Titus Andronicus

This has got to be the worst adaptation of Titus ever made. Aaron the moor is White!!! All of the scenes appear to be in the same set. A sandy stage in a high school auditorium. This film was made the same year as Taymor's flick and it shallows in comparison. Never since Day of the Woman, have I seen such horrid acting. I love this play and loved Taymor's adaptation of this play. It scares me that someone thought that this was a good idea. The music is also something to be desired...if you enjoy the sounds of a kazoo coming out of a Cassio. Titus' character should be at least contemplative and remorseful, not a lisping stereotypical fairy. Tamora's costume contains(barely) her robust self. It is "easy" to see why the emperor desires her.Yes, what a formidable opponent she is for the wimpy Titus. GOD AWFUL...GOD BLOODY AWFUL.

I saw this American movie in Spain last year, and at first I didn't know what to make of it. The audience around me either were "getting" it, or were really not "getting" it at all, and some were going nuts loudly laughing and cheering. At first I thought it was one thing, then as I stayed with it I realized it was playing out on different levels, BOTH deep AND freaky. The heroes (actually anti-heroes) and the villains are strangely believeable and engaging. This is definitely an original take on this kind of Shakespearean drama, masculine and not an "artsy" or fanciful treatment. It's set in the ancient past, but not a familiar look. Excellent styling... gritty, sweaty, very bloody and totally weird.

Easily Shakespeare's least known play, finding a film version that's true to the original text is a difficult task. This video delivers the bulk of the action with little divergence (though some editing, undoubtedly due to time constraints) as well as the original dialog, all intact. At times campy, at times disturbing, it's always a surprise. Suitable for academic libraries or the Shakespeare fan who likes horror films, this video is truly unique as an interesting blend of the two.

Oh wow. I had to watch this in my Theatre arts class because we were studying Shakespeare. Not only was it extremely difficult to follow, it contained a lot of violence and overall was a snoozer--I found myself sleeping through most of it. First thing that flew out of my mouth when it was over was "What the heck was he smoking when he wrote that?" No one sane would be capable of writing something this horrible. It's hard enough with the language to be able to follow it, on top of the plot that is just all over the place.

I would not recommend this if you have youngsters or have trouble following plots and/or Shakespeare language.

I bought this movie on VHS (It's not too hard to find the website or the major internet retailer that has it) and my family and I have since nearly worn it out. The original Shakepearean play is an intense indulgence in the repercussions of negative karma, revenge building upon revenge until all the players are immersed. This film adaptation is more true to the story than most treatments, but it has a true cult film twist in its handling of the over-the-top violence. The actors (who are all quirky but quite competent) play the roles straight, yet the director camps it up with overdone screaming, squirting blood, growling and Shatner-esque reaction shots. Just brilliant. The costumes and scenery are on a par with a 1950's era sword-and-sandal epic. No computer generated magic, but who cares? This thing is wild and chock full of subtle gems... and the not-so-sublte forest Lavinia scene, the Martius/Quintus scene, the Midwife Cornelia scene, the clown messenger scene, the whacko banquet, etc., etc. A Shakespeare movie to watch in a darkened room with cult movie friends and plenty of beer and chips. Some people don't really "get it", and that's too bad. This movie is that rare combo of treasure and trash at its deepest and shallowest, a mixture of "Ben Hur" with "Beyond The Valley Of The Dolls"... perfectly suited for a story about an intensely persecuted hero who goes off the deep end in as big a way as possible. A triumph of cult indie filmmaking.