Classic Tale Reborn

Classic tale reborn Modern-day 'Romeo & Juliet' a magical, visual triumph It's a rotten shame there is no Oscar for Audacity, because filmmaker Baz Luhrmann would win it in a walk.The Australian director-producer-co-writer of Strictly Ballroom has chucked all manner of timeworn Shakespearean conventions in his sexy, explosive, magical new version of Romeo and Juliet. At the same time, despite liberal cuts, he uses the Bard's poetry with respect.This film is an amazing feat …

…classical tunes. Visually, it borrows with taste and wit from opera, television, music videos, gangster movies, Westerns, even Hong Kong martial-arts masters. The effect is beautiful, a delirious vision, a feast for the eyes and ears. I have some quibbles with the film - Mr. Sorvino's odd accent, bad cutting in the key role of Mercutio - but those objections are minor in the face of this triumphant, vibrant, modern retelling of a treasured tale.