The author does though!
So we’re all familiar with Romeo and Juliet, right? We can all agree with know the plot, we read at least part of it in high school, and saw at least one adaptation of it? For me, it was ninth grade – we read the play in 9th grade Literature class, taking turns as the different characters. After we finished reading the play, we watched the Franco Zefirrelli film from 1968. And because our teacher wanted to show us a different interpretation on the story, we also watched the 1996 Leonardo DiCaprio version. For me, there was one moment that truly stands out – the moment where I nodded off for a few seconds and Juliet shot herself, waking me up immediately. Thankfully, that wasn’t followed by me screaming “I’m awake!”.
Because, you know, awkward!
Fun fact about the 1968 version: My family and I were watching a rerun of The Wonder Years on Nick at Nite when I was in ninth grade, and there was an episode where Kevin goes to see the movie (I think it was to impress a girl). I had just seen that version in school about a month earlier and recognized the audio immediately – I don’t recall that the actual film was shown during the episode!
Anyway, Romeo and Juliet. There are quite a few adaptations – some stay faithful to the source material, and some are the 1996 movie playing fast and loose while sticking with the plot. And others are this 1998 commercial for the German beer Beck’s.
Where we see the most interesting version of Romeo and Juliet yet, complete with Giant Yoga Ball.
And when you click play, you’ll get to see one of the most important scenes in literature EVER.
Go on, click play!
I found this commercial on a tape from November 1998, which is about 8 months after I saw the two versions of Romeo and Juliet in my ninth grade literature class. I was in tenth grade by this point. It struck me as funny that this is possibly the way a theater performance of this play would sound in German, but thankfully (hopefully?) not look in Germany.
Beck’s informs us that they don’t do romance, but do beer. And if you look closely, you’ll see the Greenwich, CT subtitle at the bottom. This was in 1998 – ten years later, Beck’s North America has been based in St. Louis, MO since 2012, and owned by the Interbrew subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. It has been a thing since 1873, so…yea, another currently-existing company!
And there you have it for Throwback Thursday, a beer that doesn’t mess around. Much like the selection for tomorrow’s commercial from the archives.
You know what else doesn’t mess around?
Her love…and that skirt! I think it inspired Captain America’s shield.
Or a top.
Or this toy.
Come by tomorrow for more commercials and strangeness.
Thankfully, it will be in English.
Have a great Throwback Thursday!
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