Romeo-Juliet
Encyclopedia
Romeo.Juliet is the title of a 1990 film
version of William Shakespeare
's classic play Romeo and Juliet
. It was made by American
producer, director and cinematographer, Armando Acosta (also credited as Armondo Linus Acosta
and Armand Acosta) using the feral cats of Venice
, New York
, and Ghent
as actors, with the voices dubbed by some of the greats of the English theatre including Sir Ben Kingsley, Dame Maggie Smith, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Powell, Francesca Annis, Victor Spinetti, Quentin Crisp, and John Hurt. The score of the film features Serge Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet Ballet' as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn conducting and an original theme composed by Armando Acosta and Emanuel Verdi, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra
conducted by Barry Wordsworth.
The story of this film revolves around an eccentric bag lady
(played by John Hurt), the only human being in the film, who takes the cats of Venice and puts them on a boat, which sails to the New World.
The world premiere of Romeo.Juliet was held at the 1990 Venice Film Festival. Former festival director, Guglielmo Biraghi invited the film to be screened out of competition. Romeo.Juliet was later screened at the Flanders Film Festival and the Cologne Film Festival. In January 1992, the film was screened in Los Angeles at the Directors Guild Theatre, Writers Guild Theatre, and at Warner Brothers studio.
The motion picture was conceived and created as a film-in-concert with a live orchestra performing the soundtrack with the projection of the movie. The World Premiere of the Romeo.Juliet Film-in-Concert was held at the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels in June 1992. British born conductor, Nicholas Cleobury
, led the National Orchestra of Belgium in three performances. John Hurt attended the premiere along with Oleg Prokofiev, son of composer, Serge Prokofiev. Oleg Prokovfiev stated in an interview, "...it's not simply a film, it's a poem. It's a higher art than cinema, it's super cinema. A special cinema which does not follow a classical story line, but harmoniously blends my father's ballet music, Shakespeare's text and the magical images of the film." A second series of film concerts was held in Japan in February 1993 at the NHK Hall with Yoko Matsuo conducting the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.
The film is described as having been difficult to produce, requiring over 400 hours of footage of the feline cast to assemble the images for the final film. The movie was shot entirely on video and then successfully transferred to 35mm. It is also remarkable for being one of the few major releases in which several members of the production team gave up their salaries to produce the film. http://film.guardian.co.uk/Guardian_NFT/interview/0,4479,214857,00.html#article_continue It has not been re-released for the home video market. This lack of availability, which has been described as making it "more rare than the dinosaur" http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A391WEZRT6OR6O has made it a sought-after item in some circles.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
version of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's classic play Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
. It was made by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
producer, director and cinematographer, Armando Acosta (also credited as Armondo Linus Acosta
Armondo Linus Acosta
Armondo Linus Acosta aka Armand Acosta and Armando Acosta is an American-born award-winning film director, screenwriter, cinematographer, producer and designer who in recent years is best known for his motion picture "Romeo.Juliet."...
and Armand Acosta) using the feral cats of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, and Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
as actors, with the voices dubbed by some of the greats of the English theatre including Sir Ben Kingsley, Dame Maggie Smith, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Powell, Francesca Annis, Victor Spinetti, Quentin Crisp, and John Hurt. The score of the film features Serge Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet Ballet' as performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Andre Previn conducting and an original theme composed by Armando Acosta and Emanuel Verdi, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
conducted by Barry Wordsworth.
The story of this film revolves around an eccentric bag lady
Bag Lady
"Bag Lady" is the first single from singer Erykah Badu's 2000 album Mama's Gun. The song is about a woman trying to begin anew in a relationship, but who has too much emotional "baggage" and can't get close to people. The message of the song is to "pack light" and have hope for the future...
(played by John Hurt), the only human being in the film, who takes the cats of Venice and puts them on a boat, which sails to the New World.
The world premiere of Romeo.Juliet was held at the 1990 Venice Film Festival. Former festival director, Guglielmo Biraghi invited the film to be screened out of competition. Romeo.Juliet was later screened at the Flanders Film Festival and the Cologne Film Festival. In January 1992, the film was screened in Los Angeles at the Directors Guild Theatre, Writers Guild Theatre, and at Warner Brothers studio.
The motion picture was conceived and created as a film-in-concert with a live orchestra performing the soundtrack with the projection of the movie. The World Premiere of the Romeo.Juliet Film-in-Concert was held at the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels in June 1992. British born conductor, Nicholas Cleobury
Nicholas Cleobury
Nicholas Cleobury is an English conductor.He was organ scholar at Worcester College, Oxford, conductor of Schola Cantorum of Oxford and held assistant organist posts at Chichester Cathedral and Christ Church, Oxford before turning to orchestral and operatic work...
, led the National Orchestra of Belgium in three performances. John Hurt attended the premiere along with Oleg Prokofiev, son of composer, Serge Prokofiev. Oleg Prokovfiev stated in an interview, "...it's not simply a film, it's a poem. It's a higher art than cinema, it's super cinema. A special cinema which does not follow a classical story line, but harmoniously blends my father's ballet music, Shakespeare's text and the magical images of the film." A second series of film concerts was held in Japan in February 1993 at the NHK Hall with Yoko Matsuo conducting the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.
The film is described as having been difficult to produce, requiring over 400 hours of footage of the feline cast to assemble the images for the final film. The movie was shot entirely on video and then successfully transferred to 35mm. It is also remarkable for being one of the few major releases in which several members of the production team gave up their salaries to produce the film. http://film.guardian.co.uk/Guardian_NFT/interview/0,4479,214857,00.html#article_continue It has not been re-released for the home video market. This lack of availability, which has been described as making it "more rare than the dinosaur" http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A391WEZRT6OR6O has made it a sought-after item in some circles.