Today we bring you the first of (hopefully) many in a series of nostalgic looks back at movies we loved as kids/teens. This premiere installment, in honor of "Romeo + Juliet" arriving on Blu-ray tomorrow (Oct. 19) is dedicated to the teenage girl in all of us, brought to you by the year 1996.
Pre-"Titanic" Leonardo DiCaprio + Post-"My So-Called Life" Claire Danes + Baz Luhrmann + Shakespeare's most famous tragedy = the stuff that a hopeless romantic's dreams are made of. Luhrmann's stunning, innovative, heartbreaking take on William Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" not only sparked thousands of Leo obsessions, but elevated Luhrmann's Hollywood status into "visionary" territory.
Here's a little behind-the-scenes clip from the Blu-ray to jog your memories. It features the making of one of the film's most memorable moments: the fish tank scene. In the clip, cinematographer Donald M. McAlpine explains the tricks he used to get the lighting just right.
Oh, the fish tank scene. Sigh and swoon. I also loved the trailers and the amazing soundtrack. But what I remember most was being REALLY ticked that Luhrmann had his Juliet wake up just after Romeo poisoned himself and that horrified, heartbreaking expression on Leo's face when she opens her eyes and smiles at him...that was the moment that broke me. I mean, I was prepared for their deaths! We all know it's coming. I was NOT prepared for that artful, yet agonizing addition. Cried. my. eyes. out.
And the best part? I know I'm not alone here. Case in point, I sent out a request to a few of my equally-obsessed friends and they came back with tales of tears, Leo poster-collecting and general obsession.
"Ommmg I cried for like 30 min straight after I saw it. We watched it at a sleepover at my house and I couldn't stop crying (I was 12 and in 7th grade) and my friends were so concerned about me. It started the Leo obsession!!"—Leanne
"Umm, well, there's the fact that I would run around during basketball practice reciting the lines. Basketball/Shakespeare combo, nothin' else like it."—Amy
"You mean like the life sized posters that hung in my room and how I still have the VHS??? I also began clipping out [Leo's] picture from every source possible and kept them in a shoe box under my bed."—Marieke
"I remember becoming obsessed with that little boy who sang the solo in the church scene. SO good."—Tracey
What say you Crushers? What's your "Romeo + Juliet" memory?
** Hollywood Crush Twitter