I have seen multiple versions of R&J, from the 30's version, with Leslie Howard (in his 40's I think) & Norma Shearer, to the most recent thing with DeCaprio & Danes. None of them touched me in the way that Zefferelli's did, & continues to do. It was one of the first DVD's I bought, because I can watch it again & again, & still be heartbroken by the ending.
The thing that shook me most the first time I saw it was that, in spite of the Shakespearian language, I got the meaning of the characters' statements immediately. The Shakespearian language was not a barrier at all. I had previously had to spend anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes before I could begin to follow the dialogue....there was no lag time with this version. To me, it will always be the definitive film version of this classic.
The thing that shook me most the first time I saw it was that, in spite of the Shakespearian language, I got the meaning of the characters' statements immediately. The Shakespearian language was not a barrier at all. I had previously had to spend anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes before I could begin to follow the dialogue....there was no lag time with this version. To me, it will always be the definitive film version of this classic.