Romeo Juliet the movie directed by Baz Luhrman

Rating: 10/10 (2 April 2012)

I had to come back to this movie and this director and give an airing to my opinion on this movie, somehow, from my recollection of it years ago and just seeing a snippet of it again on a TV rerun today.
The fist time I saw it, I could not contain myself it was and is a work of genius. A transformation of archaic English phraseology into such a contemporary setting that manifest its power and grace of the human voice across the centuries. The potent content and import of every sentence and action portrayed and powerfully, passionately conveyed and clearly understood even to the uninitiated to Shakespearean voice.
The modern settings and beyond clever, really inspired analogs to the Elizabethan moments and characters were absolutely brilliant.
I could not believe when I heard it was initially reviewed with criticism at its original debuts. Then I thought so was Disney's Fantasia ... clearly the work was ahead of the critics in both cases.
Let me just add a fact or two to buttress the credibility of my review here and my abilities to know a great talent when I see or hear it.
Fact 1.) I was a teenager (~17-18) sitting in my family's living room and a movie came on that I started watching ... after a few moments time I was engrossed ... I was sure I was seeing something I had never seen before it was the most exciting, engaging show TV or otherwise I had ever seen ... I began trying to grab siblings passing by pleading with them you have to see this movie, I am telling you I have never seen anything like it before ... though it fell on deaf ears I nonetheless noted that movie and it wasn't till years later in a talk show interview that I found out who the director of that movie was. None other then Steven Spielberg and his master work that he says himself he goes back to review when he wants to remember how to make a movie, titled "Deul".
Fact 2.) Years later a Texas Cowgirl band was playing at an IBM company outing that I was attending... they were I thought beyond good ... I had to have one of their CDs and went up to purchase one and with complete earnestness said, "I really think you all will make it big." The lead singer and bass fiddle player looked at me askance and sarcastically said, "Oh you do, do ya!". The other members graciously thanked me and signed the CD for me. They ended up being non-other than the Dixie Chicks ... and Oh by the way the lead singer was replaced before they went big time.
Just two examples but I have had many similar occurrences over the years. And Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet is another one of them.
Regards, GTC