I watched half of Baz Luhrman’s “William Shakespeare’s Rome + Juliet” last night. And although the film was excellently shot and produced, it couldn’t get me past one thing… Shakespeare. What the f##k is he going on about? There are many beautiful lines in Romeo + Juliet and these are amplified by the context of the actors in the film and Baz Luhrman’s interpretations, but on the whole I just can’t keep with the plot.
—
Romeo: Has my heart loved ’till now? Forswear it, sight! For I never saw a true beauty ’till this night
—
Juliet:
My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy
—
Juliet: What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
—
Actually, reading Shakespeare is at least easier.
I’ve never really got into Shakespeare, although I like many of the reinterpretations, and Mel Gibson’s Hamlet is about the best that stay close to the original narrative, I just get lost in the text; I just don’t understand it!
I guess I would have enjoyed the film had it ditched the original text.
Romeo & Juliet, Baz Luhrman, Shakespeare, Romeo + Juliet, Mel Gibson, Hamlet
Shakespeare, Romeo + Juliet, Baz Luhrman, Mel Gibson, Hamlet
Actually I found the opposite – the film got in the way of the Shakespeare. I found it almost impossible to understand the dialogue due to the accents!
Branagh’s adaptations are more to my liking, although it’s probably terribly uncool to say so. Much Ado About Nothing is a great film, although Hamlet dragged on so – rather like the book then! 😉
And if memory serves, Ian McKellern as Richard III. Top actor.
I think the problem for me is that Shakespeare doesn’t make great dialogue… they may have spoken like that once before, but we’ve moved on a little!
I’d say that the dialogue is what makes it so beautiful. Certainly we don’t speak like that anymore, but when properly done, it is almost musical, to my ears at least.
I wonder what people will make of today’s authors in a few hundred years time? Would we recognise their language as English? Strange thought…
The Cambridge University Press editions of Shakespeare’s plays make it a lot easier if you’re interested. On the right hand page is the original text and on the left a description of what it all means!
too bad you cannot read the play properly. she aintlooking for romeo, guy. its not’ where are you, romeo?’ it means in english’ why are you romeo?’ go back to hs or to a better school next time.
Geronimo, I don’t see what schooling has to do with this… you will find that no one is debating the meaning of the text, and in particular, no one is debating that line. I suggest that you spend a little more time reading my text correctly before making accusations on ones education… my title is a question about the film and Shakespeare in general and not a quote from the play… I am not quoting ( “Wherefore art thou Romeo” ) which is how it is always written in English texts. Therefore, the meaning you give, is irrelevant.