It is a commonly asked question why the play Romeo and Juliet has made such a big impact on theatre and cinema alike, despite being written so long ago (late sixteenth century). I believe the reason is that as well as having a very strong and gripping plot, it also manages to appeal to a very wide audience using various different genres. When someone thinks of Romeo and Juliet they immediately think tragedy and romance. It is both of these but it also contains elements of violence, sex and even comedy. As well as this, the play contains timeless issues of love and revenge which will be appealing to audiences for years to come.

There is a clear difference between the two film versions of Romeo and Juliet, not only in the sense that they are by two different directors, Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli and are made...