It’s a masterpiece. I feel like you every time I watch it. I taught Shakespeare as an English teacher for years, and I used this film every year for Romeo and Juliet. Such a beautiful piece of art.
Teachers like you is waht cemented this movie into nostolgia. My favorite subject was English and when i first saw this after reading the play i loved the over the top action and absolute absurdity of this film.,
My english teacher did this AND the 1970s version, but forgot to cover 70s Romeo's butt. She tried hopping her desk to get to the TV in time but just missed it. Hilarious. Fantastic memory.
@@adamscott7354This is prime Xennial pop culture. I was 12 when this film came out, and Leo and Claire were everything. This soundtrack is epic. Everyone obsessed over Leo and Kate, but this came first. Sadly, they supposedly did not like each other.
One thing you need to know; how ambitious this is. The dialogue is EXACTLY the way Shakespeare wrote it. Absolutely NO editing. And with the acting and direction, you know exactly what is going on and what they mean. How cool is that? That Shakespeare is really so timeless and that with brilliant direction and editing, it remains a great story!
@@revelator41agree with this. I think if you read the text along with the movie, some of it has been moved around as well to suit the movie’s style. This is the brilliance of the movie; it knew its source material and modernised it.
@@revelator41 Yes, this is a long play even by Shakespeare's standards. Even stage productions cut it down a lot (the first production I saw, and it was an eminent British company, left out substantial scenes).
@@coryrudy98 First of all, respect for being a fellow Cory with no E. You're good people. But yes, complete agreement. He's overlooked as this impulsive haha man but there's this performance, there's the doorbusting Too Wong Foo, there's the physical pain he endured for Spawn. Dude's awesome.
I will never forget the way my cousin, who had a much rougher life than me with a lot of drugs around her and prostitution with her mother and everything, and her dad was in a outlaw motorcycle gang, it was crazy... Anyway, I was really sheltered compared to her and I grew up reading stuff like Shakespeare, and I remember her saying she could absolutely not understand any of that and had no interest in it in school . until this film came out, and that this film being made in a way that was applicable to her life made her want to pay attention and understand what was being said and so this film made her understand Shakespeare... and for that alone it gets all five of my stars, because it was capable of communicating across generations and across experiences, and that is awesome.
I love how much you loved this movie. A lot of people can’t get past the modern take so much that they’re missing all the amazing things. It’s so underrated
Poseidon doesn't have control over the sky, he creates sea storms but that won't bring thunder. And in any case......it could still be seen as god or the gods agreeing with Mercutio. Saying 'enough'.
I think this an underrated film in terms of what it was trying to do, not how it was received. I thought it was clever to do a verbatim script of the original writing but showing the story in context to modern day events. Its makes it more grounded to the present and more importantly easier for the general audience to understand what is transpiring through action.
Same!! Knowing I'm not gonna see it again for a very very long time (we didn't have cable or VCR), I hung to every memory of the film in my mind. I have the soundtrack on cassette tape and I wore it out!
Now for Baz's 'Moulin Rouge'! Baz has 3 of his first movies called his Red Curtain Trilogy. Baz said that Strictly Ballroom is a movie told through dance, Romeo + Juliet is told in a hightened language, and Moulin Rouge is told through song. Highly suggest Moulin Rouge, one off my favorite movies. The editing will kill you haha. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman are fantastic.
Yes! The only film I've ever seen more than twice in movie theatres. Think I ended up seeing it 8 times in total the summer it premiered. Moulin Rouge is incredible.
Very few people on RUclips react to this movie.. Thank You!!! 😂 It's in my top five of all time. The aesthetic, the soundtrack, the editing, costumes.. I love it all!! 😅 Oh. The performances.. From EVERYONE. 🤯
I was 14 when this movie came out. Obsessed is an understatement. And the soundtrack is incredible. So much nostalgia here! Thanks for the trip down memory lane! ❤
It was my senior year of hs. Everyone tried (and failed) to get that perfectly done yet not done updo from the wedding scene for prom. It was a whole moment.
What's up, my 1982 people! Lol, I was obsessed as well! I remember watching this for the first time and going outside to scream like Leo did, but because he died. Lmao I was a bit dramatic.
I fucking love this film, Baz knew what he wanted to do and dialed it up to 11. The music, the intensity of the acting, the style everything was amazing and Mercutio absolutely killed it.
Rethinking it as a grown man, the friar may be the most tragic character because he has to live with the idea that he did everything in his power to solve everyone's problems, but everything backfired. Everyone would be better if he had never meddled at all and he has to live with it all.
@@Myst031 This! Julie Taymor (sp?) did something special with Titus - visually groundbreaking and Hopkins gets to channel Hannibal a bit - amazing film, great story.
I remember some of the critics from my country was like no its to much like a mtv music video but as someone that grew up with mtv, this movie was perfect for its time & the music was awesome! Not to mention some gorgeous visuals.
I feel the need to be pedantic and point out that “wherefore art thou Romeo?” doesn’t mean “where are you?” it means “why are you Romeo?” Meaning why is he a Montague, which makes it impossible for them to be together.
I did NOT expect you to react to this, holy shit. As soon as I saw the notification, I braced myself because I knew it was either gonna be regarded a complete success, or it was gonna be an absolute fiasco HAHAHA because there's no in between with this movie! There really isn't! Either people love it, or they hate it. And the thing is I completely get it, because it's such a wild, ambitious take-- like every single decision they made for this movie was a risk, so even though I absolutely love this movie, I can understand people that say it's not their thing?? Having said that, I'm so delighted you're one of the people who DID like it, who DID get it and what it was trying to do. You noticed how everyone was strapped cause the guns represented the swords and allll the little details that were adapted and the intention with the editing and the camera movements and the use of music to accentuate and elevate the scenes. A little extra I wanted to comment on (just cause I thought it was an interesting point that was brought up at the beginning and end of the video, about how Shakespeare is taught in the classroom etcetc), is that I feel like a lot of people are kind of..intimidated by Shakespeare? Cause I think it's often handled as this thing that you need to be a Connossuer on Shakespeare in order to get into it.. and it's a real shame that it's handled that way, because if we remember, Shakespeare was a playwright who did popular plays, as in, for the general public! He didn't write material for like, a niche group of intellectuals that twirled their moustaches and drank champagne and chortled and were familiar with "Shakespeare lore", FUCK no!! He wrote plays about the mundane, and about people's feelings, and political corruption FOR THE ORDINARY MAN that went to the theater back then! Which was the equivalent of going to the movies and watching the next Marvel movie today, cause that's what they had for entertainment!! And THAT'S why his plays have survived the test of time. So anyone can get into Shakespeare, even if they're not familiar with it, even if they've never HEARD of the guy. That's the way his plays were designed and I really wish more people just watched a movie like this or read one of his plays and didn't feel self-conscious because they're not well versed with the material. Shakespeare is SO wonderful. And this is one of the best adaptations for the big screen ever made for his material, in my opinion. If you ever felt like watching another modern Shakespeare adaptation, I'd recommend My Own Private Idaho starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix, directed by Gus Van Sant (director of Good Will Hunting). Also kind of trippy, but in a less LSD trip kind of way, and in a more mind-bender sort of way? Anyway, THANK you for watching, I don't know if you can tell that you made my day with your reaction!
I was a freshman in high school when this movie came out and we just so happened to be reading Romeo and Juliet in English class. Our teacher took us on a field trip to see it in theaters and it's been a favorite ever since. Edit : I am LOVING your reactions to this.
The use of the original Shakespearean language was what threw this over the top for me. I started reading Shakespeare when I was in 5th grade, and the language always seemed so natural to me. But as I got older and went to different schools, I realized that not everyone had such an early introduction to the language, and often found it confusing. I always thought that this particular adaptation was brilliant because it allowed people into the language and made its meaning coherent and understandable. Swapping guns for swords was obvious, but still incredibly powerful. But, one of the most impressive things about Shakespeare's plays is that they tend to transcend time and space. You can adapt just about any Shakespearean play to just about any time period or location and it would still work.
One thing I've always noticed about movies as they evolved over the many decades: In the early days, actors in movies still acted as if they were on a stage, because that's all people knew. They used very large movements and spoke in a very loud and deliberate cadence for the cheap seats. As movies evolved, actors embraced more subtle nuance because they realized that every person in the audience had the same seat behind the camera and could see their faces. What's kinda cool about this movie is that the actors went back to a more traditional stage acting presentation in a very cinematic backdrop, which totally makes sense within the premise of this movie. I remember this movie getting a lot of hate back in the day, but I think it's brilliant.
mmm, nyes ^^ Shakespeare still rules the day on stage and theres no subtely about the acting in a movie like transformers. if you want a movie with a huge character arc you will turn to citizen kane which was made in 1941 and is still pretty much the benchmark. if you want an idea when movies turned away from the stage or a set it will propably be sergio leone, who barely uses any dialogue. generally speaking tv productions are made by producers, focusing on economy and sets or a stage like in a theater. Which can be used again and are economic i.e. in sitcoms. movies are more influenced by the directors decision and can come in all forms. there is more variety now with a history of over a 100 years of filmmaking.
This movie has done almost the impossible... to take words on paper that are close to 500 years old and convert those same words into a piece of cinematic art that is completely relatable and contemporary. That, my fellow chatlanders, demonstrates how amazing this film is.
I'm so glad that you found this! THIS is the genius of Baz Luhrmann. And the framing device of the news coverage of the gang war between the families. Chef's kiss!
This is the best, the DEFINITIVE version of Romeo and Juliet. It gets all the praise for the Shakespeare verbatim dialogue, but I think the acting, editing, and cinematography are what really put this version over the top and really make the whole package a complete work of art.
I prefer the classic Franco Zefferelli version from the 1970's, but this one kicks butt on so many levels. You're really spoiled for choice between the two of them.
BTW: The actress who played Juliet's Mom plays Hamlet's Mom in the Ethan Hawke version of Hamlet, which is so awesome because we see Bill Murray doing some Shakespeare, and it's so good!
This is one of those movies that I liked a lot when it came out but didn’t realize how brilliant it was until I was way older. The characters that really stood out to me were Mercutio and Tybalt. The way they were depicted was great. The demeanor difference and how it kind of switches in the confrontation where the “ fun, jokester, party” one is way more ominous and the “rigid, wants to dominate” one shows uncertainty, nervousness, regret. Which I could say is pretty accurate for real life. Mercutio stole every scene he was in. Harold Perrineau is a great actor and he deserved so many mainstream, lead roles. He is now starring in a show called FROM. Its very interesting so far and as expected, he is fantastic in it.
His stage name was Quindon. He was a child r&b artist in the early-mid 90s. He had a hard life and is no longer with us. Sadly, none of his music is available for streaming, I especially wish I could find his version of When Doves Cry. RIP to him
I was 15 years old when that movie came out and that was the coolest movie I had ever seen at that time. It was mind-bendingly life changing for me. I was obsessed with everything and everyone in that movie, I got the 2 soundtracks, I learned the entire movie shot for shot, all the lines of dialog, I wanted to buy Hawaiian shirts and brood like Leo, I was in love with Claire Danes, I thought Leguizamo was a villain character I wanted to be able to play at that level, it cemented my decision to pursue drama studies past high school. I eventually got over it, but at the time it hit just the right spots for me.
I'm only about ten minutes into this reaction and you're hyped over how cool the adaptation is. I had to pause it to say this movie is ALL VIBES! I was in high school when it came out and this hit pretty hard within my friend group. Everybody had this sound track.
So many great British and American character actors and stars in this cast. Pete Postlethwate, Miriam Margolies, Paul Sorvino, Jessica Lange, Brian Dennehy, Vondie Curtis-Hall, etc
Welcome to the cinematic world of Baz Luhrmann. Love him or hate him, the man has vision. "Moulin Rouge!" is probably my favorite movie of all time, and "Strictly Ballroom" is another excellent choice if you want to see more of his work.
This film could have stumbled all over the place. But somehow it nailed every single moment. Leo killed it. I love how be can be so rage filled and drop into destroyed because he killed Tybalt. And that final twist where Juliet wakes up to witness Romeo dying - wow! Claire looks so child like when Romeo is gone, too. She has lost everything and she looks so small and overwhelmed. Loved this movie. And it has not aged in the decades since release.
You have to respect Baz Luhrmann's vision for this. This film is part 2 of his Red Curtain trilogy. You definitely should check out part 1 of it: "Strictly Ballroom". It's great!
4:30 West Side Story (1957) is just an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet (1597) is just an adaptation of Tristan and Isolde (1200) is just an adaptation of Pyramus and Thisbe (8) is just an adaptation of an older lost story. Yep, some of our core stories are really really old.
My 8th grade English teacher showed this to our class, I fell in love with the style from the opening credits. It felt so cool and refreshing to see such a well crafted movie that my best friend and I bought the movie on Blu-ray and watched it again!
So glad you reviewed this film. Such a masterpiece and highly underrated. I worked at Fox when this was released and was blown away by this work of art. Baz Luhrmann is a genious.
This was filmed in Mexico City before Titanic was released… you could see Leonardo DiCaprio walking on the street, getting groceries, at restaurants and nobody knew who he was… and then Titanic happened and boom! This is one of my favourite movies of his and one of his best performances!
That scene where they are looking through the aquarium is so iconic. When I was younger, that scene was recreated, and mixed into videos all the time. The best actor in this movie is Paul Sorvino. Who played Juliet's father, Lord Capulet. He was excellent.
8:52 I remember the loud laughter in the theater after this guy screamed that out (it's actually "house of Montague" but who cares) with "Montague" tattooed into the back of his head. Best Shakespeare prologue I've ever seen (have seen quite a few) and sets the tone for the whole movie -- Shakespeare's actual words with modern visuals. Baz Luhrmann is a genius IMO. (PS 32:55 Yes. Yes it was)
One of my favorite lines in any song EVER comes from "Kissing You". She says "Watching stars without you, my soul cries". My SOUL cries. C'mon. Just beautiful.
James, I could tell you really liked this movie. And I knew you would! And as much as I love this movie, I have only watched it a few times. Because, well, you can only watch this movie for the first time once. And that's where you come in. I can feel like perhaps I'm watching Romeo + Juliet for the first time, again, with you. Thanks for making this!
I saw this in a cinema and my mind and senses were blown in the best possible way. To breathe such life and energy into the complex language of Shakespeare connecting it to a modern world was ingenious. I love all the red carpet films from Baz Luhrmann, should definitely check the other two out, they’re equally impressive in their different ways.
As you rightly mentioned, the score and sound design are incredible in this film. This came out my senior year of hs and all of the girls were OBSESSED with this movie. It was great fun. It's so rare when hs obsessions hold up over time, so this is a rare treat. The entire soundtrack is amazingm I have my original 1997 CD that I have moved with 12+ times because it's fucking incredible. This movie was #aesthetic before that concept existed.
I was just thinking a few days ago how few react channels have touched this movie. Nice to see you do this one James! It was definitely wild back in the day and still holds up today IMO!
That incredible songstress is Des’ree and I 100% agree with you. The song sung as the camera pans over them is the Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde (the 1859 opera iteration of Romeo and Juliet) - Isolde mourns Tristan, singing over his lifeless body, imagining him ascending to heaven. In the final portion of the aria she’s imagining how blissful it must be to be in heaven with Tristan, “shall I…breathe my life away?” The part you hear of the aria contains the lyrics “versinken, - unbewusst, - höchste lust!” Which translates to “to founder, unconscious, utmost bliss.” Isolde essentially talks herself out of living and sinks down beside Tristan, dead. I always found this scene very sad but knowing about the aria and what it means made it extra sad. I recommend listening to it. It was composed by Wagner (terrible human being, good at music) if you’re interested. This song was also used in Promising Young Woman :) I’ll catch ya in the uncut, toodles!
I was 15 when this came out and I was part of the target audience. It really left an impression on me. As a high school English teacher, I definitely make it a point to show this in class.
I turned 16 the year this movie came out and I can say that it definitely had an impact. It was such an iconic movie for kids my age. There have been many Shakespeare adaptations over the years and movies that took a Shakespeare story and made it modern (like 10 Things I Hate About You is basically The Taming of the Shrew set in the late 90s), but Romeo + Juliet WAS Shakespeare in a way that other movies were not. Also between this movie and My So Called Life, Claire Danes is like the quintessential Xennial actress to me.
John Leguizamo's performance is SO underrated!!! His role as Tybalt is so phenomenal!!! The roles commonly don't have POC and the fact that he's Hispanic makes it even more difficult for getting good roles. He knocked it out of the park like EVERY role he plays!!!❤
He'd been known as a comedian before this, and the movie he was mostly known for was THE PEST, which was heavily panned. He was in TOO WONG FOO, but Swayze and Snipes took center stage over him. But he's been almost exclusively dramatic ever since then.
@@adamscott7354 This rendition of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was shot in Mexico City and Boca del Rio, Veracruz, as well as Miami. But of course "Verona" is definitely a version of Venice Beach but the actual play which this comes from, including the Capulet's and Montague's are Italian. Which you see with Paul Sorvino. Normally, these plays historically have been played by white European people or descendants of them. Casting John in the role of Tybalt was a departure from that norm and deserves attention. Besides the fact that I have always loved everything he's been in, he completely becomes the character.
@@norskawarrior1919 Yeah, I know, that's why I said that about the actual location for this telling given I said depicted Miami-ish as intended setting instead of feudal Italy
When this movie came out, my friends and I could NOT stop listening to the soundtrack. It's one of the first times I remember being captivated by the music of a movie. And shortly after this, Titanic did something similar. I'm glad to see the music in this movie still affects people today.
My high school did ‘A Seussification of Romeo and Juliet’ one year as a stage production. Imagine a Shakespeare play written in the style of Dr. Seuss!
HELL YES. Glad you've reacted to R+J, this is one of my favorite 90s films. A daring adaptation but I think it worked. The soundtrack is really good too. Thanks James and feel better!
Romeo + Juliet is a masterpiece, props to doing it justice despite your condition. If romance is the theme, the astounding Moulin Rouge proves the statement ~ all you need is love.
I love that you are almost the trend setter for reactions, you're the first I always see react to something then a week later everyone else uploads reactions to what you did. Killing it out here keep it up!
When I read romeo and juliet I read it as a story about the dangers of confusing infatuation with love, and the dreadful idea children have that their emotions have permanence and act on that notion for no reason. I always had heard it was a romantic story, but it certainly didn't read like it.
It's very much not a romantic story, it's been written to point out how silly young love can be, and how it feels so strong and all-encompassing when you're experiencing it. And to warn against pointless feuds. It's often mistaken as romantic, but it very much isn't, that's exactly the reading of it the play warns against.
I'm so glad you were *_feeling_* this film. It's SO nostalgic to me--_and_ it's great to be reminded that it artistically holds up. I was in middle school when it came out, and became predictably obsessed (I couldn't see it in the theaters so we rented it from Blockbuster on VHS and watched it in my friend Jenna's basement). I printed out stills from the movie (no small feat in AOL Online days) and taped them to my Trapper Keeper. I bought the sheet music to the song Des'ree sings and learned it my heart. I memorized basically all of the movie / play. I saved up money to buy the soundtrack AND the soundtrack vol. 2. This movie was the way I discovered Radiohead and fell in love with them. It was pivotal for me.
I saw this in the theater when I was 14, and many times since. It's easily my favorite adaptation of the play. The emotion practically pours off the screen.
The hype on this film was unreal. Constant trailers and spots on every channel Viacom controlled or could pimp it to. It was THE movie to see if you were in high school. It didn't hurt that Claire Danes was still riding the _My So-Called Life_ fandom to the silver screen. Lurhman's stylization and the monumentally successful soundtrack did the nigh-impossible: *it made Shakespeare cool.* That's why there's a dozen+ Shakespeare film adaptations between 1996-2002.
People give this movie ish, but I, like you, found it absolutely brilliant. Leo is such an AMAZING actor. The part when he first sees Juliet, when he kills Tybalt, when he hears Juliet is gone, when he walks into the space where Juliet is.....master class. Same with Claire. I always find myself holding my breathe when she gets into the fight with her father, its just so intense. Two of my absolute favorite actors. All of the actors were on their game though. I loved this adaptation because the action set in a modern setting keeping the dialog made it easier, in my opinion, for those who couldnt understand Shakespeare before. You touched on all of this. The soundstracks (there are 2) are just as amazing. I watch this endlessly. Not just because I adore Leo either. (Well, maybe just a little bit) I am soo happy that you loved it. Its absolutely my favorite adaptation of this play ever. You are the first person I have seen react to this one. I couldnt have enjoyed it more. You need to watch Gatsby. An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerals The Great Gatsby, another book we all ahd to read in school. Its made by the same director, Baz Lurhmann, and also stars Leo. I just watched it earlier tonight actually. Its just as stylized and amazing to watch. Its on Netflix. I know that I am not on patreon so Gatsby is merely a suggestion, but I think you would enjoy it. New sub, sir. Excellent reaction.
How lucky I was that this came out on VHS the very year we were doing R&J in school…And the teacher totally leaned into using it to help us understand the story. Watching Leo in class, as work?! The teenage dream at the time 😂
I went with a friend to see this in the theater when it came out, we were both in our mid to late 20s, but the theater was PACKED with teenage and pre-teen girls and there was so much crying and sighing and giggling and screaming everytime Leo was on screen, we were just cracking up the whole time.
I bought that soundtrack cassette tape and wore that out in every car I had until there was no tape player in my car anymore, and don't get me started - the visuals & the culture that is still relevant - the poetry and the love, Baz Luhrmann brovo x 10 - great reaction
When this came out I was studying film and English in college and I went to see it 5+ times. So well done and right up my angsty late-teen alley. 😄 I love the soundtrack too.
Matching the original old english with a modern setting, Somehow made me understand some of the words a lot better. Maybe because i'm a visual learner.
I still don’t actually know how they pulled this off😂 always loved this movie and it was the movie that made Leonardo one of my favourite actors ever. Everyone in this film acted their asses off though but it was everything like you said the editing, the music, those close ups the colour grading. They didn’t miss and I’m glad others think this way as well
Glad to be checking out the Drama & Romance genre, let's see what we learn here! Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema Have a great day!
3:45 Someone on RUclips is gonna finally do a reaction to Leaving Las Vegas? Ultra-low budget guerilla film-making that got Elisabeth Shue an Oscar nomination and Nicholas Cage a much-deserved win is right up your alley, and it fits your theme... in a bleak sort of way.
@missbec1982 Yes!!!! I am 38, and before my mom passed, she reminded me that I bought this movie on dish around 30 times, costing hundreds of dollars... I thought I could just watch the previews multiple times 😅😅😅
When this movie came out it was one of my favourites and I’ve watched it so many times and the soundtrack still hits so hard for me. Such a fantastic movie!
This is one of my favorite adaptations; I'm so glad you liked it! And it was such a joy to get to see you see it for the first time. I haven't watched any other reactions to this because I was so worried the reactors wouldn't enjoy it as much as I do. Glad to be wrong in your case!! Great Reaction!
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love Shakespeare and I'm convinced if he were alive today, he would like this modernized version. Visually, musically, and lyrically - so well executed!
I saw this in the theater with my friends and some of my boyfriend’s buddies and it’s the only movie of my adolescence that I can remember where an entire group of teenagers were absolutely silent the whole time. Just completely immersed.
Hey James, thanks for this reaction. R&J is a text riddled with sex jokes, and plenty of violence. All of it was there to keep audiences engaged. So this adaptation is not as surprising as you may think. Please keep in mind that Shakespeare was a writer and actor for the commercial stage at a time in London when playhouses were the equivalent of Hollywood movie studios. Pumping out shows, and hoping to have a hit that would make more money. Competing companies of players tried to capture an audience at a time when everybody in town, rich and poor, was going to see and hear plays regularly as popular entertainment. The companies of players would hire writers to churn out scripts for many productions running in repertory each year. And if another company had a hit with a certain story then they would commission one on a similar theme - sometimes even based on the same story. And if the writer was taking too long, they would hire a group of writers and create a "writer's room" to finish the script in a hurry, in time for staging. This was commercial entertainment just as much as, or more than, art. All were looking for a commercial hit, a palpable hit. Love stories, scandalous farcical comedies, history stories that had some relation to current politics, supernatural stories, revenge tragedies with lots of blood, etc. Shakespeare is amazing, in part, because he would blend more than one genre (romance and revenge, comedy and tragedy, history and supernatural, etc.) in many of his plays. In a different - but related - vein, I suggest that you react to "Shakespeare In Love" after this. And when you watch it, please look out for the sly humour breaking the 4th wall peppered throughout, as well as the wit within.
It’s a masterpiece. I feel like you every time I watch it. I taught Shakespeare as an English teacher for years, and I used this film every year for Romeo and Juliet. Such a beautiful piece of art.
Yeah I can see why! I truly go on a field day here because I was genuinely shocked at the brilliance.
my english teacher did the same, was a great teacher
Teachers like you is waht cemented this movie into nostolgia. My favorite subject was English and when i first saw this after reading the play i loved the over the top action and absolute absurdity of this film.,
My english teacher did this AND the 1970s version, but forgot to cover 70s Romeo's butt. She tried hopping her desk to get to the TV in time but just missed it. Hilarious. Fantastic memory.
@@dragontears 😂😂😂
That aquarium sequence is etched in the memories of all late Gen Xers.
True, and Xennials.
@@adamscott7354 I'm not sure what a xennial is, but I was born in 1989 and remember that scene as a kid, and thinking that's what love is.
@@adamscott7354This is prime Xennial pop culture. I was 12 when this film came out, and Leo and Claire were everything. This soundtrack is epic. Everyone obsessed over Leo and Kate, but this came first. Sadly, they supposedly did not like each other.
@@samanthapalus1085 Its actually what you are, same as me, from 1977-1985 births are what is known as Z/Xennials, before Gen Z, slightly after Gen X
@@IslesYankeeLady "Supposedly" I mean the argument for that is self evident with his dating habits today...
One thing you need to know; how ambitious this is. The dialogue is EXACTLY the way Shakespeare wrote it. Absolutely NO editing. And with the acting and direction, you know exactly what is going on and what they mean. How cool is that? That Shakespeare is really so timeless and that with brilliant direction and editing, it remains a great story!
No editing is a bit of a misnomer. All the dialogue is from the text, yes, but there’s a ton removed for time.
@@revelator41agree with this. I think if you read the text along with the movie, some of it has been moved around as well to suit the movie’s style. This is the brilliance of the movie; it knew its source material and modernised it.
@@revelator41 Yes, this is a long play even by Shakespeare's standards. Even stage productions cut it down a lot (the first production I saw, and it was an eminent British company, left out substantial scenes).
John Leguizamo nailed his performance as Tybalt.
Let's be honest, John Leguizamo nails his performance in any movie or show.
@@coryrudy98 First of all, respect for being a fellow Cory with no E. You're good people. But yes, complete agreement. He's overlooked as this impulsive haha man but there's this performance, there's the doorbusting Too Wong Foo, there's the physical pain he endured for Spawn. Dude's awesome.
Tybalt is hot as hell in this. Call me a capulet any day.
@@tinyplasticgravesHe goes on to another Baz Lurhmann classic, Moulin Rogue too. Brilliant onstage too of course.
I had a crush on Leo, of course, yadda yadda yadda - but I was _enthralled_ by John 😍😍
I will never forget the way my cousin, who had a much rougher life than me with a lot of drugs around her and prostitution with her mother and everything, and her dad was in a outlaw motorcycle gang, it was crazy... Anyway, I was really sheltered compared to her and I grew up reading stuff like Shakespeare, and I remember her saying she could absolutely not understand any of that and had no interest in it in school . until this film came out, and that this film being made in a way that was applicable to her life made her want to pay attention and understand what was being said and so this film made her understand Shakespeare... and for that alone it gets all five of my stars, because it was capable of communicating across generations and across experiences, and that is awesome.
Harold Perrineau as Mercutio is the best! Loved his narration as Augustus Hill in OZ.
Such a good show
Hell yeah, that show was loaded with top notch actors
@ATSaale Dean Winters as Mayhem is my favorite! Gotta love the O'Reilys.
@@amaca87 Patrick Star getting murdered by fingernails sticks out to me
@@SuperSayinSolidSnek THE BIGGEST LOL!
I love how much you loved this movie. A lot of people can’t get past the modern take so much that they’re missing all the amazing things. It’s so underrated
The storm rolling in after Mercutio dies is so over the top, I love it.
Like, what, did his death anger Poseidon?? How dramatic can you get??
He was actually Percy Jackson the whole time
It should have. Mercutio was the best of them.
Poseidon doesn't have control over the sky, he creates sea storms but that won't bring thunder.
And in any case......it could still be seen as god or the gods agreeing with Mercutio. Saying 'enough'.
It was an actual hurricane rolling in where they were shooting. It destroyed the abandoned stage set.
It's really obvious pathetic fallacy. Lurhman must have known English teachers would be using this film for decades.
Baz Luhrmann, man. Gods, his movies just pop and crackle with energy. Love this film!
The woman who was singing in this movie is Des'ree . She had a huge song in the 90's called You Gotta Be.
She writes it Des'ree :) She's such a Queen! 😍
@@NeaJewelry You're right. Thanks for telling me.
The entire soundtrack to this movie is awesome
"Kissing You" from the soundtrack is so hauntingly beautiful
Queen 👑❤
I think this an underrated film in terms of what it was trying to do, not how it was received. I thought it was clever to do a verbatim script of the original writing but showing the story in context to modern day events. Its makes it more grounded to the present and more importantly easier for the general audience to understand what is transpiring through action.
I saw this IN THE THEATER when I was a teenager. Imagine that. The 90's were bliss, man.
Same! We were at our happiest, and didn't know it.
Same!! Knowing I'm not gonna see it again for a very very long time (we didn't have cable or VCR), I hung to every memory of the film in my mind. I have the soundtrack on cassette tape and I wore it out!
Yes! Wish I had appreciated it more
I know a girl who Airbnb with me in a mansion, cost me 1000s. They had a big cinema room, the whole weekend she was watching this. This.
The same...I was 17 years old and watched it with my first love, time flies...
Now for Baz's 'Moulin Rouge'! Baz has 3 of his first movies called his Red Curtain Trilogy. Baz said that Strictly Ballroom is a movie told through dance, Romeo + Juliet is told in a hightened language, and Moulin Rouge is told through song. Highly suggest Moulin Rouge, one off my favorite movies. The editing will kill you haha. Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman are fantastic.
yes!!! Moulin Rouge next🔥❤️🔥🔥
Yes! The only film I've ever seen more than twice in movie theatres. Think I ended up seeing it 8 times in total the summer it premiered. Moulin Rouge is incredible.
As much as Moulin Rouge is fantastic - Strictly Ballroom is so special! Its ending is so heightened and triumphant, and so earned - I just love it ✨
Strictly Ballroom is my comfort movie love it so much
Strictly ballroom is so epic and so camp it's brilliant
Very few people on RUclips react to this movie.. Thank You!!! 😂 It's in my top five of all time. The aesthetic, the soundtrack, the editing, costumes.. I love it all!! 😅 Oh. The performances.. From EVERYONE. 🤯
I was 14 when this movie came out. Obsessed is an understatement. And the soundtrack is incredible. So much nostalgia here! Thanks for the trip down memory lane! ❤
I was 19 and I was obsessed with this too! Had the poster of Leo on the beach on my dorm wall and played that soundtrack on a loop!
@@mysocalledgenxlife yes!! I know that poster! Gonna have to listen to the soundtrack on repeat for a few days now.
It was my senior year of hs. Everyone tried (and failed) to get that perfectly done yet not done updo from the wedding scene for prom. It was a whole moment.
What's up, my 1982 people! Lol, I was obsessed as well! I remember watching this for the first time and going outside to scream like Leo did, but because he died. Lmao I was a bit dramatic.
I just remembered the soundtrack and got it again
I fucking love this film, Baz knew what he wanted to do and dialed it up to 11. The music, the intensity of the acting, the style everything was amazing and Mercutio absolutely killed it.
Rethinking it as a grown man, the friar may be the most tragic character because he has to live with the idea that he did everything in his power to solve everyone's problems, but everything backfired. Everyone would be better if he had never meddled at all and he has to live with it all.
Genuinely the most outrageous yet brilliant Shakespeare adaptation to ever exist
Absolute peak cinema can't believe no ones really tried again or stolen stuff from this.
You may like Coriolanus (2011) with Ralph Fiennes and Gerard Butler
@@JamesRMcDowell ty
They adapted Othello into high school basketball drama called 'O' that came out in 2000.
Check out Titus with Anthony Hopkins, incredible film.
@@Myst031 This! Julie Taymor (sp?) did something special with Titus - visually groundbreaking and Hopkins gets to channel Hannibal a bit - amazing film, great story.
I remember some of the critics from my country was like no its to much like a mtv music video but as someone that grew up with mtv, this movie was perfect for its time & the music was awesome! Not to mention some gorgeous visuals.
I feel the need to be pedantic and point out that “wherefore art thou Romeo?” doesn’t mean “where are you?” it means “why are you Romeo?” Meaning why is he a Montague, which makes it impossible for them to be together.
I don't think it's pedantic, it's good to clarify a few things for people.
I did NOT expect you to react to this, holy shit. As soon as I saw the notification, I braced myself because I knew it was either gonna be regarded a complete success, or it was gonna be an absolute fiasco HAHAHA because there's no in between with this movie! There really isn't! Either people love it, or they hate it. And the thing is I completely get it, because it's such a wild, ambitious take-- like every single decision they made for this movie was a risk, so even though I absolutely love this movie, I can understand people that say it's not their thing?? Having said that, I'm so delighted you're one of the people who DID like it, who DID get it and what it was trying to do. You noticed how everyone was strapped cause the guns represented the swords and allll the little details that were adapted and the intention with the editing and the camera movements and the use of music to accentuate and elevate the scenes. A little extra I wanted to comment on (just cause I thought it was an interesting point that was brought up at the beginning and end of the video, about how Shakespeare is taught in the classroom etcetc), is that I feel like a lot of people are kind of..intimidated by Shakespeare? Cause I think it's often handled as this thing that you need to be a Connossuer on Shakespeare in order to get into it.. and it's a real shame that it's handled that way, because if we remember, Shakespeare was a playwright who did popular plays, as in, for the general public! He didn't write material for like, a niche group of intellectuals that twirled their moustaches and drank champagne and chortled and were familiar with "Shakespeare lore", FUCK no!! He wrote plays about the mundane, and about people's feelings, and political corruption FOR THE ORDINARY MAN that went to the theater back then! Which was the equivalent of going to the movies and watching the next Marvel movie today, cause that's what they had for entertainment!! And THAT'S why his plays have survived the test of time. So anyone can get into Shakespeare, even if they're not familiar with it, even if they've never HEARD of the guy. That's the way his plays were designed and I really wish more people just watched a movie like this or read one of his plays and didn't feel self-conscious because they're not well versed with the material. Shakespeare is SO wonderful. And this is one of the best adaptations for the big screen ever made for his material, in my opinion. If you ever felt like watching another modern Shakespeare adaptation, I'd recommend My Own Private Idaho starring Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix, directed by Gus Van Sant (director of Good Will Hunting). Also kind of trippy, but in a less LSD trip kind of way, and in a more mind-bender sort of way? Anyway, THANK you for watching, I don't know if you can tell that you made my day with your reaction!
I was a freshman in high school when this movie came out and we just so happened to be reading Romeo and Juliet in English class. Our teacher took us on a field trip to see it in theaters and it's been a favorite ever since.
Edit : I am LOVING your reactions to this.
You should check "Much ado about nothing" with Denzel Washington and "Hamlet", both directed by Kenneth Branagh, beautiful movies!
Much Ado is a delight
Absolutely! And Midsummer Night's Dream with Michelle Pfeiffer.
I prefer Mel Gibson's version of Hamlet. Branaugh's Henry V is excellent, though.
The use of the original Shakespearean language was what threw this over the top for me. I started reading Shakespeare when I was in 5th grade, and the language always seemed so natural to me. But as I got older and went to different schools, I realized that not everyone had such an early introduction to the language, and often found it confusing. I always thought that this particular adaptation was brilliant because it allowed people into the language and made its meaning coherent and understandable. Swapping guns for swords was obvious, but still incredibly powerful.
But, one of the most impressive things about Shakespeare's plays is that they tend to transcend time and space. You can adapt just about any Shakespearean play to just about any time period or location and it would still work.
One thing I've always noticed about movies as they evolved over the many decades: In the early days, actors in movies still acted as if they were on a stage, because that's all people knew. They used very large movements and spoke in a very loud and deliberate cadence for the cheap seats. As movies evolved, actors embraced more subtle nuance because they realized that every person in the audience had the same seat behind the camera and could see their faces. What's kinda cool about this movie is that the actors went back to a more traditional stage acting presentation in a very cinematic backdrop, which totally makes sense within the premise of this movie. I remember this movie getting a lot of hate back in the day, but I think it's brilliant.
mmm, nyes ^^ Shakespeare still rules the day on stage and theres no subtely about the acting in a movie like transformers. if you want a movie with a huge character arc you will turn to citizen kane which was made in 1941 and is still pretty much the benchmark. if you want an idea when movies turned away from the stage or a set it will propably be sergio leone, who barely uses any dialogue. generally speaking tv productions are made by producers, focusing on economy and sets or a stage like in a theater. Which can be used again and are economic i.e. in sitcoms. movies are more influenced by the directors decision and can come in all forms. there is more variety now with a history of over a 100 years of filmmaking.
This film is a work of art!
Heavily agreed!! Sure you’ll dig this video then!
This movie has done almost the impossible... to take words on paper that are close to 500 years old and convert those same words into a piece of cinematic art that is completely relatable and contemporary. That, my fellow chatlanders, demonstrates how amazing this film is.
I'm so glad that you found this! THIS is the genius of Baz Luhrmann. And the framing device of the news coverage of the gang war between the families. Chef's kiss!
This is the best, the DEFINITIVE version of Romeo and Juliet. It gets all the praise for the Shakespeare verbatim dialogue, but I think the acting, editing, and cinematography are what really put this version over the top and really make the whole package a complete work of art.
I prefer the classic Franco Zefferelli version from the 1970's, but this one kicks butt on so many levels. You're really spoiled for choice between the two of them.
BTW: The actress who played Juliet's Mom plays Hamlet's Mom in the Ethan Hawke version of Hamlet, which is so awesome because we see Bill Murray doing some Shakespeare, and it's so good!
This is one of those movies that I liked a lot when it came out but didn’t realize how brilliant it was until I was way older.
The characters that really stood out to me were Mercutio and Tybalt. The way they were depicted was great. The demeanor difference and how it kind of switches in the confrontation where the “ fun, jokester, party” one is way more ominous and the “rigid, wants to dominate” one shows uncertainty, nervousness, regret. Which I could say is pretty accurate for real life.
Mercutio stole every scene he was in. Harold Perrineau is a great actor and he deserved so many mainstream, lead roles. He is now starring in a show called FROM. Its very interesting so far and as expected, he is fantastic in it.
That little boy singing was fantastic what a voice
His stage name was Quindon. He was a child r&b artist in the early-mid 90s. He had a hard life and is no longer with us. Sadly, none of his music is available for streaming, I especially wish I could find his version of When Doves Cry. RIP to him
@@khloecarvell3243Some of his music is on Amazon music
Quindon Tarver is on Spotify
I was 15 years old when that movie came out and that was the coolest movie I had ever seen at that time. It was mind-bendingly life changing for me. I was obsessed with everything and everyone in that movie, I got the 2 soundtracks, I learned the entire movie shot for shot, all the lines of dialog, I wanted to buy Hawaiian shirts and brood like Leo, I was in love with Claire Danes, I thought Leguizamo was a villain character I wanted to be able to play at that level, it cemented my decision to pursue drama studies past high school. I eventually got over it, but at the time it hit just the right spots for me.
Clicked on this because i just know that you're love the camera work, costuming, everything really about the opening gas station scene alone
"This is the saltiest death ever" 😂😂😂 lol it really was
Our boy Will could write - more than his skill as a wordsmith, it was his compassion and empathy for the human condition that makes him the GOAT.
I'm only about ten minutes into this reaction and you're hyped over how cool the adaptation is. I had to pause it to say this movie is ALL VIBES!
I was in high school when it came out and this hit pretty hard within my friend group. Everybody had this sound track.
Forever obsessed with Harold Perrineau's Mercutio 🙌🙌
The performance really plays with the idea that Mercutio is actually in love with Romeo.
So many great British and American character actors and stars in this cast. Pete Postlethwate, Miriam Margolies, Paul Sorvino, Jessica Lange, Brian Dennehy, Vondie Curtis-Hall, etc
Preface comes from latin (prae+fatia), means "spoken before".
Welcome to the cinematic world of Baz Luhrmann. Love him or hate him, the man has vision. "Moulin Rouge!" is probably my favorite movie of all time, and "Strictly Ballroom" is another excellent choice if you want to see more of his work.
This film could have stumbled all over the place. But somehow it nailed every single moment. Leo killed it. I love how be can be so rage filled and drop into destroyed because he killed Tybalt. And that final twist where Juliet wakes up to witness Romeo dying - wow! Claire looks so child like when Romeo is gone, too. She has lost everything and she looks so small and overwhelmed. Loved this movie. And it has not aged in the decades since release.
You have to respect Baz Luhrmann's vision for this. This film is part 2 of his Red Curtain trilogy. You definitely should check out part 1 of it: "Strictly Ballroom". It's great!
Strictly Ballroom is SO entertaining!
4:30 West Side Story (1957) is just an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet (1597) is just an adaptation of Tristan and Isolde (1200) is just an adaptation of Pyramus and Thisbe (8) is just an adaptation of an older lost story. Yep, some of our core stories are really really old.
Stylish af. Also a killer soundtrack. This movie reeks of the 90s and I love it.
My 8th grade English teacher showed this to our class, I fell in love with the style from the opening credits. It felt so cool and refreshing to see such a well crafted movie that my best friend and I bought the movie on Blu-ray and watched it again!
Ah, the good ol' blu-ray days.
@@hakunamarada back when owning physical media was still the norm
We watched it in my freshman high school lit class and I also thought it was so fun
So glad you reviewed this film. Such a masterpiece and highly underrated. I worked at Fox when this was released and was blown away by this work of art. Baz Luhrmann is a genious.
This was filmed in Mexico City before Titanic was released… you could see Leonardo DiCaprio walking on the street, getting groceries, at restaurants and nobody knew who he was… and then Titanic happened and boom! This is one of my favourite movies of his and one of his best performances!
That scene where they are looking through the aquarium is so iconic. When I was younger, that scene was recreated, and mixed into videos all the time.
The best actor in this movie is Paul Sorvino. Who played Juliet's father, Lord Capulet. He was excellent.
I just can't believe it took so long for Leo to finally get his oscar.
Yes, he should have several by now.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape should have given him his first
For the scene when he kills Tybalt alone, he should have won one. He is such a brilliant actor.
ohhh hes gonna find so much to appreciate!!
You are extremely correct hahaha
8:52 I remember the loud laughter in the theater after this guy screamed that out (it's actually "house of Montague" but who cares) with "Montague" tattooed into the back of his head. Best Shakespeare prologue I've ever seen (have seen quite a few) and sets the tone for the whole movie -- Shakespeare's actual words with modern visuals. Baz Luhrmann is a genius IMO. (PS 32:55 Yes. Yes it was)
I loved “Kissing You” so much I bought the piano score when it first came out when I was in high school. Just beautiful ❤
One of my favorite lines in any song EVER comes from "Kissing You". She says "Watching stars without you, my soul cries". My SOUL cries. C'mon. Just beautiful.
Me too! I had (and still have) the piano book for all of the songs from the movie. My family got so tired of me playing that song lol
By far one of my favorite scored films, with an incredible soundtrack to boot. My wife walked down the aisle to "Kissing you"
Yes! the soundtrack is so good! what a great to pick to walk to!
Baz Luhrmann rocks! Watch "Moulon Rouge" also.
And Claire Danes ist probably the all time best pick for Julia, she is just so radiant!
James, I could tell you really liked this movie. And I knew you would! And as much as I love this movie, I have only watched it a few times. Because, well, you can only watch this movie for the first time once. And that's where you come in. I can feel like perhaps I'm watching Romeo + Juliet for the first time, again, with you. Thanks for making this!
Dude...the song "Kissing You" was a staple for teenagers in my area to make out to. So you are not wrong in regards to being impossible to fumble >
I saw this in a cinema and my mind and senses were blown in the best possible way. To breathe such life and energy into the complex language of Shakespeare connecting it to a modern world was ingenious. I love all the red carpet films from Baz Luhrmann, should definitely check the other two out, they’re equally impressive in their different ways.
As you rightly mentioned, the score and sound design are incredible in this film. This came out my senior year of hs and all of the girls were OBSESSED with this movie. It was great fun. It's so rare when hs obsessions hold up over time, so this is a rare treat. The entire soundtrack is amazingm I have my original 1997 CD that I have moved with 12+ times because it's fucking incredible. This movie was #aesthetic before that concept existed.
I was just thinking a few days ago how few react channels have touched this movie. Nice to see you do this one James! It was definitely wild back in the day and still holds up today IMO!
Leo DiCaprio actually won the Berlin Film Festival award for Best Actor for this.
Oh wow, I didn't know that😃
That incredible songstress is Des’ree and I 100% agree with you. The song sung as the camera pans over them is the Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde (the 1859 opera iteration of Romeo and Juliet) - Isolde mourns Tristan, singing over his lifeless body, imagining him ascending to heaven. In the final portion of the aria she’s imagining how blissful it must be to be in heaven with Tristan, “shall I…breathe my life away?”
The part you hear of the aria contains the lyrics “versinken, - unbewusst, - höchste lust!” Which translates to “to founder, unconscious, utmost bliss.” Isolde essentially talks herself out of living and sinks down beside Tristan, dead.
I always found this scene very sad but knowing about the aria and what it means made it extra sad. I recommend listening to it. It was composed by Wagner (terrible human being, good at music) if you’re interested.
This song was also used in Promising Young Woman :)
I’ll catch ya in the uncut, toodles!
I was 15 when this came out and I was part of the target audience. It really left an impression on me.
As a high school English teacher, I definitely make it a point to show this in class.
Because of the scene in Hot Fuzz this movie will always be hilarious to me.
We just sat through three hours of so-called acting, constable, and their kiss was the only convincing moment of it.
They murdered Shakespeare
Such a great love letter to this great movie.
I turned 16 the year this movie came out and I can say that it definitely had an impact. It was such an iconic movie for kids my age. There have been many Shakespeare adaptations over the years and movies that took a Shakespeare story and made it modern (like 10 Things I Hate About You is basically The Taming of the Shrew set in the late 90s), but Romeo + Juliet WAS Shakespeare in a way that other movies were not. Also between this movie and My So Called Life, Claire Danes is like the quintessential Xennial actress to me.
So glad to watch someone appreciate this movie as much as I do. I've been obsessed with it for decades! ❤
John Leguizamo's performance is SO underrated!!! His role as Tybalt is so phenomenal!!! The roles commonly don't have POC and the fact that he's Hispanic makes it even more difficult for getting good roles. He knocked it out of the park like EVERY role he plays!!!❤
Hell yes. Went to see this because I'd been a Leo fan since Parenthood (the TV show not the movie) and fell hard for John. Love him to this day.
He'd been known as a comedian before this, and the movie he was mostly known for was THE PEST, which was heavily panned. He was in TOO WONG FOO, but Swayze and Snipes took center stage over him. But he's been almost exclusively dramatic ever since then.
Well it also well suits a Hispanic actor because the setting is Miami Beach right?
@@adamscott7354 This rendition of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was shot in Mexico City and Boca del Rio, Veracruz, as well as Miami. But of course "Verona" is definitely a version of Venice Beach but the actual play which this comes from, including the Capulet's and Montague's are Italian. Which you see with Paul Sorvino. Normally, these plays historically have been played by white European people or descendants of them. Casting John in the role of Tybalt was a departure from that norm and deserves attention. Besides the fact that I have always loved everything he's been in, he completely becomes the character.
@@norskawarrior1919 Yeah, I know, that's why I said that about the actual location for this telling given I said depicted Miami-ish as intended setting instead of feudal Italy
When this movie came out, my friends and I could NOT stop listening to the soundtrack. It's one of the first times I remember being captivated by the music of a movie. And shortly after this, Titanic did something similar. I'm glad to see the music in this movie still affects people today.
I LOVE this movie. All the cars are custom for this movie they look crazy over the top. ❤ the clothes the fashion the music choices 👌 love it all.
My high school did ‘A Seussification of Romeo and Juliet’ one year as a stage production. Imagine a Shakespeare play written in the style of Dr. Seuss!
HELL YES. Glad you've reacted to R+J, this is one of my favorite 90s films. A daring adaptation but I think it worked. The soundtrack is really good too. Thanks James and feel better!
Romeo + Juliet is a masterpiece, props to doing it justice despite your condition. If romance is the theme, the astounding Moulin Rouge proves the statement ~ all you need is love.
I love that you are almost the trend setter for reactions, you're the first I always see react to something then a week later everyone else uploads reactions to what you did. Killing it out here keep it up!
When I read romeo and juliet I read it as a story about the dangers of confusing infatuation with love, and the dreadful idea children have that their emotions have permanence and act on that notion for no reason.
I always had heard it was a romantic story, but it certainly didn't read like it.
It's very much not a romantic story, it's been written to point out how silly young love can be, and how it feels so strong and all-encompassing when you're experiencing it. And to warn against pointless feuds.
It's often mistaken as romantic, but it very much isn't, that's exactly the reading of it the play warns against.
@@Loweene_Ancalimon Yeah, that's what I read it as.
Yeah this was never a romance. It’s a tragedy about two kids and their hormones pretty much destroying a whole city
I'm so glad you were *_feeling_* this film. It's SO nostalgic to me--_and_ it's great to be reminded that it artistically holds up. I was in middle school when it came out, and became predictably obsessed (I couldn't see it in the theaters so we rented it from Blockbuster on VHS and watched it in my friend Jenna's basement). I printed out stills from the movie (no small feat in AOL Online days) and taped them to my Trapper Keeper. I bought the sheet music to the song Des'ree sings and learned it my heart. I memorized basically all of the movie / play. I saved up money to buy the soundtrack AND the soundtrack vol. 2. This movie was the way I discovered Radiohead and fell in love with them. It was pivotal for me.
I saw this in the theater when I was 14, and many times since. It's easily my favorite adaptation of the play. The emotion practically pours off the screen.
The hype on this film was unreal. Constant trailers and spots on every channel Viacom controlled or could pimp it to. It was THE movie to see if you were in high school. It didn't hurt that Claire Danes was still riding the _My So-Called Life_ fandom to the silver screen. Lurhman's stylization and the monumentally successful soundtrack did the nigh-impossible: *it made Shakespeare cool.* That's why there's a dozen+ Shakespeare film adaptations between 1996-2002.
People give this movie ish, but I, like you, found it absolutely brilliant. Leo is such an AMAZING actor. The part when he first sees Juliet, when he kills Tybalt, when he hears Juliet is gone, when he walks into the space where Juliet is.....master class. Same with Claire. I always find myself holding my breathe when she gets into the fight with her father, its just so intense. Two of my absolute favorite actors. All of the actors were on their game though. I loved this adaptation because the action set in a modern setting keeping the dialog made it easier, in my opinion, for those who couldnt understand Shakespeare before. You touched on all of this. The soundstracks (there are 2) are just as amazing. I watch this endlessly. Not just because I adore Leo either. (Well, maybe just a little bit) I am soo happy that you loved it. Its absolutely my favorite adaptation of this play ever. You are the first person I have seen react to this one. I couldnt have enjoyed it more. You need to watch Gatsby. An adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerals The Great Gatsby, another book we all ahd to read in school. Its made by the same director, Baz Lurhmann, and also stars Leo. I just watched it earlier tonight actually. Its just as stylized and amazing to watch. Its on Netflix. I know that I am not on patreon so Gatsby is merely a suggestion, but I think you would enjoy it. New sub, sir. Excellent reaction.
How lucky I was that this came out on VHS the very year we were doing R&J in school…And the teacher totally leaned into using it to help us understand the story. Watching Leo in class, as work?! The teenage dream at the time 😂
My mom took such a risk showing me this movie when I was 10 but I was so fascinated! And imo this is the BEST Mercutio in any adaptation.
Baz Luhrmann is a genius director and filmmaker. Every shot is so intentional and communicates so much
The 90's gold.
I went with a friend to see this in the theater when it came out, we were both in our mid to late 20s, but the theater was PACKED with teenage and pre-teen girls and there was so much crying and sighing and giggling and screaming everytime Leo was on screen, we were just cracking up the whole time.
One of the greatest adaptions of Shakespeare's work ever - endlessly re-watchable. Just Sublime.
Baz Luhrmann is such a banging director!
I bought that soundtrack cassette tape and wore that out in every car I had until there was no tape player in my car anymore, and don't get me started - the visuals & the culture that is still relevant - the poetry and the love, Baz Luhrmann brovo x 10 - great reaction
20:01 Mercutio reciting NotoriousBIG lyrics from "Gimme The Loot"... I love the '90s
When this came out I was studying film and English in college and I went to see it 5+ times. So well done and right up my angsty late-teen alley. 😄 I love the soundtrack too.
Matching the original old english with a modern setting, Somehow made me understand some of the words a lot better. Maybe because i'm a visual learner.
This film goes hard! One of my favorites.
A truck load of creative energy went into this film. Easily Baz's best work.
I still don’t actually know how they pulled this off😂 always loved this movie and it was the movie that made Leonardo one of my favourite actors ever. Everyone in this film acted their asses off though but it was everything like you said the editing, the music, those close ups the colour grading. They didn’t miss and I’m glad others think this way as well
Glad to be checking out the Drama & Romance genre, let's see what we learn here!
Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema
Have a great day!
Yes!!! I love this version. ❤
TITUS should be your next Shakespeare foray. Same style but even more extreme.
as a filmmaker you never saw this. sorry just saw your vids. my thought Liar
3:45 Someone on RUclips is gonna finally do a reaction to Leaving Las Vegas? Ultra-low budget guerilla film-making that got Elisabeth Shue an Oscar nomination and Nicholas Cage a much-deserved win is right up your alley, and it fits your theme... in a bleak sort of way.
Pride and Prejudice
One of my favorite CD soundtracks
Absolutely ! Radiohead's Talk show host still gives me chills today ! 😍
@@hperspective that's my fav!!
Yes!! I was obsessed. Listened to it constantly. And I even copied it onto cassette tapes for a few friends with my little CD/tape boombox lol
@missbec1982 Yes!!!! I am 38, and before my mom passed, she reminded me that I bought this movie on dish around 30 times, costing hundreds of dollars... I thought I could just watch the previews multiple times 😅😅😅
When this movie came out it was one of my favourites and I’ve watched it so many times and the soundtrack still hits so hard for me. Such a fantastic movie!
This is one of my favorite adaptations; I'm so glad you liked it! And it was such a joy to get to see you see it for the first time. I haven't watched any other reactions to this because I was so worried the reactors wouldn't enjoy it as much as I do. Glad to be wrong in your case!! Great Reaction!
This is one of my favorite movies of all time. I love Shakespeare and I'm convinced if he were alive today, he would like this modernized version. Visually, musically, and lyrically - so well executed!
I saw this in the theater with my friends and some of my boyfriend’s buddies and it’s the only movie of my adolescence that I can remember where an entire group of teenagers were absolutely silent the whole time. Just completely immersed.
Hey James, thanks for this reaction. R&J is a text riddled with sex jokes, and plenty of violence. All of it was there to keep audiences engaged. So this adaptation is not as surprising as you may think.
Please keep in mind that Shakespeare was a writer and actor for the commercial stage at a time in London when playhouses were the equivalent of Hollywood movie studios. Pumping out shows, and hoping to have a hit that would make more money. Competing companies of players tried to capture an audience at a time when everybody in town, rich and poor, was going to see and hear plays regularly as popular entertainment. The companies of players would hire writers to churn out scripts for many productions running in repertory each year. And if another company had a hit with a certain story then they would commission one on a similar theme - sometimes even based on the same story. And if the writer was taking too long, they would hire a group of writers and create a "writer's room" to finish the script in a hurry, in time for staging. This was commercial entertainment just as much as, or more than, art. All were looking for a commercial hit, a palpable hit. Love stories, scandalous farcical comedies, history stories that had some relation to current politics, supernatural stories, revenge tragedies with lots of blood, etc. Shakespeare is amazing, in part, because he would blend more than one genre (romance and revenge, comedy and tragedy, history and supernatural, etc.) in many of his plays.
In a different - but related - vein, I suggest that you react to "Shakespeare In Love" after this. And when you watch it, please look out for the sly humour breaking the 4th wall peppered throughout, as well as the wit within.