Romeo
and Juliet – 1996
Baz
Luhrmann
...
The Balcony Scene
...
Camera Angles – Luhrmann
uses an establishing shot
with his mise-en-scene
and we see the wonderfully elaborate courtyard, complete with Renaissance
statues, fairy lights, ornate pillars and a decadent pool, symbolising the
wealth and influence of the Capulet family.
Luhrmann is careful not to stray too far from
Shakespeare’s classic romantic scene; while Shakespeare presents Juliet on a
balcony out of reach of Romeo, Luhrmann has the two young lovers side-by-side.
However, when Juliet climbs the stairs back to her balcony, Luhrmann uses contrasting low and high camera
angles to engage the audience and make us feel as if we are both by the
pool with Romeo and up above with Juliet. The big close-ups on the “star cross’d lovers” faces
highlight their infatuation with each other.
Lighting – As it is night,
the courtyard is only lit up by several spotlights that give a soft and romantic glow to the
pool and surrounds. Luhrmann combines clever symbolism with this lighting as he uses fairy lights to make the
courtyard almost look like heaven, with thousands of stars shining brightly
above.
Costume/Make-Up –
Luhrmann cleverly dresses Romeo as a Knight in armour and has Juliet depicted as an angel. It is almost as if
Romeo is rescuing Juliet from her inevitable marriage to Paris, like the
proverbial ‘knight in shining armour’. Reflective of her age and innocence,
Juliet is shown to the audience as an angel; while her wings have been removed
since the party, she is still dressed in white, representing the ideals of purity, youth and love.
Sound/Music
– As
the young lovers begin to divulge their feelings and exchange “thy love’s
faithful vows”, Luhrmann uses romantic music with classical violins and piano to the tune of Desiree’s ‘Kissing You’. The subsequent atmosphere created is
one of romance, lust and excitement, representing the feelings of Romeo and
Juliet.
Symbolism
– All
around the Capulet’s pool are Renaissance statues of angels, gods and other naked
nymphs. This symbolises
the period in the 15th and 16th Century where romantic
pursuits such as art, music and love were more highly valued than money and
business. Romeo and Juliet are seen as “deny[ing] thy father” and engorging
themselves in a world where their young love is more important than anything
else in the world.
The pool itself is seen as a symbol of purity and rebirth. As the two
lovers fall into the pool, it is symbolic of their cleansing; Romeo rids the memories of Rosaline
from his heart and Juliet clears her mind of Paris. With their minds clear,
their love is ‘born’ and the couple kiss in the pool.
But what about Dialogue?
Find 5 quotes from each of the two lovers that speaks about the themes
of love and feuding families.
