Romeo + Juliet (1996)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Baz Luhrmann

Writers (WGA):

William Shakespeare (play)
Craig Pearce (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

1 November 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Two households both alike in dignity, In fair Verona where we lay our scene. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life.

Plot:

Shakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue.

Plot Keywords:

Verona | Star Crossed Lovers | Shakespeare | Lover | Love

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 13 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Romeo
Claire Danes	...	Juliet
John Leguizamo	...	Tybalt
Harold Perrineau	...	Mercutio
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Father Laurence
Paul Sorvino	...	Fulgencio Capulet
Brian Dennehy	...	Ted Montague
Paul Rudd	...	Dave Paris
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Captain Prince
Miriam Margolyes	...	The Nurse
Jesse Bradford	...	Balthasar
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Apothecary
Zak Orth	...	Gregory
Jamie Kennedy	...	Sampson
Dash Mihok	...	Benvolio

Also Known As:

Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for scenes of contemporary violence and some sensuality.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Hungary:16 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 (cut) | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Bazmark Films

Trivia:

There are various bill boards throughout the movie that contain quotes from other Shakespeare plays: - 'Shoot forth thunder' (the gun advert) is from 'The Second Part of King Henry the Sixth', Act IV, Scene I, Line 109. - 'Experience is by industry achiev'd' (in the Capulet lift) is from 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona', Act I, Scene III, Line 25. - 'Such stuff as dreams are made on' (another advert) is from 'The Tempest', Act IV, Scene I, Lines 168-169. Prospero (the name of the drink in the advert) is the player who says these lines.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: During Desiree's song at the Capulet party, the violinists are never shown playing. At the beginning and end of the song, the violins are on their shoulders, but during the part of the song with strings, no violins are visible at all.

Quotes:

Benvolio: By my head, here come the Capulets!
Mercutio: By my heel, I care not.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hot Fuzz (2007)

Soundtrack:

When Doves Cry

great movie

This movie does an excellent job of combining Shakespearian dialogue with

modern imagery. Admittedly, I first watched this movie when it came out

because of Leo; eight years later (and seven years after middle school ended), I realize just how well-done this film actually is. Luhrmann did an excellent job of making the movie believable while using the quaint language. This movie

brings new life into the words of Shakespeare, and even if you know the play

almost by heart it is refreshing to hear the words in an entirely new context, and one which makes sense. This version of Romeo and Juliet actually does add

something to the extensive history of the play. The soundtrack is excellent, the acting is appropriate (Danes and DiCaprio do a wonderful job of portraying the young lovers), and the scenery is fabulous. This film jump-started the trend of modern-day Shakespeare remakes, and I think it's the best one.