Analysis on Romeo and Juliet- Baz Luhrmann's (timeline analysis)

Romeo and Juliet- Baz Luhrmann

0:32-1:08
Between these two times the prologue is read out. An old TV is shown, which is surrounded in darkness with the camera slowly moving closer towards the woman talking on the TV. The zooming in gives the affect of the importance of what the woman is saying, because this is used to set up the whole story.
1:09-1:26
The director has decided to show different cuts of Verona to show the significance of different places within the film. It cuts between buildings,a statue of Jesus and to the police cars, all of these places and objects have a standing value within the film. Throughout the repetition of the places being shown, 'IN FAIR VERONA' has been constantly placed between the different cuts of the places in Verona.This gives the affect of uncertainty and confusion because this statement is never on the screen long enough to be fully registered by the audience.
Throughout this time heavy/loud organ music has been edited on top of the actions taking place in the film. The music can represent the religious values of the characters and how the music they worship to can be used to help describe the situations they get into, this all gives a dramatic feel towards the film and it also helps set the scene for the audience.
The different cut scenes work with the music that's played on top of it, giving an over all feelings of symmetry, anxiousness and being drawn in-interesting- because even though you've been told what is going to happen you still want to watch and find out how it's going to happen.
It also creates a contrast between the love of Romeo and Juliet and the actual fighting and deaths that happen;it has been brought into the world of real society.
1:10
The screen stops cutting between the places in Verona and shows the 'IN FAIR VERONA' caption long enough for the audience to actually acknowledge the message the screen is showing.
1:16
The camera pans out and shows the two main work buildings that belong to the two families, Capulets and Montagues, next to one another, this shows the competition and rivalry between the families. Around this time everyone is highly religious, and these two buildings are separated by a road and the main statue of Jesus, this both the families have, and one of the only ways they can relate to one another through the same religion.
1:26
The prologue is being spoken again as a voice over from the man who plays Friar Laurence. This becomes significant because it put that character in a narrator position, someone who knows everything but can't control what is happening.
The main characters are also being introduced on top of that. Then through the rest of the film, the main quotes chosen from what Friar Laurence is saying appears in the titles of newspapers, this gives a more realistic feel towards the situation.
1;53-1:57
Shows key words on the screen on a blacked out background, which gives a more dramatic affect to the meanings of the words.
"A pair of star-cross'd lovers"
"Take their life."


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZqxOb2tJIo