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William Shakespeare's tragedy "Titus Andronicus" gets something of a Baz Luhrmann "Romeo & Juliet" style treatment from director Julie Taymor, in her visionary film adaptation of the play, "Titus," starring Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange. It's one of the more brutal and disturbing offerings from the bard, who seeks to expose the myriad chambers of darkness that can be found within the human psyche, which Taymor (who also wrote the screenplay) ferrets out and presents to optimum-- if often disconcerting-- effect. It's a tale of revenge and madness; of revenge born of grief, and madness born of sorrows layered upon sorrows that are simply beyond the endurance of mortal man, the attendant emotions of which Taymor captures in a tapestry of images plaited throughout this blood stirring drama, making it-- for better or worse (as this is one that's definitely going to "stay" with you awhile)-- an altogether unforgettable motion picture experience.
A soldier for forty years, General Titus Andronicus (Hopkins) has commanded the Roman legions to countless victories on the field of battle, and along with his army is just returned home from their latest conquest. Once in Rome, Titus will oversee the ceremonial salute to the fallen and the burial of those who died in battle; then he will attend to his prisoners, the Queen of the Goths, Tamora (Lange) and her three sons. For Titus, life is in order and all is well; but though he doesn't realize it yet, all of that is about to change.
Titus has four sons, but it is his only daughter, the beautiful Lavinia (Laura Fraser), who will play a leading role in the drama that is about to unfold, which begins with the untimely death of Caesar. Though it is but an opinion, when Titus is asked which of Caesar's son's he favors for succession, Saturninus (Alan Cumming) or Bassianus (James Frain), his choice holds sway, and subsequently triggers an irreversible chain of events which ultimately beget the final tragedy of the story. Before the end, however, Titus Andronicus will suffer the agonies of hell; but into that dark night, he will not go quietly.
Within the first few minutes of a film, a good director will let you know what you're in for, and Taymor succeeds in doing so here. The riveting opening sequence, in which Titus and his soldiers march in hypnotic cadence into Rome, sets the style and tone for all that follows. Taymor's staging and choreography are brilliant; orchestrated to draw in the audience and hold them, and she does, in absolutely mesmerizing fashion. Set in ancient Rome, Taymor nevertheless refuses to be bound by the parameters of "era," going "out of the box" to draw upon and blend time periods in an effort to realize her personal vision and bring her imaginative presentation of the play to fruition. There are microphones, for example, in front of the Capitol; and in procession through the streets of Rome, chariots are preceded and/or followed by automobiles and motorcycles. All of which is played out against a rhythm of excitement that effectively impacts the drama, bringing it all so vibrantly to life. To find the true pulse of the story, Taymor evokes a sense of Olivier/Welles/Branagh and fuses it with a combination of Luhrmann and "West Side Story," which makes her film not only emotionally involving and compelling, but visually stunning as well. And though she draws upon the best of the best to make her film all that it can be, what you see on the screen it pure Taymor; the expression of a unique and inimitable artistic genius.
As Titus, Anthony Hopkins gives a solid, if not his best, performance. His portrayal is thoroughly convincing (which goes without saying, of course, with Hopkins), but the usual pure and resonant timbre of his voice occasionally and quite noticeably falters, though his elocution remains a study in perfection. An actor who can play any role, Hopkins may always be remembered as Hannibal in "Silence of the Lambs," but without question, he was born to play Shakespeare. One would think, in fact, that his resume would be filled with cinematic adaptations of such; curiously, however, it is not. And while his Titus may be comparatively sub-standard "Hopkins," in the end, he manages to make the role his own with yet another memorable performance.
Initially, casting Jessica Lange as Tamora seems an odd choice, inasmuch as this is her first foray into the Shakespearian arena. In the final analysis, however, it is very much in keeping with the less than conventional approach Taymor employs here, and Lange comports herself well with her portrayal of the malevolent Queen of the Goths. She lends a definitive physical countenance to the role, and in her eyes you can discern the shadows that plague her soul and the fire that sparks her quest for revenge. It's a performance that goes far in demonstrating that Lange is, indeed, a consummate actor, with a range that substantiates her stature as an Oscar winner.
Also turning in performances of note are Cumming, who is deliciously loathsome as Saturninus; Fraser, whose Lavinia is endearingly fragile and vulnerable; and Harry J. Lennix as the manipulative, despicable Moor, Aaron.
The supporting cast includes Colm Feore (Marcus Andronicus), Angus MacFadyen (Lucius), Osheen Jones (Young Lucius), Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (Chiron), Matthew Rhys (Demetrius), Kenny Doughty (Quintus), Blake Ritson (Mutius), Colin Wells (Martius), Raz Degan (Alarbus), Ettore Geri (Priest) and Constantine Gregory (Aemelius). There's no escaping the fact that the story of "Titus" is gruesome, to say the least. Many will find it offensive, even insufferable, especially the ending, which is a sordid business no matter how you slice it. But the vigor and vision of Taymor's production makes it engrossing, stimulating entertainment that is entirely accessible and will appeal to an audience that transcends hard core Shakespeare aficionados. If not madness, there is definitely magic in her method, which is more than evident on the screen. And that's the magic of the movies.
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Top reviews from other countries
Dieter Müller
Guter Film und sehr guter Service
Reviewed in Germany on January 5, 2019
