Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #603 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-03-04
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Special Edition, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
While perhaps not the defining moment in the making of Leonardo DiCaprio’s career, his appearance in this dazzling take on William Shakepeare’s Romeo & Juliet back in 1996 did the careers of both Clare Danes and himself no harm at all. Perhaps the real star of the show here though is director Baz Luhrmann, who employs a frenetic, at times downright-brilliant style to the age-old tale of tale of star-crossed lovers. Luhrmann would go on to make Moulin Rouge a few years’ later.

From the off, his take on Romeo & Juliet explodes unpredictably onto the screen, bubbling with vision and originality, accompanied throughout by an excellent score and soundtrack that rightly spawned two spin-off CDs. There are sacrifices made along the way to support Luhrmann’s vision though, with the text being stripped down to leave the core of the story in tact, and that’s just one of a number of complaints that Shakespeare purists may have.

And yet, perhaps more than any other attempt to bring the work of the Bard to the screen of late, this is an extremely accessible entry-point to Shakepeare’s work. That it’s also by turns breathtaking, dazzling and a sheer joy to watch doesn’t harm its cause either. The two leads are charming, the support cast backs them up superbly, and the end result is one of the most interesting visual treats that Hollywood mustered up throughout the 1990s.--Simon Brew

Special Features
2.35 Wide Screen
16:9 Anamorphic Wide Screen
DVD 9
English
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English\Dolby Digital 2.0 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
Dolby Digital 2.0
Commentary By Baz Luhrmann Catherine Martin Don McAlpine And Craig Pearce
Cast And Crew Interviews
Directors Gallery Go Behind The Scenes With Baz Luhrmann
Cinematographers Gallery Scene Studies By Don McAlpine
Design Gallery Production Stills Narrated By Catherine Martin
Music Videos Young Hearts Run Free By Kym Mazelle And Kissing You By Desree
DVD ROM Screenplay Comparison Excerpts
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spots
English

Synopsis
Shakespeare's immortal tale of star-crossed young lovers gets a music video-style updating in this hip, Florida-set, pistol-packing adaptation featuring DiCaprio and Danes as the doomed teenaged children of rival industrialists. Academy Award Nominations: Best Art Direction.

Customer Reviews

Great Film!
I hear so many people say that this film 'butchered' Shakespeare but I strongly think otherwise. Prepare yourself to see a modern twist of the classic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. It is a feast for the senses with lavish sets, a hip soundtrack, colorful costumes, and cutting edge direction. Leonardo and Claire give heart-wrenching performances. I think that Shakespeare would be pleased because this film really captures the raw teen-angst that the star-crossed lovers experienced. So, expect to see something different, and you just might find yourself pleasantly surprised.

Fantastic!
In my experience, a lot of people have a very blinkered view of Shakespeare as being outdated and incomprehensible, but this film single-handedly dispels all of these modern preconceptions. It combines the timeless romance of Romeo and Juliet with some very edgy, in places borderline chaotic, direction from Luhrmann.

It is at some points reminiscent of Requiem For A Dream when it cuts to and from a scene, speeding up certain elements within a scene to draw attention to others, and has all the vibrancy of Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge with bold colours and fast-paced action.

This film is, in my opinion, the better kind of Shakespearean modernisation. Luhrmann's interpretation of the characters and the backdrop bring the play bang up to date; the opening scene comes to pass at a petrol station where rival gangs meet and subsequently enter into a gun-fight, and the fancy-dress party involving (amongst others) an astronaut; while at the same time the language is firmly rooted in the original text, losing none of the dramatic impact which was originally intended for audiences in the 16th century.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to get (re)acquainted with Shakespeare, but without any of the boredom that may have been inflicted when first meeting with the Bard in school, and get to grips with one of his best known, and loved, plays.

This is truly amazing...
It disapoints me when people stereotype this movie for the 'MTV' generation.

I studied this film in my english lessons recently, following the cinematography etc. and it was amazing on how the whole class got involved. Leonardo portrays a strong and dynamic character and he shows some really good acting throughout. The movie has a huuge following in my school, not just among the pupils, but along with the teachers as well.

The music that follows the movie is fantastic as well, so I would strongly recommend purchasing that along with this brilliant DVD. 5*

Tom Cowie