Romeo and Juliet Scene Analysis

Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet (1996) — Opening Scene

Name:

Date:

🎬 Part 1: Retrieval — What Did You See?

Answer these questions using specific details from the opening two minutes of the film.

1. How is the Prologue first delivered in the opening of the film?

A character reads it aloud on stage

It appears on a television news broadcast

It is shown as a title card on screen

A voiceover reads it over a blank screen

2. What two family names are shown in large text during the opening montage?

3. Name two visual images from the opening montage that suggest violence or conflict.

Newspaper headlines

A burning building

Police helicopters

A wedding ceremony

A school classroom

4. What setting is used for the film instead of Shakespeare's original Verona, Italy?

💭 Part 2: Inference — Reading Between the Lines

Use evidence from the scene to support your answers. Think about why Luhrmann has made these choices.

5. Why do you think Luhrmann chose to deliver the Prologue as a news broadcast? What effect does this create for the audience?

6. The word "MONTAGUE" and "CAPULET" flash on screen in large, bold letters. What does this suggest about the importance of family identity in the play?

7. The Prologue tells us the story will end in tragedy before it has even begun. Why might Shakespeare — and Luhrmann — choose to reveal the ending straight away? What feeling does this create?

8. Look at the phrase "a pair of star-cross'd lovers." What does this suggest about fate and whether Romeo and Juliet have control over their own lives?

✏️ Part 3: Extended Response

Write a short paragraph in response to the question below. Try to use evidence from the scene and the language of the Prologue.

9. How does Baz Luhrmann use the opening two minutes of the film to create tension and interest for the audience? Consider his use of setting, visuals, and the Prologue.