Oct 12, 2008

William Shakespeare | Titus (1999)

Titus Andronicus, one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, is probably the most difficult to do in terms of staging because it could very easily turn into a melodrama with the numbers of deaths, the rape and mutilation of Lavinia, and Titus' ultimate revenge. However, in the very capable hands of Julie Taymor (who directed the stage version of The Lion King), the story is not only intensely moving, but also deeply affecting. Anthony Hopkins as Titus delivers a powerful performance as a loyal soldier who comes home from the war to bury 21 of his many sons lost in battle. Titus is at the same time, mad, angry, revengeful, and pitiful as his life around him disintegrates into an array of dead children. Jessica Lange is at her best as his nemesis, Tamora. Harry Lennix's Aaron is deliciously aggressive and unrepentant. Taymor's creation of a non-period Rome in a fantasy world of bright colours and questionable morals is a visual picnic where the viewer may pick and choose a different dish every time the film is watched. And this film should be watched more than once in order to savour Taymor's sure and steady telling of this grotesque tale in which it is very clear that the future is in the children. - J.R. Costa

Cast: Young Lucius: Osheen Jones; Clown: Dario D'Ambrosi; Titus Andronicus: Anthony Hopkins; Tamora: Jessica Lange; Alarbus: Raz Degan; Chiron: Jonathan Rhys-Meyers; Demetrius: Matthew Rhys; Aaron: Harry Lennix; Lucius: Angus Mac Fadyen; Quintus: Kenny Doughty; Mutius: Blake Ritson; Martius: Colin Wells; Priest: Ettore Geri; Saturninus: Alan Cumming; Bassanius: James Frain; Marcus Andronicus: Colm Feore; Aemelius: Constantine Gregory; Lavinia: Laura Fraser; Little Girl: Tresy Taddei; Nurse: Geraldine McEwan; Infant: Bah Souleymane; Publius: Antonio Manzini; Caius: Leonardo Treviglio; Sempronius: Giacomo Gonnella; Valentin: Carlo Medici; Goth Leader: Emanuele Vezzoli; Goth Soldiers: Hermann Weisskopf, Christopher Ahrens; Goth General: Vito Fasano; Goth Lieutenant: Maurizio Rapotec; Roman Captain: Bruno Bilotta.

Director; Julie Taymor; Writers: William Shakespeare, Julie Taymor; Producers: Conchita Airoldi, Paul G. Allen, Stephen K. Bannon, Robert Bernacchi, Mark Bisgeier, Adam Leipzig, Ellen Dinerman Little, Robert Little, Brad Moseley, Jody Patton, Julie Taymor, Karen L. Thorson, Michiyo Yoshizaki; Production Companies: Clear Blue Sky Productions, NDF International, Overseas Film Group, Urania Film (IT).

Colour. Runtime: 162 mins.