Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Shakespeare's famous play is updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona still retaining its original dialogue.

Director:

Baz Luhrmann

Writers:

William Shakespeare (play), Craig Pearce (screenplay)

Stars:

Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, John Leguizamo

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 15 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Romeo
Claire Danes	...	Juliet
John Leguizamo	...	Tybalt
Harold Perrineau	...	Mercutio
Lupita Ochoa	...	Attractive Girl
Pete Postlethwaite	...	Father Laurence
Gloria Silva	...	Nun
Paul Sorvino	...	Fulgencio Capulet
Brian Dennehy	...	Ted Montague
Paul Rudd	...	Dave Paris
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Captain Prince
Carolyn Valero	...	Middle Age Occupant
Miriam Margolyes	...	The Nurse
Paco Morayta	...	Middle Age Occupant
Jesse Bradford	...	Balthasar

Storyline

The classic story of Romeo and Juliet, set in a modern-day city of Verona Beach. The Montagues and Capulets are two feuding families, whose children meet and fall in love. They have to hide their love from the world because they know that their parents will not allow them to be together. There are obstacles on the way, like Juliet's cousin, Tybalt, and Romeo's friend Mercutio, and many fights. But although it is set in modern times, it is still the same timeless story of the "star crossed lovers".

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Plot Keywords:

blood | cigarette smoking | mixed martial arts | stylized violence | pistol | 

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Taglines:

The Classic Love Story Set in Our Time.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

14A

Did You Know?

Trivia

Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio initially did not get along well on set. Danes accused DiCaprio of being immature, while DiCaprio said Danes was just uptight.

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Goofs

When we first see Juliet's house, the fountain footage is running in reverse.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Anchorwoman: Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-crossed lovers take their life, whose misadventured piteous overthrows doth, with their death, bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love and the continuance of their parents' rage, which, but their children's end, naught could ...

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Connections

Referenced in Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: Million Dollar Movie Week 1 (2010)

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Soundtracks

Angel
Performed by Gavin Friday
Written by Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer
Produced by Tim Simenon with Gavin Friday and Maurice Seezer
Gavin Friday appears courtesy of Island Records, Ltd.
by arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Licensing

User Reviews

A good movie with some minor flaws

Well, this is the MTV version of Romeo and Juliet. I honestly really can't stand Claire Daine's acting. I think she really sucks. But over all, her and Leonardo do heat up the scenes. There were some things I questioned about. Like the fight scene between Mercutio and Tybolt. Their fight was supposed to be playful like. Not all over dramatic. Not till the end is it supposed to be dramatic.

They didn't really get into the Paris's character. And I didn't really feel the effect of the prince, it seemed like he was a father trying to disapline his children more then protecting the law. The Capulet's party, that's something I could go on and on about.

But I have to say, it was an interesting approach to an excellent play done by da man, Shakespeare. I saw this in the theater in 1996, and loved it at first. But then I realized it could of been done better. But it's still worth a watch.

7/10

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA Mexico Australia Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 1996 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Roméo et Juliette

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,133,231, 3 November 1996

Gross USA:

$46,351,345

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$151,841,661

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bazmark Films, Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A., Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

DTS (as dts) (DTS HD Master Audio 5.1) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1) Dolby Digital (as Dolby Digital) (Dolby Digital 5.1) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1) SDDS (as Sony Dynamic Digital Sound) (8 channels) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1) D-Cinema 48kHz 5.1 (D-Cinema prints) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1) Dolby Atmos (Dolby Atmos) (5.1 Surround Sound) (5.1)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1