20 years of Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo+Juliet'

It seems like it can't be possible but Baz Luhrmann's modern adaptation of Shakespeare's most famous lovestory is turning 20 years old this November. And i'm saying it because the movie doesn't look that old, in fact, you can watch it today and don't think it's older than 10 years, but that's the magic that Luhrmann created with this film.

I remember when i first watched 'Romeo+Juliet' i didn't quite liked it (i was *sigh* 14 at the time) and i found it so bizarre with those fast camera movements, the old English dialogues in a modern setting and everything looked quite excentric but if you think it now, it was a movie totally ahead of its time. The Aussie director was a pioneer into modernizing a period piece, as he would later do in 'Moulin Rouge' or as Sofia Coppola did following his lead with 'Marie Antoinette', and the result is ageless. Not only is to date his best work (i used to think that 'Moulin Rouge' was so much better but time proved me wrong) but it's also his most original and out of the box film and i don't think he has reached this level of perfection with anything else. Because only visually and its whole aesthetic is fascinating and so unique at that time.

Also the cast was so on point with the both very young Leonardo Di Caprio and Claire Danes that you can't think of any other couple portraying the most famous lovebirds in literature, as well as a stellar cast with John Leguizamo, Paul Sorvino, Diane Venora, Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Rudd and Harold Perrineau that all embodied so perfectly their characters. And the soundtrack was so amazing and so fitting with all the scenes (How can anyone forget about the 'Young Hearts Run Free' scene with Mercucio), as well songs by Radiohead, The Cardigans or The Wannadies that you relate instantly to the movie when you hear them.

So, in honor of this iconic masterpiece, i'm adding after the cut some of the images that i love most of the movie including some behind-the-scenes pictures that Baz Luhrmann has just released now, and some amazing posters, enjoy!

The Great Gatsby (2013)

(Spoiler free)
Last week i finally watched 'The Great Gatsby', i'm a big lover of Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo+Juliet' and 'Moulin Rouge', so i kinda had high expectations and even though i didn't love it as much as those two flawless movies, i can say that i really liked it.

First of all, it has Luhrmann's vertiginous, high velocity shots that have created his signature style, and it kinda feels that it's a movie made to be watched in 3D (which i loathe) but it's visually stunning. The big parties, fireworks, speed shots, the fancy dresses and jewels, the extravagant characters and settings (the appartment of Isla Fisher in the movie is bananas) make everything aesthetically marvelous, it's that whole Baz Luhrmann world that we can find on those two previous movies (i haven't watched 'Strictly Ballroom' and 'Australia' was unimpressive) that really enchants you, takes you to a ride where you have to fasten your seatbelt tight.

All this rush of adrenaline for the viewer doesn't last though, once the character of Gatsby is presented, the movie adapts another pace which some might find boring or feel that the story is taking too long, and that's the only problem i could find with this movie, a very important one, but still.

But the real star of the movie is Leonardo DiCaprio, he embodies the whole movie and owns the character and you feel sorry for him, because while watching i was one of those who thought "You're not gonna get that Oscar, man", not because he doesn't deserve it, but because he's Oscar cursed or something. Carey Mulligan in the other hand, was a bit of a disappointment, i loved her in 'An Education', but here she nearly has no substance, maybe that's how the character is like, but i was expecting a little bit more from her. Tobey Maguire was ok, i've never liked Peter Parker to be honest, and his voice as a narrator sucks, but he was on point being the creepy in and out guy.

Still, the best thing of the movie was listening to F.Scott Fitzgerald's exact words from his novel, that's what gives depth and beauty to the film, i haven't read it myself but i have added after the cut, a series of quotes from the novel that appear in the movie that are pure perfection, there are also a few stills and songs but no spoilers so, beat on: