal). (02.05.1997. NP)
De Barros, Eurico. In: Diario de Noticias (Portugal). (04.05.1997. NP)
Evans, Dean. In: Total Film (UK). (MG), April 1997, Pg. 90
Ferreira, Manuel Cintra. In: Expresso, Cartaz (Portugal). (03.05.1997. WNP)
Gray, Marianne. In: Film Review (UK). (MG), April 1997, Pg. 19
Jauberty, Christian. In: PremiËre (Frae Magic of the Movies
Schrˆders kleine Filmseiten (GER)
The Fresh Films Review [Fredrik Fevang] (Norwegian)
Artechock (German)
AudioVideoRevolution.com DVD review
Filmdienst (German Review)
Christian Spotlight on the Movies
CinÈBruxelles (en franÁais)
Cinopsis (French)
Simifilm review (in german)
DVD-CENTER (german)
DVD Net [Martin F]
DVDAnswers.com - region 4 review
The DVD Bits [Mark M]
DVD Journal
Doug Pratt's DVD Review
Doug Pratt's Laserdisc Review
DVD Verdict
Edinburgh U Film Society [Melanie J. Baker]
filmcritic.com gets thee to a nunnery
FilmListen (norwegian)
Albuquerque Alibi [Angie Drobnic]
filmzentrale.com [J. G. Mannsperger] (German)
The Flick Filosopher's take
[safe]: Romeo + Juliet Review
Filmhaus Hasnerstrasse (German)
The Book-Lover's Guide to Cinema [3.5/5.0]
CineMaven Online (Doug Thomas)
Haiku Reviews
kids-in-mind.com
Matlo's Homepage (in French)
Michael D's Region 4 DVD Info Page [Michael Demtschyna]
Modest Proposals
Movie, de interactieve filmgids (Dutch)
moviemaster.de [Frank Ehrlacher] (German)
Mr. Cranky
Mutant Reviewers From Hell
NandoNext [Kelly Woo]
Needcoffee.com - DVD Review
MOVIEOLLA review
OZ Cinema - review
Philm.dk - anmeldelse (in Danish)
Nate's Movie Guide
Movie Ram-blings
Rotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top Critics
Movie Magazine International [Monica Sullivan]
Slant Magazine (DVD Review)
Slant Magazine
Spirituality & Health [Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat]
e.p. magazine
www.zelluloid.de
Heinz Online (German Review)
Newsgroup Reviews
Steve Rhodes
Scott Renshaw
James Berardinelli
Bryant Frazer
Michael J. Legeros
Michael Dequina
Ben Hoffman
Jon Ridge
Ivana Redwine
Mike Joyce
Tim Voon
Nick Schaden
Phil Curtolo
Max Scheinin
Matthew K. Gold
Rory Mackay
Jerry Saravia
Dragan Antulov

Online Interviews:

Most of the online interviews discuss Romeo + Juliet in the context of it being one of three films in Baz Luhrmann's 'Red Curtain Trilogy'.

Extracts of Baz Luhrman Interviews can also be found on the movie's official website at:
http://www.romeoandjuliet.com/players/pn1.html

Interview specifically on Romeo + Juliet
http://www.omnileonardo.com/bazinterview96.html

For something completely off the wall, well known Australian poet, Tug Dumbly, has composed a poem entitled 'Why I hate Baz Luhrmann So much'. Romeo + Juliet gets a mention in there and its well worth a read:
http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s489582.htm

http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0%2C6737%2C548458%2C00.html

Part 2: Critical Review of the Film and it's Literature

Synopsis

Two young teenagers from feuding families fall in love. They struggle to keep their relationship a secret, and when a plan to unite them backfires, they are lost to each other forever.

Plot

The narration of the classic Shakespeare play Romeo + Juliet begins by disclosing the fate of the two main characters. Baz Luhrmann's narrator is the newsreader on a lone television set, advising us of the tragedy ahead. He further enhances this omnipotent knowledge through a montage of shots from the film to come. We immediately recognise a modern city setting of Verona Beach with high rises, helicopters and civil unrest. The narrative begins in a gas station where we meet the boys from both feuding houses of Montague and Capulet. As mentioned by many reviewers, this scene is reminiscent of a spaghetti Western with the clink of Tibalt Capulet's spurs to the rattlesnake sound effects. The ensuing scene reinforces to audiences the heightened conflict both families are engaged in and results in one of Romeo's cousins being shot, and the arrest of both Tibalt and Benvolio Montague at the peak of this civil brawl. Ted Montague (Brian Dennehy) and Fulgencio Capulet (Paul Sorvino) are warned by the Captain Prince (Vondie Curtis-Hall) that their lives will be forfeited in the name of peace should this happen again.

Enter Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio); the brooding James Dean character who journals his thoughts and prose unaware of his family's chaos hours earlier. We learn he is in love with a girl called Rosaline whom does not return his love. Romeo's best friend Mercutio (Harold Perrineau) obtains invitations to the Capulet ball, and wills Romeo and his cousins to join him for a night of fun. The scene at the beach where Mercutio is first introduced to audiences is one of my favourite in the movie for it's humour and campness. Mercutio has dressed as a sequined drag queen and is so extroverted compared to the withdrawn and pensive Romeo that is provides comedic relief from the initial tension of the film. What amazes me both with Shakespeare's words and Baz Luhrmann's vision is that by using his artistic licence he managed to incorporate images into this film that have no place in traditional Shakespeare. For example the replacement of swords with automatic firearms and the drug that Mercutio gives to Romeo before the party presents to audiences the smoothest transition between ages.

Continuing on with the plot, Romeo and Juliet (Claire Danes) first meet through a tank filled with fish. The party noises are gone and there is peaceful silence in which to observe each other and fall in love with the vision that beholds them. But Juliet is to be wooed by Bachelor of the Year Dave Paris (Paul Rudd) at her mother and father's insistence. Romeo watches on with mild amusement as Juliet dances with Paris, and then steals away with her at the first opportunity to kiss for the very first time, only to be swept away by an obedient but kind Nurse. It is at this separation that Romeo and Juliet suddenly realise the identity of each other, and that because of the feud between their families, their love may never be. The look of realisation and desperation that Danes communicates through her face at this moment is heart-wrenching to audiences and enforces the screen presence she has as a young actress in this film. After leaving the party, Romeo forsakes his friends and returns to the Capulet house in search of Juliet. Here lies the famous balcony scene, played out with humour from Luhrmann's direction. The scene begins on the balcony, but after a surprising appearance from the Nurse (Miriam Margolyes) , Romeo begins to descend to the pool. Here Juliet enters and what follows is a dialogue between two young people who have fallen in love with each other. Their words relate the innocence they were written with, however their actions, looks and physical touch belie it, giving a sophistication and maturity to both characters. At the comical calls from the Nurse, Romeo & Juliet leave each other with the solemn word of love been given and the proposal of marriage to be taken.

Romeo & Juliet marry with the blessing of the Priest (Pete Postlethwaith) and Nurse but must wait until the night to be together again. Between the marriage to his love and their meeting in Juliet's bedchambers, Romeo is reluctantly involved in a brawl between Tibalt and himself. Mercutio is slain by Tibult who in turn is slain by Romeo. For his actions, Captain Prince banishes Romeo from Verona.Romeo turns to the Priest for help who advises Romeo to go to Mantua and wait for his word. Juliet's father and mother have arranged her marriage to Dave Paris for the following week, and at this news Juliet becomes extremely distressed and turns down the offer. An argument with her father follows and he threatens to cut her off from the family should she not marry the noble Paris. Just like her Romeo, she flees to the Priest for help.

The Priest, armed with his knowledge of plants and herbs, concocts a plan using a plant poison that will fake death long enough for Juliet to escape her fated marriage. The Priest writes to Mantua detailing his plan for Romeo to come back to Verona to the awakening Juliet and take her to Mantua where they may live until Romeo's banishment is lifted. Unfortunately, Romeo never receives the letter, instead receiving news of Juliet's 'death' from his uninformed man, Balthasar (Jesse Bradford). Romeo arrives at the Capulet tomb under the protection of nightfall, and is confronted by his Juliet. She appears dead to Romeo, and after speaking beautiful words, he drinks the vial of poison procured on his arrival into Verona. The tragedy is Juliet waking up from her drug-induced sleep a second too late. She reaches for Romeo as he lets the poison into his mouth and he dies in Juliet's arms, never knowing the Priest's plan. Juliet's total devastation at this event is portrayed movingly by Danes in the silence of the candle-lit tomb and seeing no resolution to the loss of her Romeo, she takes his gun and ends her life. Sitting and watching this scene, I was willing Juliet to reach for Romeo earlier, and begging Romeo to just turn around and look at his Juliet once more, for if he had the film would not have ended with so much sadness. I knew the story, I knew this wasn't possible, but Luhrmann, DiCaprio and Danes had created such a fairytale world for the audience to become absorbed in with characters that we admired for the purity of their love that we as an audience only wished for that fairytale ending, where they live happily ever after. If only Luhrmann applied his artistic licence there&

Critical Uptake

Many critics have made the claim that you either love the film or you hate it. Luhrmann's surreal production of Romeo + Juliet was confronting and exciting and it wasn't for everyone. However, when the William Shakespeare website approved the film's final product, then Luhrmann should have been happy with the result. Luhrmann himself acknowledges that some critics didn't like the film; 'Some critics have come out and said there are bad films, there are worst films of all time and then there's Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet. To them it is that bad and confronting and I understand that but we told it in our way.'
(http://www.omnileonardo.com/bazinterview96.html. Accessed 19 Apr 2005). A quick sample survey of the reviews appearing online for the release of the film shows that the majority were impressed of Baz's ability to release an energy locked in the words of Shakespeare's play Romeo & Juliet and produce a contemporary, exhilarating journey into the tragic lives of 'two star-crossed lovers'. One noticeable difference in the reviews that were created for the release of the film and the subsequent reviews for the release of a Special Edition DVD of Romeo + Juliet is the lack of negative responses to the film when reviewed as the DVD. At the time of the release of Romeo + Juliet to cinemas, Baz Luhrmann had not yet presented to the world his award winning masterpiece Moulin Rouge. Nor had his Red Curtain trilogy come to full fruition. By the time the DVD had been released, audiences and critics alike were now familiar with the style of Baz Luhrmann and Baz-mania had swept the cinema world and settled down to become a permanent expectation of his work.

Production Conditions

Luhrmann acknowledges that the hardest aspect of making the film was motivating the studios to believe in his vision for Romeo + Juliet and getting it made. 20th Century Fox, being a major movie house, felt that Shakespeare wasn't a winner at the box office. However they agreed to finance the film with a budget of $14.5 million and it subsequently blew all expectations away, taking the number 1 spot at the box office and grossing $135 million worldwide.

Actual production of the film is well-known for it's encounters with hurricanes, kidnappings and the problems of working in Mexico. However, Luhrmann's vision and tenacity to embrace the fever of these conditions shines through to the film and produces an exhilarating visual mise-en-scene journey for audiences to take pleasure in.

The Influence of Prior Work

With the inclusion of Romeo + Juliet in Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain Trilogy, we are given a clear structure on which to base observations of the influence of Baz Luhrmann's earlier projects on the film. Luhrmann's early entrance into the theatrical world saw him producing the original Strictly Ballroom as a 30 minute play and 'Crocodile Creek, a musical-theatre piece set and performed in the Australian Outback' (http://www.romeoandjuliet.com/players/luhrmann.html. Accessed 19 April 2005). Baz Luhrmann further explored his interest in music and theatre by concentrating on operatic productions such as the acclaimed La Boheme in 1990, Lake Lost and his first directorial encounter with Shakespeare's A Midsummer's Night's Dream. It is Luhrmann's solid background in theatrical productions that has led to his Red Curtain Trilogy, being Strictly Ballroom, Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge. With this series of films he aims to create active audience participation through cinematic devices giving viewers a true sense that they are indeed watching a film.
Baz Luhrmann's collaborator on Romeo + Juliet was screen writer Craig Pearce who also wrote the screen play for Strictly Ballroom. Co-producer Martin Brown, production designer Catherine Martin and editor Jill Bilcock also came to Romeo + Juliet from working with Luhrmann on Strictly Ballroom. Luhrmann's decision to use these people on Romeo + Juliet has created a continuity of style in these films that is paramount to producing a cohesive series of movies for audiences to feel familiar with.

Romeo + Juliet in the Australian Film Landscape

Romeo + Juliet is a classic and very famous Shakespearian play from Edwardian times. It's story has not been created in Australia nor is it about Australian life. By creating a Miami beach style Verona where the action transpires, and using American actors, Baz is in no way attempting to represent Australia to a world audience. The same can be said for Moulin Rouge, however Strictly Ballroom utilises much Australian imagery to tell it's story. Romeo + Juliet is, however, categorised as an Australian film due to the nationality of it's director. At the time of it's release to cinemas, it was a cutting edge production. It's fast-paced editing has since been likened to that of recent Tarantino films, although occurring prior to Kill Bill. It does not represent Australia to a global community. However, it does highlight the talent of Australian film-makers and their ability to produce a film that appeals to a wide audience and crosses cultural borders, an aim vital to Australian films according to Executive Director of Australian Film Finance Corporation Brian Rosen (Sunrise, Seven Network 27 April 2005). This film and other Australian successes become invaluable to the local film industry as it clears a path for independent Australian film-makers to gain finance from government bodies when successes such as Strictly Ballroom and Romeo + Juliet come from the talents of Australian directors and writers before them. An interesting interview with Brian Rosen on the future of the Australian film industry can be found at http://www.pdgv.com.au/news/2004-05-03_00.html. Director Robert Connelly (The Bank, 2001) identifies the uniqueness of Australian films 'by a terrifically kind of adventurous and pioneering side of our industry' (http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1297765.htm Accessed 21 Apr 2005). What Baz Luhrmann has achieved with Strictly Ballroom, and subsequently Romeo + Juliet is a new pioneering Australian film-making style which will lead to films in the future being 'described by the critics as being reminiscent of Luhrmann's style' (http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/ReadingRoom/film/dbase/2002/moulin2.htm Accessed 21 Apr 2005).

Baz Luhrmann's Red Curtain Trilogy, including Romeo + Juliet, has created a new category of Australian film, which I identify as being highly stylised mise-en-scene productions which reverberate with symbols of theatrical creation. Romeo + Juliet was placed by William Shakespeare himself in a genre of tragedy and low comedy. As Luhrman himself says in a foreword to the screenplay: 'We have not shied away from clashing low comedy with high tragedy, which is the style of the play, for it's the low comedy that allows you to embrace the very high emotions of the tragedy.'[Luhrman & Pearce, p.v, (1997) (in http://www.shakespeare-online.com/essays/RJG.html accessed 19 April 2005). Producing a film from one of the most famous plays in history, Baz chose to limit his use of creative licence with the dialogue, but revelled in manipulating the mise-en-scene of the film to adapt it to a contemporary audience. Therefore, Luhrmann didn't depend on the centuries-old dialogue to encapsulate the tragedy and comedy for audiences; he exploited the rich set design, the elevated mood of chosen music and the actors screen presence and talents to bring to life one of the all-time tragic comedies in a contemporary world.

References:

http://www.shakespeare-online.com/essays/RJG.html accessed 19 April 2005

http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/ReadingRoom/film/dbase/2002/moulin2.htm Accessed 21 Apr 2005

http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2005/s1297765.htm Accessed 21 Apr 2005

Sunrise, Seven Network 27 April 2005 Interview with Brian Rosen

http://www.romeoandjuliet.com/players/luhrmann.html. Accessed 19 April 2005

http://www.omnileonardo.com/bazinterview96.html. Accessed 19 Apr 2005

http://pro.imdb.com. Accessed daily April 2005