Romeo and Juliet

[cmcgoun]

I might have to rent the 95 edition. In class we are watching an OLD version of the play and its quite awful

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

That's likely the 1969 version. Are the men all in tights and everything is kinda blue and misty looking? That's the ahem, "classic" version of the movie. This is heresy for me to say, but that version is pretty wretched. Blech. I work in theatre and actually do enjoy a well crafted Shakespeare play, but that movie is pretty mind numbing. Keep in mind that movies relate to the time period they were created. In this case, it has very little to do with the language of the script. The language/script are identical in the 1995 version and yet the movie has a totally different feel. The 1969 has a dreamy 60's feel to it while the 1995 version has the hard hiting high energy that is associated with the 90s.

That's actually my favorite thing about Shakespeare. His work is hundreds of years old and yet it can be manipulated to fit almost any time period. So much of our language and culture actually draws from his work. Pretty amazing influence for a mostly out of work playboy actor.

I actually used both of these movies in a class I taught. I had the kids write an opinion paper at the end. One of the questions was "Which movie do you think Wm. Shakespeare would have enjoyed the most?" The answers I got back were very interesting and very much indicated the students' previous experiences with Shakespeare. If you have the chance to see Shakespeare done well, there is nothing better. Bad Shakespeare?

We performed R&J last year and had a blast. Love and hate, honor and glory, parents and children... this play has it all.

As long as we are watching movies, go check out "West Side Story" as well. It's R&J set in a different time and place. Story is the same though. Actually, the Twilight series has some strong similarities as well. Huh. Just can't away from the guy can you.

Hope your teacher does a good job with it. As you can tell, I'm pretty hooked on it myself.

(Oh, and let me point out that even after a couple of decades working with Shakespeare's stuff I STILL have a hard time just reading his scripts. Keep in mind that they are meant to be performed, not read. Body language and nuance are key to getting it.)

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

We just finished reading it in our class. We also had to act it out but we switched parts every day. Good stuff!

 

[Emzyyy]

We watch different parts of Romeo and Juliet movies for each scene so we don't just imagine that one character in the book and we understand it better we have been watching 3 different Romeo and Juliet movies. One of them is a newer version the characters have cars and ect.

 

[English Chick]

Wonderful...... my favourite play...........

(((SIGH))))))) ................ wonderful.... romantic, funny and sad.... brilliantly written...........

 

[Cats Critters]

It actually is rather funny, and a little naughty, if you know enough to know what's going on.

My teachers is one of those who explains all the stuff

and tells us anything about the author she knows.

You do know how it ends, right?

Yep​

 

[redhen]

Yay! congrats!

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Seriously...how can you find Leo boring?!

mmmMMMMmmm...