Abstract
Romeo + Juliet (1996) is a hip, stylish update of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in a contemporary American Hispanic setting. The film's pervasive religious images have generally been seen as mere cultural trappings devoid of any genuine religious import. However, elements of the film are similar to the religious aspects of the Mexican fiesta, which mingles the sacred and the profane. Also, while most of the film's characters seem unresponsive to the religious imagery around them, this is not true for Romeo and Juliet themselves, for whom this symbolism denotes the spiritual dimension of their love.
Recommended Citation
Baker, Christopher
(2007)
"The Persistence of the Sacred in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet,"
Journal of Religion & Film: Vol. 11:
Iss.
2, Article 15.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol11/iss2/15