Titus

Rating:
Summary: Shakespeare's worst play & Anthony Hopkins' worst film
Review: The critics said that Titus is the worst play of Shakespeare, although I may not fully agree... but difinitly this movie is the worst of Anthony Hopkins.

The movie should have not been placed in the current century, this has killed the movie and made it senseless!

I loved the music of this film, loved the settings and acting but all together with Shakespeare language did not make any sense.

Rating:
Summary: Not for the weak of heart, but very original
Review: To show Shakespeare and not to repeat someone's job already is a hard task. Ms Julie Tamor dared to present us with her own version of this tragedy, very original and visually daring and sophisticated, where modern meets pagan. There are plot holes and illogical action in the movie, but it's the usual Shakespeare style, and good that Ms Taymor has not changed anything in the plot. After 15 minutes of Romans driving motorcycles, playing pool or wearing quasy-Nazi uniform seem to be as integral part of the movie as their Roman names or gear. The costumes, decorations and general artful design of the movie are worth alone to watch. All in all, it's a play on a stage, so allow the Director's fantasy roam as she wishes.

About plot: we forget that Shakespeare has been not only a genius who created Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet, but could also try his pen with such tragedy as Titus. All his "trademarks" are here: a noble and popular Roman general (A Hopkins) who spent 40 years fighting for the glory of Rome, return, having captured Goth queen Tamora (J Lange) and her sons 3 sons (ugh, what brats!). He misplaces his loyalty with the new Caesar just for a moment. And as usual, while he realizes he's been betrayed and used, several close to him have suffered horribly already. In the beginning, Titus himself is hard to root for - he's ruthless (sacrifices Tamora's eldest without mercy), stubborn and tyrannical father. But after he suffers blow after blow when vengeful Tamora becomes the wife of new Caesar, he can only laugh for no more tears are left to cry over his losses. Tamora and her lover Aaron, are proverbial villains to the last cell in their bodies: bloodthirsty, merciless, depraved. Both Tamora and Titus become similarly atrocious in their all-consuming revenge, and as a result, it annihilates them both and about a dozen of other characters.

Violence of the movie is not that arresting (besides the last 20 minutes of the movie, when A Hopkins really goes over the top, and that makes you cringe an spit): almost all killings, rape and mutilations happen off the screen and viewers are presented with results and surrealistic visions in the minds of the suffering.

If Ms Taymor presented us with the usual toga-wrapped version of this tragedy, it would have been another boring and moralizing spectacle. Due to its originality and strong images the movie is a challenge to watch till the end, and requires strong stomach. It also proves that whatever we can come forth with, the Great Bard has already "been there, done that". And A Hopkins should earn credits for posterity by such roles as Titus, not men-eating Hannibal.

Rating:
Summary: Titus, in my mind, is an absolute masterpiece!!!
Review: Julie Taymor stuns me with everything she does, and Titus is surely no exception! Her direction and conceptual style is very prominant in this film version of the Shakespearian play.

Everything in this film is top-notch...acting, directing, scope, story, costumes, and the cinemetography is wonderful as well. Hopkins plays the Roman General Titus brilliantly, like he does with everything else. Lange is just as good, playing a deliciously decietful Tamora, Queen of Goths. THe supporting cast is just as stunning.

I enjoyed this film thouroughly and it is truly my favorite. It leaves me breathless with each viewing and it is definitely not to be missed!

Also, to the people of the Oscars: A big BOOOO for you! It was truly cheap that this masterwork recieved ONE nomination and didn't even win...which it deserved to! Hopkins and Lange very much deserved nominations for their brilliant performances! Titus was severely overlooked! In my mind, Titus won Best Picture...and [poo] on you!

...

Rating:
Summary: Great Adaptation
Review: Some reviewers commented that Titus Andronicus is considered one of the worst of Shakespeare's plays, but not all students of Shakespeare believe that. I teach a course in Shakespearean Literature, and I taught Titus long before the movie came out. I was thrilled when the movie was released, with the modern look making it more tangible to many of my students. It mantains integrity with the artistic look while providing elements high schoolers (and others) can relate too. While the play itself tends to be uneven in spots, the movie polished away many of the rough edges. People need to remember that Titus Andronicus is considered by many historians to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, so it's certainly not his best work, but the movie still transforms it into a disturbing and entralling film.

Rating:
Summary: Titus rocks!
Review: Doesn't the title of this review say it all? During Shakespeare's prime time, TITUS ANDRONICUS was the most popular of all his plays. The audiences ate this work up. However, as time went on the play was produced less and less and in the past hundred years has only been performed about a dozen times worldwide. Many critics argue that it is Shakespeare's worst play, some claiming that it's so bad Shakespeare probably didn't even write it.

Granted this is one of the most violent of all Shakespeare's plays. Granted the dialogue isn't as impressive as HAMLET or KING LEAR. Granted there isn't as much psychological investigation into ones soul (e.g. HAMLET). Nevertheless, TITUS ANDRONICUS is a better play than many would lead you to believe. It's a play that looks at human nature in its most base and primal form, yet still raises some big questions: What is the worth of ones' family? , What happens to a nation when it ignores its veterans?, What happens to ones soul when one gives oneself over to power and decadence? These (and many more) are serious issues that the play raises and examines.

With that said about the play, TITUS the movie is stunning. The visuals, costumes, and choreography in the movie are just amazing. The movie stays true to the plot of the play and much of the dialogue is left intact. The combination of various twentith century designs with those of ancient Rome results in the most interesting visuals of any film in recent memory. The acting in the movie is superb and the direction almost flawless. The only negative criticism is that the film moves rather slowly, rushing from crucial scene to the next, but dragging in between those scenes. Overall a great adaptation of Shakespeare's most campiest play.

Rating:
Summary: Stunning, dynamic, and sadly under-rated.
Review: It's unfortuanate that this film didn't garner more recognition. This may be due in part to the fact that the original play was considered to be sub-par; perhaps it was, but this hardly detracts from the film.

The first thing one notes upon viewing are the stunning visuals- modern things like arcade machines and automobiles are put alongside older, archaic things (such as wardrobe and old English speech). This has been done in previos adaptations of Shakespear's work, but never to such dramatic effect.

Another thing that stands out is the unending violence. It really never lets up. Director Julie Taymor thought this went perfectly with the crisis of our modern times- an era accustomed to things like war, genocide and urban decay. This film makes a statement about our society.

The acting is certainly first rate, with Hopkins in the title role. The other actors are all on par with his stunning performance- it never comes across as scripted or contrived.

The underlying current of the film is about man's own inclination toward cruelty, and what some will do to seek revenge. In this film, it creats a domino effect, one revenge traded for another until no one is left standing.

Stunning visuals, stunning performances, superlative film. I feel it's one of the best in the last five years. In fact, after one viewing on HBO, I came to this website and bought my own copy. If you liked the movie, be sure to check out the illustrated screenplay in the books section.

Rating:
Summary: To please or not to please
Review: I bought this movie with no pretense, it was inexpensive and looked pretty interesting. After seeing it I can say I thoroughly enjoyed it which is saying something because I don't like movies where the dialogue makes me think "what language are they speaking?" Oh that's English, ok, maybe I missed a few English classes in high school. First of all this movie rocks. The story is very interesting(see editors insights) but the highlight of this movie are the set designs and the costumes. The mixture of modern and ancient clothes, styles and sets is genius, contemporary interpretations that stimulate even those who are not, dare I say, into Shakespeare. This movie allows young people, who are forced to try and understand the antiquated language of Shakespeare something visual that captures the imagination, brings questions to mind, allows for insight to be given by the Shakespeare "experts" in the group, and quite possibly a better understanding of what all the big deal is about some dead guy who wrote plays. I watched this with my teenage boys who were mesmerized by it and wanted to know more about the story. Judging from the reviews written here, you either love it or hate. I loved it because it was a brilliant adaptation, innovative, visually stunning and well acted by standouts Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange. It is a schocking and odd mixture of literary art brought to the screen for a most memorable viewing experience. This film by Julie Taymor depicts Rome yesterday with today in such a manner that it is absolutely stunning, visually haunting, even horrific at times, but always masterfully entertaining. This is a movie well worth the money as it can and should be viewed numerous times. If you like something out of the ordinary this movie is for you, if you're a Shakespeare purist maybe not, but regardless this movie is an epic bargain.

Rating:
Summary: Why?????
Review: Sorry, but Shakeshere proved with this play that even the best authors will write a bomb once in a while. This play is simply not very good. The only thing that the iambic pentameter does in this play is make the gory, ugly, and senseless play less comprehensible, which with this story is a good thing. Of all of the great plays that the greatest English writer ever, wrote, why this one was made into a movie baffles me.

My best guess to this, is that the director was just looking for a backdrop to show off the well done visuals and cosutume and set design, that this movie is full of. The problem is that even though they are individualy well done, they just do not go together that well, and makes an aready bad story more muddled and depressing than before. It is nice that these sceanes can be made, now this director should go and make them in a movie that can use them.

Titus is a not so tragic, tragic hero who gets himself into trouble through his own stupidity, mindless cruelty, and strict adherance to tradition. The only character in this play that is interesting at all is the smart villian, who acts like Iago and looks like Othello. The plotting and character devolopment are not very good, and sorry but Shakesphere needed some prozac really badly around the time he wrote this play. Many people seem to really like this movis as a kind of modern art. But sorry this is the kind of art I feel that I am better off not seeing.

Rating:
Summary: Good! Makes Tarantino Look Tame
Review: This ambitious adaptation of a Shakespearean play tranlates very well to the big screen. It has a great cast, with Anthony Hopkins in the title role.

The blending of Ancient Rome and the modern world in the set and the costumes is surprisingly effective -- Roman armour and weapons fit in perfectly beside cars, microphones and other modern props. The on-again, off-again "play within a play" idea was annoying and never really went anywhere, but it wasn't shoved in the viewer's face too much.

Beautiful as it is, the film is a disturbing parade of violence and cruelty that makes most horror films look tame by comparison. In this, it is true to the play on which it was based, and the Shakespearean dialogue actually lends a certain creepy respectability to what would otherwise be a spectacle of depravity.

Rating:
Summary: Intense
Review: This was one of the most visually stunning, intense, darkest films I have ever watched. I was not familiar with the play Titus before I watched it but still had little problem following the film. One of the more interesting Shakespeare film adaptions I've seen. The play Titus is completely over the top, so this film goes way over the top too, but it's appropriate and thrilling to watch. Lange, Hopkins and the Moore are all played brilliantly. It's a long film but not one that you end up resenting for keeping you occupied so long. Titus' daughter was also excellent. I found myself wondering how much this film cost to make, it appeared to be very extravagent. A very impressive adaptation. This is the film that beats "Gladiator" up on the playground.