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Titus
The Legend:
Lets go ahead and light up the scoreboard.
The time period shifts throughout the movie, so what begins as an accurate time piece, shifts into the 1940's swing look, then into the 1980's punk scene, then the distant future (ala Judge Dredd), and back and all over again. I assume her attempt here was to show off the timelessness of Shakespeare. It failed miserably. Instead Julie Taymor wastes her time disrupting the film, because of the radical changes visually, destroying any chance of continuity. Add to that the juvenile use of video montages with bizarro abstract visuals that seem to follow any big seen like a two story exclamation point.
It seems as though the entire cast, including Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange parody the acting profession. Actors delivering their lines as pretentiously and overzealously as possible. No nuance, or subtlety or professionalism. It's just pathetic. The entire movie is packed full of scenes that remind you of a high-school play.
There are two bright spots in this dismal effort.
One is the delivery of the infant to the Moor. Harry J. Lennix delivers this scene with a subtle deftness that is overwhelming. I loved this scene.
Two is the discovery of Lavinia after her hands and tongue have been cut out. Truly a haunting visual.
Unfortunately those two single moments aren't anywhere near enough to apologize for the rest of this film.
Some people might kid themselves into thinking this is Shakespeare, and therefore a good film. The verbiage is right, and Anthony Hopkins is in it, so it must be good, right? NO! Despite the fact that this is Shakespeare, Good old Julie Taymor, and the whole cast managed to screw this one up. I hold them all responsible.
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