DramaHistory

Titus

- The fate of an empire. The descent of man.

Titus Andronicus returns from the wars and sees his sons and daughters taken from him, one by one. Shakespeare's goriest and earliest tragedy.

Release Date : 1999-12-25

Language :EnglishLatin

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Clear Blue Sky ProductionsOverseas FilmGroupUrania PicturesNDF InternationalTitus ProductionsFox Searchlight Pictures

Production Country : United KingdomItalyUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Titus Andronicus

Original Name : Anthony Hopkins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Tamora

Original Name : Jessica Lange

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chiron

Original Name : Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Demetrius

Original Name : Matthew Rhys

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aaron

Original Name : Harry Lennix

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucius

Original Name : Angus Macfadyen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marcus Andronicus

Original Name : Colm Feore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Saturninus

Original Name : Alan Cumming

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lavinia

Original Name : Laura Fraser

Gender : Female

Character Name : Alarbus

Original Name : Raz Degan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Quintus

Original Name : Kenny Doughty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bassianus

Original Name : James Frain

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mutius

Original Name : Blake Ritson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Martius

Original Name : Colin Wells

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Lucius

Original Name : Osheen Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clown

Original Name : Dario D'Ambrosi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Priest

Original Name : Ettore Geri

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aemelius

Original Name : Constantine Gregory

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Geraldine McEwan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Little Girl

Original Name : Tresy Taddei

Gender : Female

Character Name : Infant

Original Name : Bah Souleymane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Publius

Original Name : Antonio Manzini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Caius

Original Name : Leonardo Treviglio

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sempronius

Original Name : Giacomo Gonnella

Gender : Male

Character Name : Valentin

Original Name : Carlo Medici

Gender : Male

Character Name : Goth Leader

Original Name : Emanuele Vezzoli

Gender : Male

Character Name : Goth Soldier

Original Name : Hermann Weiskopf

Gender : Male

Character Name : Goth Soldier

Original Name : Christopher Ahrens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Goth General

Original Name : Vito Fasano

Gender : Male

Character Name : Goth Lieutenant

Original Name : Maurizio Rapotec

Gender : Male

Character Name : Roman Captain

Original Name : Bruno Bilotta

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-08-28

Sir Anthony Hopkins is the eponymous general who returns, victorious, from war and to great acclimation. He declines the throne allowing the elder son of his predecessor "Saturninus" (Alan Cummings) to accede instead. The new Caesar quickly declares his intention to marry Titus' daughter Lavinia (Laura Fraser) - a match nobody is keen on. She tries to flee, but her father prevents this escape, killing one of his own young sons in the process - but the damage is done. The emperor marries "Tamora" (Jessica Lange) - a hostage Queen of the Goths brought back from the war and what now ensures is Shakespeare at his most brutal - just about every crime in the book is featured - a battle for survival in which no-one is safe. The style of this production mixes the traditional (Oscar nominated) costume based drama with a more modern interpretation of other aspects of the complex story. The screenplay does try to stick to the play in general (though the men in the pie bit is perhaps an addition!) and the quirky nature of the characterisations are well captured by the likes of Cummings - a sort of Charlie Chaplin meets Hitler persona; Harry Lennix stands out as "Aaron" - a man who really epitomises evil and there is fun to be had from "Demetrius" (Matthew Rhys) and "Chiron" (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) whose leather clad antics are worth seeing before pie-dom looms. The direction from acclaimed theatre director Julie Taymor offers us quite an unique perspective on this lesser known but powerful tale of lust, greed and power and that perspective enhances some of the more physically (limiting) theatrical aspects of this play - especially when filmed out of doors. Sir Anthony is on authoritative form and Jessica Lange's malevolently sexy performance is probably the best depiction of that character I have seen on stage or screen. It's long, but then it's a long play so I'd get some Malbec in and enjoy!