Franco Zeffirelli’s Romeo and Juliet (1968) based on William Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy has been newly restored in 4k for release on 1080p Blu-ray. The presentation featuers an uncompressed monaural soundtrack along with subtitles in English SDH.
Bonus features include an excerpt from the 2018 documentary Franco Zeffirelli: Directing from Life, interviews from 1967 and 2016, an essay from Romona Wray, and film trailer.
The single disc edition from The Criterion Collection, arriving February 14, 2023, carries an MSRP of $39.95. Buy on Amazon
BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
- New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- Excerpt from the 2018 documentary Franco Zeffirelli: Directing from Life
- Interviews with actors Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting from 1967 and 2016
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- PLUS: An essay by scholar Ramona Wray
One of the great Shakespeare adaptations, this sublime take on the Bard’s immortal romantic tragedy by Franco Zeffirelli breathed new life into the oft-told tale by casting actual teenagers in the title roles. As the young lovers whose affair threatens to inflame the tensions between their feuding families in Renaissance Verona, Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting vividly capture the mix of adolescent ardor and turmoil that fuels their destiny-driven liaison. A sensory banquet thanks to Nino Rota’s delicate score and the exquisite, Oscar-winning costumes and cinematography, Romeo and Juliet is Shakespeare at its most deeply felt and passionately alive.
