Romeo + Juliet [DVD] [1996]

For students needing to study the text for GCSE or A Level, it is a magnificent take on the story, characters and language. Yes you have to remind the children that in Shakespeare's 1590s setting in Verona in Italy they did not have machine guns, cars and LA bling. But the story, the characters, the language is easy to study especially with English sub-titles. They are exposed to the text which is the point of making them study classic literature. As a movie version of a Shakespeare play it is superb. Teenagers really enjoy watching the young stars acting out this story. Magnificent direction. Yes the most studious will voluntarily read and re-read the text. Yes they need to do this to excel. But many teenagers these days are not naturally comfortable with newspapers and plays in their hands. Put it on smartphone or tablet and they will read 'War and Peace' at one sitting. Especially if you throw in some pictures. It was a play written to be performed not read. The themes, story, were meant to be king. Not the technology of the day (horses not cars, daggers not machine guns). A great gift for a teenage relative especially if they have to study this for exams. Do remind them it has sub-titles in English. If I had to compare it to say a really worthy version of Hamlet by Mel Gibson when he was super hot after Lethal Weapon, well great actor as he is and great Shakespearian actor as well, and with such a great director and supporting cast, well it was boring and a trial to watch. If they had put in a motorbike chase then it would have had some excitement as this Romeo and Juliet version certainly does. Shakespeare in original language and 1590s setting works well on the stage but not the screen. Update the language, keeping the story or update the setting as this version of Romeo and Juliet does. Highly recommended.

It was not until yesterday, the tragedy of this film hit me. The first time I watched this film was September 2015 in my Year 11 English class when we just so happened to be studying Romeo and Juliet. I am so grateful for that day because not only did I discover my favourite song (Talk Show Host - Radiohead), I fell in love with Leonardo DiCaprio. This film just gets it right on so many levels. This film is of epic proportion. It is a tragedy come to life. The mise en scene is just breathtaking, the penultimate scene in particular just blew me away. The sight of Romeo and Juliet laying side by side in a sea of lights was absolutely beautiful. The plot itself seems ludicrous on paper but the way it manifests on screen is strangely believable. That brings me to the performances. There is a reason that this performance thrust DiCaprio into the limelight. He IS Romeo. Right now I struggle how to even put it into words. As soon as he looked up on that beach, my heart was stolen. Not only is he beautiful, but he is so naive about love, so infatuated with Juliet. When he says he never saw true beauty until Juliet, you are completely sold. He is spellbound. The lengths that he goes to just to be with her is absurd, but it breaks your heart. Speaking of hearts breaking, Claire Danes really makes you feel for Juliet. The scene in particular where her father threatens to disown her is heart - wrenching. Not because of the thought alone, but because we realise that the only person who shows her real love is her nurse. I commend this film for its boldness and for its frankness (did I mention it retains the dialogue!) It does not try to twist the ending or sugarcoat the story. While you do feel bittersweet afterwards, this is a film that you will find yourself revisiting time and time again.

I really enjoy this film. Beautifully made, it's just so vibrant and enthusiastic it makes Shakespeare more interesting lol I think keeping the Shakespearian language worked well even with the modern setting. The way it was delivered actually helped me understand it better. The soundtrack is pretty awesome too, and just fits the movie so well. Something about Talk Show Host especially just... compliments it. The whole soundtrack makes the film that much more enjoyable. Leonardo DiCaprio does such an amazing job, it's one of my favourites of his. He and Claire Danes go perfectly together. Special mention to John Leguizamo because I love him. I think the first time I watched it I might have cried a little at the ending. Just so tragic and well acted. The beginning of the film can be a bit worrying as it sounds and looks silly but once it calms down and really gets into it the style is fantastic. Highly recommend it.

I bought this as a gift for my mother because I studied this version at school, I know she'll love it as much as me and we can watch it together on cold nights. When I found out I'd be studying this I was genuinely filled with dread. Nothing seemed less interesting than a tale about two lovers who failed to communicate effectively and ended up in a joint suicide. But the story is glorious, and this adaptation simply beautiful. I can't think of any other way to describe it. I know it takes a while for some people to get in to the use of language but it's so worth it. The onscreen chemistry really seals this, the cinematography, music, just everything. I'd go so far as to say it's one of Baz Luhrmann's best films. It's a must have for girly evenings and just curling up on the sofa and lamenting your own love life.

I saw this at the cinema in 1996 and it really stood out for me. Since then I have seen Moulin Rouge (fantastic) and The Great Gatsby (interesting) so I was interested to see how this would stand up in the light of those. The visuals are fantastic as are many of the young cast. While the film takes certain liberties with the Shakespeare, the balcony scene becomes a swimming pool scene, it does so in a way that allows it to make the most of the medium of film. I think it retains the sense of Shakespeare's original in the hostility between the families and the romance and tragedy between the leads. Mercutio is wonderfully flamboyant, and the party is the root of later choreographed set pieces in later Luhrman films.

Good

I was encouraged to buy this by my daughter who is studying Romeo and Juliet at school. Did not think that a modern day version would work with the original language but it does. The visual effects naturally help the understanding of the Shakespearean language and it is true to the original text. For entertainment value as well as help with student understanding I would highly recommend it.

Enjoyed

Obra maestra q confieso q he tenido q ver varias veces para apreciar plenamente. Chapeau. Creo q esta queda como una de las pocas grandes adaptaciones de las innumerables q se han hecho de esta obra

Il film e tutto inglese romeo e giulietta

Shakespeare doit se retourner dans sa tombe ! C'est mauvais, bruyant, fou, déjanté .... américain ! J'ai franchement détesté ce film. Dommage pour Leonardo.

I needed this for my university researches, I got it in a flash and quickly fell in lve zith leos acting and Luhrmans genius way of seing things!

This dvd can not play on my player