Video Capsule - TITUS (8.5/10)

[halfanarcher]

Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus as interpreted by the creator of The Lion King. I am not kidding.

This film works. Somewhere between Baz Lerman's Romeo + Juliet and Ian McKellan's Richard III with all the violence of Polanski's Macbeth. Much better than Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing.

The story is really nasty and cruel. Torture, rape, murder I could easily imagine this as a Quentin Tarantino film. Unlike Much Ado which went for Hollywood actors who massacre iambic pentametre (take a bow Keanu), Titus uses real Shakesperean actors. Anthony Hopkins performance is very powerful as the altruistic Titus and Jessica Lange holds her own as the Goth Queen Tamora.

The film is a bit long at 2hrs, 20 min and sometime looses itself especially with the young Lucius. But if you like Shakespeare this is one of the better films made in the last 15 years

[PackBacker]

I thought this was a terrific film, but I was confused (and still am) by it.

Why the crossover a la Leo version of Romeo and Juliet? What was up with the kid? He (if memory serves) is in his room with a war going on and some dude grabs him and poof he is in olden days. He doesn't say a word for about an hour of the film and then is suddenly an important character rather than a bystander.

Hopkins was awesome. Lange was terrific and the villain (I can't for the life of me think of his name) almost stole the show. Hopkins busts out during a scene and you would swear that Hannibal Lecter was there....I love it when he gets that sinister little gleam in his eye.

The story itself is quite engrossing. Maybe kids should read this Shakespeare in school.....blood, guts, sex, torture, revenge, sex and all would keep them more interested than love sonnets. /ubb/smile.gif

[NomoPutzy]

TITUS is ten times better than any of that crap Branagh's been churning out lately. Much ado about zero is pretty much what's happened to Boy Wonder since his last good film, which, to me, was HENRY V. (Was bored with his Hamlet, thought Branagh was too old, not very Daney, and I am sick of the play in general.)

Anyway, back to TITUS. I just LOVED this movie. Taymor seems to have been influenced by practically everything: punk, heavy metal, Fellini, and even David Cronenberg. Jessica Lange, Hopkins, and Henry Lennix (the villain, Aaron) were wonderful and didn't mangle the verse, although I thought Alan Cumming as Saturnius couldn't decide if he should be emperor or empress. Still, I thought the movie should have run 3 hours ; when it ended (and I don't really understand the presence of the little boy either -- is he the FUTURE?), I felt I had seen something truly breath-taking in its barbarity. (Tarantino, eat your heart out.)

[JoBlo]

<moderator bump>

[PackBacker]

Bringing this one back to the top.


Watched it again last night. Visually stunning with a engaging nasty story by the bard himself. Hopkins, Lange, and Lennix are absolutely incredible in this film.

The dvd is a 2 disc set and definitely worth watching with director commentary on. I still don't buy everything with the young Lucius but I found myself not too turned off by it. That's where the film falters (at least for me) but it's a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things...

8.5/10 seems about right

[Fergus]

This movie was fantastic, visually, but to me, this movie had no sense of time or place. What was the point of using medieval times, then the 1940's. It used swords then guns. At times I had wished she had just picked one period and used it. Other than that this was fantastic 7.5/10. The imagery used, and my absolute favorite part is the brilliant absolutely brilliant ending. The death of all main characters is nonetheless brilliant.

[someguy]

I need these questions answered:What's with the kid? Why are modern things used in this movie? Who's young Lucuis?

[Fergus]

I believe he is Titus' either grandson or nephew, he was in the play, or else he wouldn't have said a word.


*Did you know Julie Taymor previously directed the play as an off-broadway show in the early nineties. She used the same beginning as you see in the movie.

[This message has been edited by Fergus (edited 08-19-2001).]

[Deckard]

TITUS (9/10) is in my top three Shakesperian cinematic adaptions ever. (Ian McKellan's RICHARD III and Polanski's MACBETH are the other 2)

Exceptional cinematography, powerful dialogue, engrossing acting and memorable images all combine to make this one hell of a movie experience.

"Revenge" has never looked so UN-sweet. Shakespeares words have seldom been put into moving pictures with such skill. A must see