Luhrmann, Baz (1996). Romeo and Juliet [Motion picture]. United States: Bazmark Films. Summary: An innovative rendering of Shakespeare's classic tragedy of two "star-cross'd lovers". While maintaining the original text and dialogue, the setting is vastly different from Shakespeare's as it takes place in a modern Verona Beach (that looks quite like Venice Beach, California). The Capulet and Montegue families have names on billboards and skyscrapers and clearly are the leading economic powerhouses in Verona. The younger generation of the two families engage in drive-by shootings and bring violence to the streets of Verona. Romeo, of the Montegue House, and Juliet, of the Capulet House, fall in love at first sight at a costume party and so begins their doomed love affair.
Additional comments: This highly visual and surreal film is fast-paced, action-packed, and accompanied by contemporary music, such as Radiohead and a cover of "When Doves Cry", which helps the viewer to forget that the dialogue is actually difficult to understand. The end result is a unique interpretation of a classic love story whose timeless theme is accessible to modern teens who, presumably, can relate more easily with the film than the original play.
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