I love this movie so much

Touches You

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Having just read Titus Andronicus for the first time I was eager to take a look at the 1999 film version. I found it an uplifting experience, because though the film was quite different to my own visualization of the story, it was a perfectly consistent modern take that both respected the language and construction of the original play and provided an exciting, personal interpretation –respectful of Shakespeare but true to itself. In fact, I rate it as among the best screen versions of Shakespeare's work. Perhaps because it also succeeds in balancing on a line that is purely theatrical on one side and purely cinematic on the other –so that though I often feel I am watching a film of a stage production, I never feel constrained by this, for the film is genuinely and richly cinematic. I am also extremely glad that a certain amount of restraint was shown in the direction –it could so easily have been totally overloaded with effects, forced gimmicks and gore, but here the visuals –and impressive they are– never overpower the language and the interaction between the characters.The performances are of a high level throughout, and the actors are all comfortable with the language, which is a relief because so many other "modern" versions of Shakespeare suffer from an inconsistent mixing of acting styles that distract us momentarily from the story. Here there is no attempt to slur the dialogue to make it seem "real" –it succeeds because it retains its metre and theatricality. I think Anthony Hopkins' performance is interestingly low-key and playful –the character itself is a difficult one to fully sympathize with– but Hopkins takes us down many different paths. He is both former hard general, ambitious and later grieving father, warm grandfather figure, madman, avenger –a complex character indeed. And again, the restraint in his performance says more than any rant. I also particularly like the pairing of him with Colm Feore as his brother. Alan Cumming gives a very memorable performance as the emperor –I found this character difficult to fully get hold of when I read the play, but the boldness and audacity shown by Cumming makes him very clear –and again it's never over- the-top as it so easily could be.I think it does help to know at least something of the play before seeing the film as there is no real explanation of exactly who is who to begin with and this may cause some confusion – the unravelling of characters and their relationships is equally challenging in the opening of the play, so the fault (if it can be called that) lies with Shakespeare. The whole first act is a bit of a mess –perhaps intentionally– and though we are able to work out who is who and what their relationship is to the next person, it does demand a bit of extra concentration at the beginning of the film that could perhaps have benefited from some form of narration or on- screen signing. This is, however, my only complaint –otherwise I found the film marvellous; utterly shocking, of course, but marvellously shocking!

In "Titus," Julie Taymor takes an already strange play and gives it a post-modern drug trip. While a few scenes are fantastic, others are chaos, and all the CG in the world can't put humpty dumpty back together again. This is a Shakespearean tragedy known for gratuitous gore and imperfection--so much so that at times scholars did not want to attribute it to Shakespeare. In many ways, the film's greatest problems are extensions of the play. An adventurous out-of-time setting tries to compensate for the play's shortcomings by serving up rich, saturated visuals with costuming and décor that jumps between roman classicism and 20th century modernism, in effect meeting somewhere beyond either. While Titus is depicted as an armored roman soldier, his emperor appears as a jackbooted Nazi. It works, to a point, unless the goal is to dazzle us out of a critical eye. Because fascism is bloody enough to handle the content in "Titus," and because the Nazi's themselves co-opted classicism, the look holds together, if bizarrely. But all the style in the world won't fill the void of substance. "Titus" is as kooky as the 1990's "Romeo + Juliet," but it's not nearly as good. The daunting scope of such a project must have appealed to Ms. Taymor, who has a knack for taking on impossible tasks, while I assume one particular detail at the end appealed to Anthony Hopkins, who has a knack for playing weirdos. Hopkins was appreciated, but his character had no growth to begin with. Though Alan Cummings does well as a mind-warped sado-fascist, for me, Henry Lennix's performance as Aaron the Moor was absolutely riveting. He's the true star of the show, and he alone justifies the viewing. (With fairness to the Bard, Aaron is also the play's most compelling character.)Since few playhouses will spend their time on a lesser-loved play with more gore than wit, it's nice to be able to see some production of Titus Andronicus. If I hadn't been reading the play within the context of a college course, I might not have known what to do with the movie at all. As an adaptation alone, I would rank it much higher. But taken as a whole, the flaws are too significant and too numerous. If you don't know Shakespeare stay away or defer to a more welcoming adaptation of the better-known works. For others who have a little background and don't expect a normal experience, it's an interesting trip, though doomed from the start.

The best film of 1999, directed by Julie Taymore and starring Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Harry Lennix, and Alan Cumming.Taymore brings Titus into the modern day in some of her staging of the film, but the dialogue is all Shakespeare, and the cast is excellent. It's a pleasure to see Hopkins playing a real character with many facets instead of Hannibal Lecter.In classic tragedy, the hero fails, brought down by a flaw which would have been a good trait if the hero had not had so much of it. In Oedipus Rex, for example, Oedipus would have been fine but for his overweening curiosity. In Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare's title), our hero is honest. Too honest for his own good. He has returned from war with Tamora (Jessica Lange) a Goth queen as his slave, and the emperor has died, leaving two good-for-nothing sons as his heirs apparent. When offered the crown, Titus rejects it out of hand: Of course not, the crown goes to the eldest son. Titus should have accepted the wreath. All his woes befall him for not knowing he would do better for Rome.Before you see the movie, I recommend getting a copy of the play in one of the several editions that explain the language as you read the script. Read it before you see it so that you have some understanding of the beautiful Elizabethan language. The Folger Shakespeare Library or Arden Shakespeare edition should be at your local library. When people ask why Shakespeare's plays are written as they are, I've heard it answered that it's because that's how people talked back then. I assure you, no one ever talked that way. Read an annotated script so that you understand the Elizabethan English these consummate actors spread before you.Hopkins, Lange, Lennix, and Cumming all get to chew the scenery, the screen, the frame, and even some of the seats. My shirtsleeves were in tatters when I left the building. It's a great piece of Shakespearean theater, and Taymore lets it all out. That said, this is a true tragedy, and there is no happy ending for Titus Andronicus and his entire family. Where in "Fracture" Hopkins plays the guy who pulls the rabbit out of the hat, here in "Titus" Hopkins's character has to gnaw his paw off in a vain attempt to get out of the snare set by Tamora. Never has integrity been so ill repaid. Taymore does a remarkable job of bringing the play to the screen. And it got nominated for Best Costume Design. Feh.

After watching Julie Taymor's screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, Titus, I can now understand why so many people feel alienated and baffled by Shakespeare's excellent plays and why in many cases they believe them to be the province of a pretentious pseudo intellectual elite. For myself, having read the play several times, but never fortunate enough to see it, I was disappointed to see this stunning play sullied by gimmicks delivered without tasteful discretion. Surely the Bard's brilliance speaks for itself? However, yet again I'm bearing witness to a production where the directorial decisions appear to be serving personal ego rather than gifted artistic integrity.The context of the play is ancient Rome, yet the viewer is treated to a hotchpotch of clumsy visions filched from various time periods, to name but one example stylised Roman Legionaries - impressive in themselves – but then motorbikes and cars! Whatever happened to the beauty of straightforward, clear simplicity? Shakespeare was a genius, remembered and admired to this day because of the universality of his themes, brilliance of his characterisations and his awesome way with words. Scarily, Julie Taymor thinks she's better than him - or perhaps she know's she's not and is simply creating a smokescreen. The soundtrack frequently drowns out speeches; obviously what the characters are saying is not as important as Julie Taymor's crass visuals! Imagine the crassness of Lavinia (raped and mutilated off-stage) by psychedelic tigers. I'm torn between saying "Emperor's New Clothes" and just plain embarrassing.However it is the misdirection of the actors that is my main gripe and the film's major flaw. With the exception of Anthony Hopkins and James Frain who valiantly bring a degree of sincerity and believability to their performances, the film is rife with overacting, incoherent gabling and in many cases amateurish performances – Jessica Lange, Matthew Rhys and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers are particularly culpable - the unfortunate product of an untalented director and actors who are for the most part out of their depth and have no idea what they are talking about! A wasted opportunity and a crime that is all too frequently committed!