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Mad Kissin' Like Crazy

The Balcony scene for Romeo and Juliet... I showed both movie versions in class for a comparison/contrast in the different interpretations. The students are creating their own interpretations via cartoon sketches. Telling them they can only use short quotes from the text along with pictures to depict the scenes has more students pouring over the words of than I've ever scene. Plus they've discovered the discerning lack of stage direction - but asked to go beg the drama teacher to put on Romeo and Juliet for next year's play. I still can't figure out why they're so into Shakespeare and hated everything else... Am I doing something different? Are they looking at it as a right of passage? The last step to obtaining a Driver's License? How do I replicate it?

Anyways, back to the movie scenes - the 1968 version of passionate kissing stunned the students. Well, maybe stunned isn't the right description... stupified until they collapsed into hysterical laughter. The rapid kissing and pawing was something they don't see every day - even in the halls. "Like sexy is slow, ya know?" One thing I haven't been able to get across is that values and morals change over time. I tried to explain when we got to the part of Juliet's marriage (at 13? disgusting!) and the dancing... but they firmly believe that everything is exactly the same as it is in this small corner of world, always was, and always will be. I think many of them now believe the 1968 version is a comedy. Otherwise, why would that kissing scene be so funny?

Which one to watch full length? It's come down to violence/bad languge vs. naked butts. Artistic expression - bah! Which one is going to cause the least disruption?

Oh, yes - interview with NYCDOE is tonight. Have no idea what to expect, but very concerned about this "letter of intention" thing... I don't want to be stuck somewhere I don't want to be...

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