Romeo is the Original MySpace Emo Boy | Guilty Pleasures Ep. 138

[@theyJC]

These banked episodes with miles are a treat!

[@meetiraonline]

Biting your thumb is only as absurd as deciding that the middle finger is ruuuude

[@ldragon8480]

zach's rant about the poison scene made me feel so seen, like I had ranted it myself. I was so mad during freshman english when we watched this, I was in the classroom literally just like 'SAY SOMETHING'

[@maritzai0322]

I saw this movie at the movie theater as a kid and was immediately hooked. It wasn't until I was in high school when I found out this version is the most accurate text to book of all the film adaptations. This is when my love for John Leguizamo began.

[@nailinthefashion]

Damn decades later and I only love the movie more. Insane.

[@mollywillo]

I agree R+J is a cautionary tale more than a wonderful romance, but I always thought it wasn't necessarily, or at least not primarily, a lesson for teenagers not to be angsty. But rather a lesson to the families: to not be so hateful and egotistical and stuck in your ways that you'll let something as precious your own kids die, and for what? It was supposed to be a wanton, senseless, ridiculous waste. I guess that's a lesson for teens to take a chill pill too, but there's clearly a moral for everyone there. The adults in this situation are the ones responsible for carrying on the feud over generations to the point where it was just some rote hateful tradition that perpetuated cycles of violence on and on. Even if Romeo and Juliet were dumb and horny, they at least had the virtue of being somewhat able to see beyond the binary and years of tradition... I mean, until Romeo kills his beloved's cousin, I guess. Boys will be boys?

[@lauhea08]

Garret said he wanted a reverse version where the setting is old and the dialogue is modern. I recommend the movie “Rosaline”. It’s the Romeo and Juliet story told from Rosaline’s POV. It’s also a much sillier take on the story.

[@gracel9080]

Who's Garrett lol

[@he.said.teenjiejer]

*garrick

[@xgreydovex]

I see what you did there Kelsey! Official petition for y'all to cover Tuck Everlasting on the pod!

[@sskk252]

Yes!!

[@TimeIsAnIllusionBCipher]

I would cry

[@jkonn]

Very sadly, Quindon Tarver, the boy who sang the choral version of "When Doves Cry" passed away in 2021 😢 His version was absolutely beautiful and heart-wrenching

[@carmenlittle9454]

"this is for the teacher that doesn't want you to have to read it" my 8th grade English class experience right there haha

[@daviswong4540]

I think most of America had this experience as well

[@shiragrunfeld3574]

In my 9th grade honors English class, we watched the 1968 version, this version, and finally Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. My teacher saw her opportunity and coasted.

[@nailinthefashion]

Me as a teacher showing them all the Disney princesses to discuss feminism lmao

[@CrankingMyReading]

Kelsey’s reciting in the beginning is so good 😂

[@BlissOfCydonia94]

miles is so right, it wasn’t until i watched andrew scott perform and it was the first time made sense and i connected to the script he was amazing

[@writerchick94]

I gotta correct Zachs point about shakespeare making up words and his original audiences not understanding either. Sure, to an extent, but his original audiences would have understood his word choices way more than we do because it was common vernacular set to iambic pentameter and other beats, in the same way that rap is common language set to a beat and rhythm. We don't understand shakespeare as easily just like a person from the 1500s would have a hard time understanding a modern rap. It's also similar to how when you read German or Dutch as an English speaker you have no idea what they're saying but if you watch enough films you start picking out the similarities and you can feel the feelings behind the words, as everyone likes to say about Shakespeare. He didn't intend for people to just vaguely understand the words and get a feeling from the plays, he intended for as many people as possible to fully comprehend the jokes and understand the language. It's just a different language from modern English so it's harder for us. But at the time, Shakespeare's writing was actually really clever but still common vernacular of the time. Just like we automatically understand when someone says "he has rizz" given the context even though it's a new word, a member of Shakespeare's original audience would be able to understand what a "bedroom" (invented by Shakespeare for A Midsummer Night's Dream) was based on the context.

[@marieseaman7855]

So Garrick wants Romeo and Juliet made like The Great... Im here for it

[@a_o011]

The way I remember it, it was the way he wrote. It made it easy for the wealthy to be entertained and the commoners to understand. Another thing when his plays were analysed and studied they found these hidden rules within the plays. I don't remember well, but it has to do with sentence structure. He was basically the blueprint for poems because in his writing there were hidden rules, but it packes a punch for literature buffs.

[@dolce55]

Kelsey I love ya girl, but let Garrick finish a sentence, sis!

[@AngelicaJCardona]

45:02 Harold Perrineau is one of my absolute favorite actors. He was my favorite in Oz, in R+J, amazing in Sons of Anarchy, he's just incredible

[@abbylynne9798]

To Kelsey’s very early on question, I think that the point of reading Shakespeare, when taught well, is to teach these very basic and expertly executed elements of literature. Things like symbolism, foreshadowing, themes, etc. I don’t think schools should spend entire years on Shakespeare-there’s so many books that are really impactful to today’s youth-but it’s very well known, part of culture and of the lexicon, and a great teaching tool.

[@baileycavender4478]

As a teacher, yes, this!

[@strystyl]

2:31 Shakespeare wrote in common verse and his stories banged for the time. Take it from an English major he wrote in common language but the stories were bigger than life which is so hard to convey if you keep it in the older version of English and to convert it to modern English you gotta be a goddamn Shakespeare yourself.

[@alexare6655]

You dont even know what youre talking about. He wrote in both prose and verse.

[@strystyl]

@@alexare6655 That people of the time could understand instead of using elevated language of literature since it was spoken to the public. Exactly.

[@alexare6655]

@@strystyl that makes more sense.

[@Michelle-qg7kn]

I totally understand Garrick's struggle. I had to go see a King Lear's play for an assignment and only understood like 45% of it. I do, however, think that the best way to understand Shakespeare is to not only have someone break the stories down for you but also watch it acted out. That way you can really appreciate Shakespeare's work.

[@JMD314]

Yes! Give Harold Perrineau his flowers! 👏

[@victorialopez8459]

I just want to say it feels so good to have Miles back on Guilty Pleasures 😌💜

[@nailinthefashion]

I freaking love Cars so that episode slaps. Miles is a treaszh

[@cammac899]

My older cousin and i would rewind the scene where they played "Lovefool" and choreographed a dance. I was 8, she was 10...1st time hearing that song. I havent seen the movie in decades so i cant even remember what happened in that scene but everytime I hear Lovefool I think of that movie.

[@rusty1411]

My English teacher in high school said we still read Shakespeare to better understand legal paper work and reading between the lines

[@solcarlosofficial]

PLEASE REVIEW THE 2006 MOVIE “AQUAMARINE”

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Only later did I find out that Paul Rudd was in this too.

[@nailinthefashion]

Ugh he was just a twink then

[@graciebenoit1922]

“or rub one out” is my new quote of the year

[@kalokai_ri]

Im such a shakespeare nerd and the entire time i just wanted someone to drop the fact that theres a romeo + juliet anime thats fucking crazy

[@m1ssb0ba]

LOVED it as an teen and still love it after re watching it recently. OMG and love the soundtrack.

[@DevKitty16]

Kelsey….on behalf of theatre kids everywhere, I am APPALLED that you didn’t bring up West Side Story at all.

[@CraftyWitch420]

Zach just casually dropping the absolutely underrated forgotten classic Clockstoppers and no one else acknowledging it crushed me!!

[@eyeseajujubee]

One of my favorite movies! I can’t believe Kelsey had never seen it. This movie was so unique with a story that’s been re told many times. My high school English teacher played it to have a day off. I had gender envy cause of Leo’s character.

[@Hillary429]

We NEED a Saltburn episode for the Guilty Whores!! 🙏🏻 🙏🏻 🙏🏻

[@KelseaTurner]

PLEASE 🙏

[@nailinthefashion]

PLEASE I need to rant about how much I hate it outside of the cinematography (Trin Lovell did a video and the comments got insane)

[@teamlining7685]

@@nailinthefashionI don’t even know what the movie is about, I haven’t seen any trailers. But I read a comment about some bathtub water and that was enough to solidify my stance that I never want to see it

[@emilylouwhoo]

Alright now do Violent Night and just make December John Leguizamo month

[@Hillary429]

I love how last year we got Violent Night and this year we got Silent Night 😂 But absolutely loved Violent Night last year. Such an unexpected classic that is getting added to our holiday rotation for sure. ⚒️

[@tiramisugelato]

You don’t understand.. I’m obsessed with this movie

[@baileycavender4478]

First, I loved this episode and all of your commentary. As a former English teacher, I have an answer to Kelsey's question at the beginning. I stubbornly taught Shakespeare to my 9th graders for a few reasons. Firstly, since Shakespeare made up so many words we use today, it seemed important. Secondly, the plots tend to pop up in literature and pop culture, so I think it's helpful to know the context. Thirdly, because the stories and characters are very human. They make human decisions and mistakes, and that helps the stories come alive. People have strong opinions about those characters. Fourthly, you can teach a lot of literary elements using Shakespeare, which is great and a standard. Finally, I think that the themes are timeless. I think there's a couple of reasons for every teacher, but those were mine. Of course, we watched two different summaries of the plot first, so my students knew what was happening before we started reading. Then I translated a lot for my students, and helped them translate it as we went on (they needed less translation as we went on). I also used a ton of film (including Disney animated films. I believe that The Lion King is both Macbeth and Hamlet), to help make it come alive. There are better playwrights from that era, but I think Shakespeare's popularity is because he was so prolific, and changed the English language. I think that's why he's still taught. At least, that's why I taught him. But Shakespeare would find it hilarious that his plays are taught in schools, since they have a ton of dirty jokes and sexual innuendos. Thankfully, since it's so hard to understand, those go over student's heads. Also. Yes to Zach's comment at 25:14. It's not a romance. It's a cautionary tale about obsessive "love." Juliet is also 13 and Romeo is 19, I believe. It's a play that I think needs to be taught carefully.

[@JLa_802]

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s outlandish and theatrical in the best way. I think Shakespeare would have loved it and would be disappointed that he’s been relegated to “boring stuff you read in school.” If you take a little time to get to know the language and go into it with the mindset that he was just making shit up like a fanfic, the plays are actually really enjoyable to read!

[@ES.Evergreen]

"giant slab of concrete with a hole" ---- It's a theater stage.

[@jmason1770]

Miles made me remember watching Roscoe Lee Browne and Christopher Plummer reciting a scene from Julius Caesar. That was incredible!!

[@EvWuzhere]

Clockstoppers visibility

[@awkwarddino]

Oh my God, did Kelsey just diss the Drew Barrymore classic Ever After? 36:46 HAS SHE NOT SEEN EVER AFTER?

[@AmandasAmazingAdventures]

How was there not 20 minutes on the soundtrack alone?! It was and still is a great soundtrack start to finish. Also, now I need a Guilty Pleasures episode of Shakespeare in Love.

[@Avariic]

Im begging please watch Rosaline (2022) it is exactly what you want of modern language in ancient times

[@kathryndeck3873]

55:10 wonderful discussion at this point! I think both versions of film (old placement with modern speech and then old speech in a modern setting) are valid and needed. This version being discussed today allows for the feelings and emotions to be more updated. Like Kelsey mentions, the visuals of that final scene between Claire and Leo does hit really hard with the updated visuals of the weaponry. I think this version allows for youths to see the value of long lived wisdom (think watching this in 9th grade, and then remember what Kelsey just said). The opposite, like Garrick mentioned, is better for allowing everyone to understand history. Which I think would be good for this, but it’s just not the same. Fun fact for you - Brad Pitt was on a middle school basketball team known as “The Losers”

[@kathryndeck3873]

Official team name was “the losers”

[@jbblue48089]

Also, could you guys cover the Bollywood film Bride and Prejudice? It's one of my favs

[@desolationsamiga]

Yes! It's so good! Though I fear they would tear it to shreds or not fully understand it.

[@OceanLover1188]

They had amazing marketing too. I remember every teen magazine at the time had an advertisement for Romeo and Juliet in it, and they made postcards with different images from the film that could collect. And every magazine brand had a different one and mini posters in it and we were all totally obsessed with getting them. It was one of the first movies at that time to have a website, and the soundtrack was so good. and then they released a second soundtrack that had soundclips from the movie dialogue mixed into the music from the movie which was also amazing. Before the Leo version came out, they did the same thing but with the 70s one instead as far as showing it in class. We read the book, but we watched the 60s or 70s one and it was stunning, but so different than the 90s one. The 90s one was just so much more relevant and it had Leo so we were all obsessed with it.

[@jkonn]

The postcards!!!! The poooooostcaaaaaards!!!! My parents wouldn't buy me/let me buy the magazines so I would have to beg my friends to let me have their postcards. I had all of them taped inside my locker. I still have them in a memento box to this day 😂😂😂

[@OceanLover1188]

@@jkonn You're smart to have saved them! I wish I still had all mine. They were so amazing. It really built up the hype for sure. Me and my friends went and watched that movie like 5 times. and people were obsessed with re-creating the makeup look in the Revlon ads that showed Kate Winslet as Rose. It's so interesting because I remember everyone also talked about how she was plus sized. But it was because we were sooooo used to the Kate Moss figures that we had been inundated with. Tatum in Scream had a similar build. Now I look back and am like WTF they were skinny too but they just have a different build than the straight up and down one that was being marketed as the ideal for so long to us.

[@wwx-lwj-ai-ni]

1) for the longest time whenever I blanked on Paul Rudd's name I'd describe him as "the guy from romeo + juliet" 😂 2) tumblr got so many mentions in this ep that I think Guilty Pleasures is legally obligated to do an ep on Martin Sorcese's hit film Goncharov (1973) 😂

[@saikogrrl]

As an Australian I find it hilarious that y'all are pronouncing his name all fancy like "Baaaahz" 😂

[@ashaysmilies]

Ahaha right! I’m like omg where is this H they keep using in Baz 😂

[@breannascott3915]

SO good

[@HansonFan73]

11:21 Fun fact: "Come What May" from "Moulin Rouge!" was originally written for "Romeo + Juliet". 🎶

[@rosalocalinda]

I've been on this soundtrack for nearly 30 years. It's so great

[@lori1324martini]

Please do more, John Leguizamo!! His movies and stand-up shows are awesome!!

[@HansonFan73]

"Romeo + Juliet" Leo is my favorite Leo. 💘🥰💯

[@Jasmine-yo8ix]

Saw this movie SO many times in the movie theater with friends. Also, the soundtrack slaps!

[@mygirl737g2]

around the same time this movie came out, I played Titania in A Mid Summer Night's Dream in 7th grade and it was very helpful in understanding the Shakespearian language.

[@abigailshapley]

I went to a Texas public school and we were only allowed to watch the first bit of this movie, up until after the fish tank scene. Freshman year, also s/o to Kelsey for that little flash of the inside of a hormonal, over emotional teenage girl’s mind, because im pretty certain my very first boyfriend and I broke up right around the time we were doing Romeo and Juliet in class and it was mortifying.

[@2948jdjdj]

lmao @ 102:17 does kelsey remember that leo puts expiration dates on women

[@nailinthefashion]

Her model f buddy is way hotter anyway so it’s ironic all around

[@Jah_LEASE_yah]

Before even seeing the episode, I have to say I love this movie and I will receive no negative talk about it thank you. Also, FIRST?

[@neivilde.1242]

21:50 baz lurhman can't do 30 minute chunks lmao, he directed the first episode of the get down, show he also co-created, and like episode one is the longest and stylistically the most baz the show gets, and it's so freaking good, but he can't do a chill 30 lmao

[@Meg_Sprite]

David Tennant is also an amazing Shakespeare actor!

[@ambriaashley3383]

Aw. So is Denzel!!!

[@ButrScochMonks]

I’d REALLY like to see Zach talk about Lost

[@giveemmadog22]

How did Zach never mention the Try Guys version of R+J at any point?!

[@notleo786]

could u do a john leguizamo month?????????!!!!

[@gracechuka4098]

Fun fact: there is actually a type of insurance in the film industry that is specifically for kidnapping and ransom

[@faithmccready7116]

You have to do the fifth element!

[@gracesutton8171]

you need to complete baz luhrmann's red curtain trilogy with Strictly Ballroom!

[@sydneykatterhenry3879]

This is one of my favorite films

[@mauricefloyd1483]

I watched this first in 5th grade because my librarian wouldn't let me read Shakespeare, so my mom rented it. Then again, in freshman year of high school. Also, we watched a classic performance on tape the same week in freshman English.

[@kasi0034]

I know it's late in the holiday season, but I really want them to do Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights!

[@drewjohnston4309]

I once took a vacation to Mexico and the first day I was told that if I get pulled over by the police I should just offer to pay them a 100 peso "fine" in cash. He emphased pesos not dollars, because 100 pesos was about 10 american.

[@jbblue48089]

I'd love to see y'all do Jesus Christ Superstar, either the 1973 film (a bunch of hippies party in the desert) or the recent stage musical with Tim Minchin as Judas, a cynical friend of Jesus who grows increasingly concerned, worried that Jesus is starting to believe his own hype. As an atheist, it's funny (love the Monty Python-ish costumes) and thought provoking (Mary's ballad about falling in love with Christ reminds me of On My Own from Les Mis)

[@nancythomas5387]

I will once again quote Billy the Shake: From Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 3, Line 87 "No"

[@VictoriaKhai]

This is legitimately my favorite movie

[@Jiddy12345]

As stated in Last Action Hero, Hamlet was one of the first action heroes

[@GeorgiannaMiller5]

Jesus H this was senior year of HS

[@francis2fly]

Harold P. was sooo amazing in the HBO series, OZ, as well.

[@skp7736]

You all should check out the film Private Romeo!!! It is the story of Romeo and Juliet, set at an all-male military academy.

[@Virtuochar]

I was in my friend’s wedding March of last year and they used the song from when Romeo and Juliet first meet for the bridal procession AND MY FCKN HEART!!! Also, John Leguizamo 🥵

[@mattgrimes8050]

lol my school just read a few passages and watched the movie as well 😂

[@Heather_Duke]

I wanna say that my ninth grade English teacher showed one of the older Romeo and Juliet movies. The one from the sixties. And he might've been better off just...showing this one. The boys in class really didn't take the movie seriously at all because of one very specific scene. Which was Romeo walking out onto the balcony, butt naked when there were people working out in the lawn. The fourteen/fifteen year old boys were laughing both because of the naked guy butt being shown onscreen and the fact that Romeo/Juliet's relationship really wasn't being hidden at all with him walking out like that on the balcony to her room.

[@erinlev12]

As an avid Shakespeare hater, the romanticization of Romeo and Juliet has always been the bane of my existence, with that said the, only iteration that I actually love is the French musical Romeo et Juliet, that shit is amazing and makes me actually kinda, sorta sympathize with Romeo and Juliet and their bratty teenage bullshit.

[@sydney4377]

Please watch Scott Pilgrim Takes Off! I want to hear Garrick's animation thoughts and all their thoughts in general about ep 5

[@kariikosmos3005]

Please do a leguizamo month and review To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar

[@kinzcash]

Please watch Martin Short in his magnum opus role as Preminger in Barbie’s princess and the pauper!!

[@countrybumpkinski]

Oi, if you're gonna do a Leguizamo Marathon, you HAVE to talk about Too Wong Foo!!! PUHLEEEASE

[@karenesq419]

no episodes this week?

[@alison.virginia]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but the little choir boy Quindon Tarver died a few years ago in a car accident

[@urmother72771]

i NEEEDDDDD yall to talk about the barbie movie!!

[@nailinthefashion]

We already know it’s a full pleaszh and I just need confirmaysh

[@CharleeThaQueen]

Y'all talking about hating it in school, but I used a Hamlet quote for my graduation cap... we didn't read that shit out loud tho

[@Candies1Creations]

Great episode

[@camouflagefluff3215]

Also the Get Down was a netflix show with two seasons produced/directed by Baz Luhrmann and I am begging you to watch it plssssss!! There isnt a better show soundtrack in the world, the cast is stacked, and its so stunning. More of shakespeares comedies should be taught in high school and there are so many fun, well done adaptations. Like there are series of webseries adapting shakespeare's works featuring Aussie teens that i adore. Zach is so right about good actors helping to understand the language tho. Shakespeare does tend to take up a lot of focus and feels (if presented to teens through bad adaptations/ lazy teachers) boring and difficult.

[@user_unav]

Not me excited about the stage show Juliet and It’s about if Juliet didn’t meet Romeo lolol

[@stephhendo]

Garricks if you want to see this movie flipped on it’s head, you should watch Rosaline.

[@drewjohnston4309]

Shakespeare's plays were mostly forgotten for centuries. Then, someone n the 1800s wrote a book that supposed Shakespeare was secretly a noble who put subversive subtext in all his plays. And that very dubious claim is what made Shakespeare's plays "important" again. Even though the "subtext" would only work from a very modern reading of the story.

[@mackenzietamayo2968]

CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN!!! PLEASE!! 🎉😅

[@Emmysn0w]

Thank you Kelsey for saying how overrated Shakespeare is

[@existential-axolotl]

my school showed us the movie but the teachers attempted to edit out the sex scene…they weren’t great at editing

[@sam_8493]

TAMMY AND THE TREX 🦖

[@iwannaseestuff99]

That was 100% Jaime Kennedy

[@bobbidunlap2439]

Bro in school i watched the version with Orlando Bloom and on god i only remember Bloom shirtless and wet just going on and on about juliet like 🤤

[@DisasterAstor]

You need to see Shakespeare in the way it was meant to be consumed: Drunk. As. Hell. Before the higher end productions; most everything is supposed to be the equivalent of watching a play at a strip club. It's meant to be a good time. What makes Shakespeare relevant is that he dealt in human emotion. That's captured in its language, sure, but it plays out even more in the storytelling. Which is easier to feel than to understand.