Part of
Love Makers + Rule Breakers:
See the full film series.
We'll kick off our February series "Love Makers + Rule Breakers" with a pair of star-crossed lovers in an adaptation of the most famous love story of all time. Baz Luhrmann's highly-stylized take on Shakespeare's tragic romance stars Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio, both in early breakthrough roles. The story is reimagined, 1990s punk style, in Verona Beach with the Montagues and Capulets as rival gangs that divide the city. Two teens fall in love, disastrous consequences ensue. The original Shakespearean lines contrast with an excellent contemporary rock soundtrack, including Radiohead, Garbage, and The Cardigans. Gas station gun fights, neon sign landscapes, blood-soaked Hawaiian shirts, and frenetic car chases bring the 16th-century story up to speed. Over 25 years after its first box office success,
Romeo + Juliet remains a cult classic. "This glitter bomb of a film explodes the play and builds it back up again with additions and inversions, restaging and reframing that, together, result in a truly unforgettable cinematic experience" –
Harper's Bazaar.
Thursday, February 2
7pm