Romeo & Juliet

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Summary: Captivating Adaptation of Old Love Story
Review: Generally faithful to Shakespeare's text, this video makes the story come alive for modern viewers, especially English students who have never seen the play performed.

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Summary: Breathtaking
Review: I saw this film when it first opened. I went to the first showing and stayed all day. The first appearance of Romeo is absolutely breathtaking. Young people playing the parts make it believable. I have loved the soundtrack since I first heard it 30 years ago. It's Zefferelli, not just Shakespeare, who makes this cinematic perfection

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Summary: So emotional, so real!
Review: This movie is brilliant in being so close to the real play in all detail, that I truly admire the devotion of its creators, who worked toward filming Shakespeare, rather than using his name to present their personal impulses. A true European film, and the music is an unforgettable masterpiece.

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Summary: Best Shakespeare
Review: The most romantic movie ever filmed. Gorgeous cinematography, best sword-fighting scenes. Who doesn't fall in love with Olivia Hussey? Best watched between the ages of 14 - 19 with someone you are madly in love with but your parents hate. One of the ten best movies of all time.

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Summary: Romantic and fantasticly portrayed.
Review: It impacted me like no other version of this fabulous piece by the great Sheakespeare. Fantastic; it made me laugh, cry and kept me glued to my seat the whole time. The acting was great quality- I recommend it for study or even if you are just looking for entertainment. Much better than the Leonardo DiCaprio version.

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Summary: A Beautiful and Moving Adaptation
Review: This is the worthiest adaptation of Romeo and Juliet! The young actors are moving, and the costumes and cinematography are stunning. This movie makes me cry every time I see it. This is truly a movie that should be seen by anyone who loves the play, or anyone at all for that matter!

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Summary: One of the most beautiful movies ever made
Review: I agree with all of the raving fans--special mention to Mercutio and his "Queen Mab" speech plus his death scene as well as the party scene and the teasing-the-nurse scene. The ONLY flaw? The roaring hot fires during the party scene--R&J is set during a heat wave--hence so many short tempers--why do you think Mercutio falls into the horse trough? A perfect double bill? "Shakespeare in Love" followed by Franco Z's R&J.

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Summary: best shakespearean movie ever!
Review: This movie is so captivating...The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet is capturing to audiences everywhere and of every age. The more recent release of this masterpiece can hardly do the justice that Oliver and Hussey have done. They wonderfully portrayed the clandestinme lovers, and captured my heart.

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Summary: Youth, Beauty, and Violence Outshine Shakespeare
Review: There's no denying the beauty of this film. The power of the story is definitely here. However, the problem with the film, is that Zeffirelli often ignores the text in order to do something that fits his own interprettation of the story. For instance, the balcony scene in this film allows Romeo to climb a tree so that he and Juliet can embrace and fall all over each other for the whole scene. The problem with this is that Shakespeare's text indicates that the two are separated for the whole scene. The reason that the lovers talk so much is that they do not have that physical release. This is not to say that Zeff.'s choice to put them together on the balcony is not a valid choice considering the characters and the historical context. However, the problem with the film that I have is that it is often shown in high schools and has become known as the "definitive" Romeo and Juliet, and that is not so. For a defintive version of the text, we will undoubtedly have to look to the RSC. This version is beautiful, but its young stars are often lost in the text and Zeff.'s treatment of the text (with such omissions as the death of Paris and the scene following the discovery of the "dead" Juliet and such additions as a ten minute sword fight between Romeo and Tybalt for a fight usually written in the text as simply, "They fight. Tybalt falls") is often to serve his own purposes more than Shakespeare's.

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Summary: My all-time favourite: unmatched for its beauty
Review: This movie speaks for itself. It is absolutely timeless for the breath-taking beauty and wide-eyed innocence of Olivia Hussey as Juliet, the lush cinematography, the moving and haunting musical score from Nina Rota, the costumes and fine casting - all combine to create an indelible movie experience. You feel that you are being transported back to the 16th century and consumed by the inchoate passion and - ultimately - the tragedy of these two 'star-crossed' lovers. This film seens to invade all your senses and is so all-encompassing that it transcends description.