I sound so shallow, but this is my favorite movie and has been since I saw it when I was @17. It's the perfect film to me, and I've watched it (among others, of course) more than 100 times:
Romeo and Juliet (1968).
I'm not certain I can put into words what this film and its music have done for me. I cannot find a flaw in it, and I know it's unusual to find a film that remains consistent for such a length of time. It's like a medieval tapestry that has come to life. The colors are jewellike, adding so much to it. Of course, the cast is wonderful! Back then, all of the girls were in love with Leonard Whiting, and all of the boys thought that Olivia Hussey was the perfect girl. The rest of the cast was wonderful, too, including Michael York, John McEnery, Milo O'Shea and Pat Heywood. Nearly every movie still I've seen could be framed as a work of art. The music by Nino Rota is perfect, and it was a very popular soundtrack. The movie held such a fascination for us that they released a second soundtrack, this one with some of the dialogue. But, that wasn't enough, for us, so they released the COMPLETE soundtrack in a multi-record box set! Now, has that ever been done before or since for a movie? I recall my allowance going toward that for many weeks, and I still have the albums~all three~as well as every bit of memorabilia I've collected throughout the years. Even last year, I added items to my collection when I'm at an age that I should be letting go of it.
I know I'm not the only one from my generation who has remained devoted to this film. I've discovered that while online for the past several years.
I know I've done a terrible job of explaining my devotion. However, some things I am embarrassed to write about. You'd think, "What a silly girl and now old woman."
By the way, I began attending Renaissance faires many years ago. I always thought that it would be so nice to have a garb-only day. Shut the tourists out, and let the "playtrons" have their day wandering about, perhaps even providing lights for the evening. I do think "Romeo and Juliet" influenced a lot of us.
Final words: "Romeo and Juliet" should have won, not "Oliver!"!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6nYKmD5WX4