How are the main themes presented in the opening sequence of Baz Luhrmans film of Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

How are the main themes presented in the opening sequence of Baz Luhrmans film of Romeo and Juliet Essay In Baz Luhrmans film of Romeo and Juliet the opening scene captures many if not all of the main themes in some form or another. Many of these themes are depicted with: clips from the film, news readings, news reports, sound effects, music and text. The opening sequence which lasts for two minutes shows these main themes: modernisation, conflict (family), violence, tragedy, death, romance, an arranged marriage and religious aspects. The film came out in 1997 and was completely modernised except for on thing, it was still in Shakespearian language. The original text was kept completely as it was written. The setting has moved to an urban and modern location, Verona Beach in America. The modernisation is the first theme you see in the film. This concept of modernisation in the opening scene is important because the whole film has been updated and if the opening scene was not modernised then it would not make sense and none of the things you see would fit in with the rest of the film. The modernisation makes it easier to understand and you still get a feel for the original because the script is the same. You see a woman newsreader to us this is nothing special or strange but, in Shakespearian times this would never of happened as it is an important job and Women were not allowed these. The chief of police who is one of the most important characters in the film who in the real play was the Prince is black. There is no way is Shakespearian times that the Prince of Verona would have been black. This is due to old times being so racist and, this represents how far the whole world has come in not being racist and how much it has changed. This small thing to us is a dep iction of modernisation. Also the fact of the news report is an example of our times, as they definitely did not have televisions in those days. We will write a custom essay sample on How are the main themes presented in the opening sequence of Baz Luhrmans film of Romeo and Juliet specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on How are the main themes presented in the opening sequence of Baz Luhrmans film of Romeo and Juliet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on How are the main themes presented in the opening sequence of Baz Luhrmans film of Romeo and Juliet specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The film is set in an urban, lively and prosperous city, Verona Beach. Instead of seeing the houses where they live you see the office blocks that they own. These are two main viewpoints of the city and are separated by a statue of Jesus Christ to show that the two families are separated by religion. At the beginning you see police cars and helicopters these are another definite modernisation to the film. When Romeo and Juliet was written the weapon that would have been used was a sword, in the film they use guns. However unlike today where gun laws are very tight and strict you see people walking around with them as if they were in the olden days and they were swords. The setting is an important part of the film. It is a modern city with big buildings and everything you would expect from a big city in America. The new setting is not an essential part to the film but I think it is a good one in making it easier to understand and relate to. It is a very dramatic city with very big features, which go with the play for example, the chapel of the Capulet family and the two skyscrapers, one belonging to each family. The big buildings represent the status of the two families among the other people in the city. It also shows the viewer that the two families are equal in class. This is also stated at the beginning, Both alike in dignity. The city is very glamorous and suits the style of living that you would expect from the two families. The family feud between Montague and Capulet is present and very clearly visible right from the start of the film. This is the main theme of the whole film, is that if the families had of settles their differences and got along then the marriage of Romeo and Juliet would not have had to be secret. Also Tybalt would still be alive and neither Romeo nor Juliet would have died. We can tell that they are enemies even if you did not know the plot to Romeo and Juliet at all. The viewers see the heads of the family at the top of the page and then you see that piece of paper in flames representing there hate for each other and their families. Also there office blocks are separated by Jesus showing us that there is only on thing that can actually keep them apart and that is Religion that being the power of God. Police are seen to be attempting to control riots however violence still breaks out. You can also tell that they have their differences from the news report. For something to be reported on the news it is often bad, this is exactly that. The news report tells us that the family conflict forced the two lovers into dying. From the start a sense of tragedy is placed in the viewers mind. Violence is the most featured of all the main themes in the opening sequence. This is important as it let you know what is coming. It also tells you how bad it actually is and that it is not some petty little squabble but it is actually very grave and serious maybe, more than at first presumed. The violence shows what is actually the deaths of all the main characters for example there are scenes from the fight at the petrol station, the beach and the riverside. The violence is what takes up most of the opening sequence but in the actual film it does not take up anywhere near the percentage you are lead to think. The first indication of violence comes right at the beginning of the scene. It is a police car that appears to be in pursuit. You then see flames, riots and people being arrested. There are then several clips of guns being fired and people being shot one after the other. There are several shots at the beginning from an aerial view, which appears to be from a helicopter, and y ou are led to think that the helicopter maybe the police are after someone. The sound effects that support this are also very important and lead you to the conclusion how much the police are involved in the actual film and therefore could be violence. We can tell this by the fact that we hear police radios going off over the music. They are not very distinct but never the less they are there. The music is very powerful and is the kind of music for this setting. It is fast, powerful and very much gives the impression of a climax and excitement, which in films violence brings. Tragedy is another very powerful theme in the film and is also featured very much in the opening sequence of clips. Many of the family members and Mercutio are seen to be dying. Some of the clips you do not realise that they are representing tragedy but after you have seen them in the film you realise that they are. An example of this being the Capulet vault where Juliet is laid to rest. Before you see the film as a viewer you may be lead into thinking that this is a regular church. Tragedy plays a very important part in the film and a very powerful one as well. We can see that it is a very important part in the film from the clips of people dying that are part of the family. You see the vault of the Capulet family several times. A character who is focused on quite a lot in the sequence is Father Lawrence. He is the one who gives Juliet the poison to take. This leads to Romeos death and therefore Juliet. The other people you see in the sequence all have something to do with tragedy. The heads of the family represent tragedy because there argument is what really killed Romeo and Juliet. The other main characters in the sequence are Tybalt and Mercutio who both die. The idea is enhanced from the music, which is classical, and the chapel that Juliet is set to lay in has a choir. The concept of doom is re-iterated by aerial news reports creating an atmosphere of severity and disaster. The idea of romance is another huge theme of the film. This is also very evident from the opening scene. It is important because without it none of the other themes would really seem as bad. For example the idea of tragedy would not really be as big as it is if Romeo and Juliet were not in love with each other. The idea of romance is a very important one. There is also the idea of an arranged marriage between Juliet and a rich bachelor named Paris. If this would never have been planned then Juliet would never have had to of taken the potion. We get the idea of romance from right at the very start when the newsreader says Star crossed lovers. This gives an impression of the fact that Juliet and Romeo were meant to be and that they were always meant to end in such a tragic way. You also see text flash across the screen at the start of the sequence, it says, Star crossd lovers, this supports what the newsreader was saying and that they were always meant to be. A key feature of the opening two minutes is the chapel where, Romeo and Juliet get married and they die. Again you have the idea of romance from they place where they get married but also the idea of tragedy from the fact it is the chapel that they die in as well. You see Romeo and Juliet together during the opening; this gives the idea of them being happy together and in love so refers back to the theme of romance. A choir performs the music you hear and when they were wed together a choir was singing at the service. There are visual effects that relate to romance like the text saying Start crossd lovers. Religion is a subtler theme of the film but is very strong at the same time. It is another theme that relates to all of the others in some way or another. For example it relates to tragedy and romance are two of themes that it relates to directly and those relate to others, so all the themes have a knock on effect on each other. A very interesting piece of visual imagery maybe one of the most important in the whole film is the idea of the two family sky scrapers are separated by a statue of Christ. This is obviously a religious piece of visual imagery and a very strong one. It shows that religion is the only thing powerful enough to separate the two families and that is also the only thing powerful enough to bring them together. For example the marriage of Romeo and Juliet. The first thing you see apart from the sky scrapers of the families is a statue of Christ and below that is the chapel that both Romeo and Juliet got married in and died in. Another example of visual indication towards religion is that there are crucifixs in the cars of the family members that you see being driven. You also see Father Lawrence in these clips introdu cing the cast and he is definitely a religious indicator but also one towards tragedy. The music that you hear is of a choir and once again this points to another theme as well as all of the others. That is religion due to the choir singing. You see a statue of Christ but only at aerial camera angle. This represents to us the importance of the statue in the whole film and the chapel below. The last thing you see is Romeo + Juliet there is a very clever piece of visual imagery in that. Where normally the word and would be. It is represented by a plus symbol, which can also mean the same; the plus symbol is represented by a crucifix. This also points to a religious theme and is the last thing you see of the two-minute introduction. The Camera actions are very interesting and make the two-minute introduction very intriguing and action packed. The beginning of the news report shows the camera zooming down a main road in Verona Beach. The camera is moving at a very high speed and maybe you are led to believe that it is being fast-forwarded. In fact I actually believe it being rewound from the end of the news report to the beginning and the story is told from the beginning. So in a sense the film is starting from the end and moving through back to the beginning within the two-minute opening. The camera is then placed inside a helicopter. Maybe this is through the eyes of a police helicopter or a news helicopter reporting. The camera spins around a certain point where the trouble appears to actually be around. That is the Vault of the Capulet and once again this is at the end of the film and therefore supports my theory of the tape being rewound. The cutting is very jagged and goes from one shot to another almost in stantly. This is due to there not being much time to fit it all in and when you fast-forward or rewind a film the shots go very quickly between each other. A film trailer also has this kind of cutting to fit it all in within a short space of time. In those two minutes you see many main themes of the film all in such a short length of time with many hidden points to them. All the main themes link up to one another and in therefore link up the whole film. Therefore all the main themes are equally important as each other and all make the film what it is. The music also relates to many themes in one way or another. The idea of a choir singing it allows it to fit in to many themes. Therefore I think that piece of music was a very good choice as it can make you think about all the main themes at once. The visual imagery was also very good in those short two minutes. Most of which referred to religion in some form or another.