1968 or 1996 Romeo & Juliet?

[Jambles-chan]

The 1968 version is beautiful and powerful. Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are wonderful!

The 1996 version I find kind of...well crappy but there are some parts I enjoyed (Leo heart lol).

What do you think?

[Monochrome Girl]

I'm not a fan of either version, but if I had to choose between the two; I'd pick the older one. The atmosphere, imagery, and cast were far better suited. It still fell into the same misinterpretations that almost everyone (or at least everyone's HS English teacher) make, though.

The 90's version...well, kudos for trying something risky but I felt the original Shakespearean dialogue clashed a little too much with every thing else, and that most of the actors didn't even seem to know what they were saying. I also didn't appreciate some of the ways they chose to translate things into modern time 'equivalents' and they sort of ran with a stupid, completely unfounded literary theory on one particular character...I do think it's a cool idea, though and could have been done well. I liked the soundtrack, too. And yes... Leo. heart

[AurielRising]

Both have merit - I like the passion that the new one brought. I think sometimes the older version falls into that "Serious Shakespearean Actor" thing. but the plays weren't really ever supposed to be a high form of art. Shakespeare was writing for the people to come and be entertained - so I think while the old one has the right intentions and interpretations - the new one has an energy I think Shakespeare would have appreciated.

[Ima_Crazi_Bytch]

Jambles-chan

The 1968 version is beautiful and powerful. Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting are wonderful!

The 1996 version I find kind of...well crappy but there are some parts I enjoyed (Leo heart lol).

What do you think?

I agree with you!!! Leo heart the younger one at least, lol

[Mon Cornichon]

1968 was wonderful. I thought Romeo's cousin (I think, forgot his name) was hot. c: But Juliet was overly dramatic in this one (I mean, overacting the part. I know this story is about drama, but when she breaks down crying... its annoying.)

1996 was bs. I hate Claire Danes. Leo was smexy though. Especially the part where he first saw Juliet through the fish tank.

[Lipstick Junkie]

I liked the '96 version.
I thought it was great.

[Taurwen]

I prefer the 1936 version. Norma Shearer is perfection. Plus, they've got Leslie Howard, John Barrymore, and Basil Rathbone.

[Fiver Twenty]

'96 is a cool 'modern' update

[Susue]

The stylization and soundtrack of the Baz Luhrman version rocks my socks.

[The Sycamore Lady]

I liked the stylized modernization of the '96 version. Many times I think the original emotion of Shakespeare is lost in the translation of centuries, and versions that play more to the original time period do so at the audience's loss of nuance and pun. Language has changed greatly in the centuries since Shakespeare, and while we can still read it, we are hard put to fully understand the social references and common jokes of the period. In modernized and highly stylized adaptations I think we are able to view new sides - and more modernly relatable sides - of the plays, and I think at that point our enjoyment of the play is more akin to the original audience's enjoyment, because we can more fully understand it. Especially when it comes to Romeo and Juliet, which is actually highly satirical and rather critical of the romance genre. (Yet that side of the play is often ignored by modern productions.)

At any rate, Shakespeare has a remarkable staying power and there is nothing wrong with modernized versions of his works. I loved the '96 version not only for its stylization, but also for it's use of the original script. The anachronistic void between setting and speech was awesome! Of course, in general I tend to favor stylized Shakespeare, like Julie Taymor's Titus Andronicus, or this really trippy A Midsummernight's Dream I once saw...lots of doors. Lots of doors.

[Karo Kiba]

I love the 1968 movie! Oh, and there is a funny story pertaining to one of the actors, Oliva Hussey. Apparently, due to strict rules about ratings and such, she wasn't allowed to go into a theater to see her own movie because it showed her own boobs! Crazy, right?

[Jambles-chan]

Karo Kiba

I love the 1968 movie! Oh, and there is a funny story pertaining to one of the actors, Oliva Hussey. Apparently, due to strict rules about ratings and such, she wasn't allowed to go into a theater to see her own movie because it showed her own boobs! Crazy, right?

I heard about that and thought "Are you serious?". She was under aged and couldn't go to the premiere in the United States. It was illegal at the time.

[Tassima]

Definitely 1996. That was the first adult movie I ever watched and cried at. So emotional and powerful.

[xxLaKeudta]

The '96 version. Though the one made in '68 wasn't that bad either. The swordfight was kind of cheesy though.