This is not an Australasian film, and is only included here because of the importance of the Australian director and cinematographer.
Romeo + Juliet (Baz Luhrmann, 1996) aka William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (Baz Luhrmann, 1996) dp Don McAlpine; Claire Danes, Leonardo di Caprio, Brian Dennehy, John Leguizamo, Pete Postlethwaite; Shakespeare's play updated to the hip modern suburb of Verona - still retaining its original dialogue
A brilliant film, this starts on a high and descends slightly throughout, but remains perhaps the best modern resetting of the play.
Roger Ebert:
... I have never seen anything remotely approaching the mess that the new punk version of Romeo & Juliet makes of Shakespeare's tragedy.
Andrew Urban:
It is at once inventive cinema and great theatre.
Peter Travers:
Shot in Mexico in a style that might be called retrofuturistic, since it encompasses castles and armor, as well as bulletproof vests and boomboxes, the film reworks Shakespeare in a frenzy of jump cuts that makes most rock videos look like MTV on Midol. Rolling Stone.
IMDb page
Garry Gillard | New: 11 June, 2017 | Now: 9 March, 2023