S/LI/148. Compare the cinematic treatment of the same scene in two or more different filmed versions of a Shakespearean play. What can be learnt from such a comparison?

This paper examines the various methods adopted by film directors as they attempt to adapt Shakespeare to the screen. By exploring the cinematic treatment of Romeo & Juliet in the Baz Luhrman and Franco Franco Zeffirelli adaptations of the play the essay seeks to question to what extent the camera is able to capture the essence of the play. It highlights the cinematic techniques involved in the filmmaking process to illustrate two different versions of the play can be fashioned.