Baz Luhrmann And Strictly Ballroom

Baz Luhrmann is known for having a highly individualised directing style which is often referred to as flamboyant, due to his lack of naturalism in his philosophy, being “[He] makes what [he] wants, how[he] wants” – Baz Luhrmann. From his debut in cinema with “Strictly Ballroom” (1992), to his most recent film “The Great Gatsby” (2013), Baz Luhrmann’s directoral style has evolved and adapted over his twenty four years in the industry.
Luhrmann’s style of directing has been characterised by wide ranges of shots, innovative and often bold chooses made with regards to his cinematic language and uses of colour and lighting. Luhrmann has also been associated with using signals “to the audience that they’re entering a contract with the storyteller”,
Luhrman’s style of directing had developed from his first instalment in his red curtain trilogy. Luhrmann’s use of lighting isn’t as over exaggerated as in “Strictly Ballroom” (1992), as he decides to use more natural lighting on the main characters, with the exception of lighter lighting on Romeo and Juliet while darker lighting on the more cynical characters such as Tybalt. Instead of using his trademark rich costumes Luhrman took a chance and made Shakespeare modern by using “modern day” clothes as costumes, that along with setting the movie in Mexico, our equivalent of the wild and passionate Italy of Shakespeare’s era, with then modern day music, Des’ree “I’m kissing you”, and guns instead of swords and cars instead of horses with helicopters and plane flying overhead. Helps the audience truly relate to the story and better understand the emotion and zeitgeist of the time. Although Luhrmann had changed some of his ways in his second instalment of the trilogy he still received criticism for his combination of fast passed editing, zip shots and zooms. In this film Luhrman attempts to achieve his “contract” effect with his audience by having the audience watch the prologue on a television. Which once again showing his attempt to make the movie seem modern and reinforcing the idea that his
Luhrmann didn’t receive as much flak as he’s use to from critics of his wild zooms, as he used them to great effect to show the gulf in class between the so called old money and new money when he zips through Gatsby’s house over the bay and to Tom’s house or to show how Gatsby’s parties are like one giant circus. He uses 3D technology that he has never used before, to add to the emotion of Gatsby’s hand reaching for the green light. Unlike in “Romeo and Juliet” (1998) the costumes are authentic to the time. Luhrmann did his research in order to adapt the novel to film with his choice to put Nick in rehab for alcohol abuse, as Fitzgerald’s wife sent time in rehab for the same reason. Luhrmann’s philosophy of reel not real is made evident when he makes an appearance in the film as a waiter at once of Gatsby’s parties. Luhrmann uses a lot of props as symbols to the theme in his movie. The theme that stands out the most is corruption. He uses the wilted and crushed flowers, spectroscopic colours and the ringing telephone to get the theme across to the audience instead of relying on his trademark close ups. He uses the green light to show Jay Gatsby’s desire for Daisy but with the aid of 3D we see he can never reach it. Luhrman once again uses modern day songs, hiring Jay Z as