Loved Moulin Rouge, Should I Get Romeo + Juliet?

[Uridium]

Like the title suggests.....I really enjoyed MR (and I usually hate musicals!!). Am now tempted by Mr L's previous effort (under a tenner from EzyDVD!) and just wanted to hear what anyone who's seen both had to say...

Cheers chums!

[yaffle]

If you can get over the irritation of Leonardo Di Caprio, and resist the urge to paint his sprout face blue and beat it with a shovel (thus damaging your telly), then I'd recommend R&J. The DVD isn't much to write home about, but I rate the film quiet highly. Some of the best use of music too :)

[Michael Brooke]

I actually think Leonardo DiCaprio is a superb actor in the right material, and this is very definitely the right material - if anything, the problem with the film is that he's so much better than Clare Danes (Juliet) that it gets a little unbalanced.

[Uridium]

Is the music used in a similar way to Moulin Rouge?

[Michael Brooke]

Yes, but there's not quite as much of it (probably because the budget was lower).

[Jimbo]

Originally posted by Uridium
Is the music used in a similar way to Moulin Rouge?

Not really, it's just a very good soundtrack. Wannadies is a cracking record and sounds even better in the film. Go buy it, personally I prefered it to MR

And I'd agree with MB on Mr Di Caprio, he is a great actor as seen in Basketball Diaries and This Boys Life, it's not his fault Titanic turned him into a hearthrob.

[Creamstick]

Romeo and Juliet is the perfect advert for what can be done by a visionary director to exceptional, yet sadly over-familiar source material. As Michael said, di Caprio can be excellent given the right material (Romeo and Juliet, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Basketball Diaries).

For my money, at the time of Strictly Ballroom, down under was producing some the most interesting and fascinating films around (Heavenly Creatures, strictly Ballroom, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Muriel's Wedding).

[Michael Brooke]

I've just looked up <I>DVD Times</I> to see if they had a review... and discovered that I wrote it!

Anyway, <A HREF="http://www.dvdtimes.org.uk/index.cgi?html=y&id=reviews/region2/romeoandjuliet.html">here</A> it is.

[Uridium]

Nice one - thanks for your comments. EzyDVD here I come.... ;)

[LauraLC]

Michael,
any preference on which region? I had a quick look on play and other than the number of extra languages on the R2 version they seem the same.

I must admit I was a little disappointed that neither version had any extras, I have R&J on NTSC laserdisc and you at least get an audio commentary (Director - Baz Luhrmann, Production Designer - Catherine Martin, Editor - Jill Bilcock, Director of Photography - Don McAlpine and Co Producer - Martin Brown).

You also get a 20 minute documentary "Inventing a way of doing it" (20 min video contrasting original sites and production team "walk-throughs" to the finished scene.

Probably time to buy it again on DVD just for the DD soundtrack though (don't have AC-3 output on my LD player :( ).

laura.

[Richie]

There's a special edition of R&J due out in R1 soon. No details yet though. See www.dvdfile.com for more info.

[Jimmyboy]

Baz's Romeo & Juliet is one of my all time favs (Im a big Claire Danes fan which dosnt hurt either) and have only put off buying the DVD because it was obvious that a re-issue would happen sooner or later.
Fully recomend the film, but wait for the re-release.

[MJ Ryan]

Originally posted by LauraLC
any preference on which region? I had a quick look on play and other than the number of extra languages on the R2 version they seem the same

I have had both, and the transfers are identical (and superb). However, you will find it cheaper to get it from the far side of the world...somehow:mad: ...

No doubt about it, this is one film that simply cries out for a special edition. Delighted to see that one may now be on tha cards. :)

(And little Leo is first rate in this. Give the fellow a chance! Claire Danes' performance is also an outright winner in my book, however, Michael. I consider her nigh on perfect in the role.)

[LauraLC]

Originally posted by MJ Ryan


I have had both, and the transfers are identical (and superb). However, you will find it cheaper to get it from the far side of the world...somehow:mad: ...


Looks like i'll have to get myself a R1 copy...

I do love this movie, I remember when it first came out i wasn't so sure about it, but a couple of friends dragged me along to it and I absolutely loved it :)

I did find the dialog a little hard to start with, but soon got used to it. (Bit like watching for language movies with subtitles - after 30 mins you don't notice the subtitles and just absorb the dialog).

laura