TITUS (1999)

Written & Directed By: Julie Taymor 
Based On The Play Written By: William Shakespeare 
Cinematography By: Luciano Tovoli 
Editor: Francoise Bonnot 


Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Harry Lennix, Jonathan Rhys Myers, Colm Feore, Matthew Rhys, James Frain, Alan Cumming, Laura Fraser 


War begets revenge. Victorious general, Titus Andronicus, returns to Rome with hostages: Tamora queen of the Goths and her sons. He orders the eldest hewn to appease the Roman dead. He declines the proffered emperor's crown, nominating Saturninus, the last ruler's venal elder son. Saturninus, to spite his brother Bassianus, demands the hand of Lavinia, Titus's daughter. When Bassianus, Lavinia, and Titus's sons flee in protest, Titus stands against them and slays one of his own. Saturninus marries the honey-tongued Tamora, who vows vengeance against Titus. The ensuing maelstrom serves up tongues, hands, rape, adultery, racism, and Goth-meat pie. There's irony in which two sons survive.


This is a film that is so beautiful that even if it was a silent film, you could be enraptured by it’s visuals. At certain points you will wish it was silent. That would make it more symbolic and less littered to a degree.

An adaptation of the Shakespeare play. That starts in the present and the. Takes us off into a strange fantasy land. Where as the film seems to want to make a statement about modern day violence and kids having a filter that makes it seem distant, ok and desensitized. Where as the film takes a modern day kid and puts him in the background to show the consequences, victims and true horror of violence. This is an all star production with mostly theatrical and on screen character actors. The acting is campy and powerful at the same time.

The film seems like a political fantasy mixed with customs of history.

The film has styling from different decades bit with lack of technology is definitely part of the past. That is what enrapture the film is the style. Though the visuals are as rich as the story and dialogue.

Above all else this film is visually stunning. That it seduces you to keep watching even if you are not into the story or dialogue which gets confusing after awhile but still keeps you interested to see what will happen next.

The film is so outrageous as every ideas is on screen vividly. The film stays steady. The actions are shocking but hard not to believe. As it has so much plot that you can easily can get lost in. It drags at times but quickly makes up for it.

When it comes to film, If you are intending to keep it up. You are going to have to keep doing it. Where as if you take a break, we will follow but if not produced steadily or quick will get bored faster as you have gotten the audience used to a certain pace.

Great strong cast as it’s armor, though for all the strong visuals, the material even though it is Shakespeare isn’t the strongest. It tries to send message with opening of senseless violence of video games by sending child into this realm to show extreme senseless violence in fantasy and the consequences of these actions and the emotional ramifications of it.

What always drew me to this film was it’s poster a blue mud streaked Anthony Hopkins wearing a warriors ancient helmet. As well as the films trailer which by the end tries to recreate the mood of him as Hannibal Lecter.

All of the films performances are regal and majestic that could easily have gone over the top and hammy. Letting their costumes do all the work. Luckily for the most part the film doesn’t have too much of it. Though it certainly has violence

Grade: B-