Sep 261999
Titus (Anthony Hopkins), an honored general, sacrifices one of his captives, a prince of the Goths. The queen of the Goths vows revenge which leads to betrayal and death.
Quick Review:This is what you get if Shakespeare wrote the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and ramped up the violence. I’ve never seen any film that is more grisly and shocking than Titus and that isn’t the result of additions by director Julie Taymor; Shakespeare wrote it that way. It is fascinating, but not for the squeamish. Before the end credits roll, there are gruesome murders, rape, cannibalism, and sickening mutilations. Taymor has set this horror tale in a strange, surrealistic world, partly modern, partly absurdist Roman. That fits as Titus couldn’t exist in a real place or time. Look for nothing of reality here, nor for deep meaning. This is tragedy for fun, and it is fun, in a really creepy way.