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"WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, AUGUST n, 2000-9 An ignored masterpiece in theatres now on video ge. SCREENING ROOM By John Foote TITUS (Vedeteiex) Directed by Julie Taymor On Video/DVD August 15 One of William Shakespeare's bloodi- est and earliest works, Titus Andronicus quickly fell out of favour with loyal Elizabethan audiences, as the Bard's sub- sequent works became' more popular. Hamlet, Macbeth and Richard Ill would all surpass Titus Andronicus in terms of pop- ularity not only in Shakespeare's time, but also in the generations that followed until the work was all but forgotten. Revived by Sir Laurence Olivier in 1955, critics in the fifties looked upon the play as that of a young playwright struggling to come to terms with his style. One can certainly see the beginnings of such characters as Lear and Lady Macbeth in the characters with- in Titus Andronicus, and it is safe to say 'Shakespeare did evolve as a writer, but to pass off Titus Andronicus as one of his early, weak plays is a major mistake. Broadway wunderkind Julie Taymor revived the play in 1995, bringing to the stage a searing and stunning work that became one of the most profoundly affecting theatrical experiences of the decade. The talented Taymor would move on to helm the stage adaptation of The Lion King, brilliantly merging pup- _petry, masks, and props with live actors, again giving audiences a near miraculous night at the theatre. When Taymor made the decision to direct a film, her choice was shocking, and brought with it the usual problems in cre- ating a film off the mainstream. She would make a film of Titus Andronicus entitled Titus. One of 1999's most astounding cine- matic works, Titus was released in late December to qualify for Oscar considera- tion, but sadly never found an audience. Easily the most edgy and gripping of the many Shakespearean adaptations, Titus is bold, fearless film-making that signals the arrival of a major new film director. "The practical challenges in bringing Titus to the screen were obviously money and distribution," explains Taymor over the telephone, from Los Angeles, "and the fact that this is an art film, and I was not sure | wanted to do an art film. | mean, they said..."Titus???"...right! "I do not believe Shakespeare should be updated. Really, when you think about it, he merged time in his work anyway. I mean, imagine an Elizabethan playwright writing about ancient Rome! What | want- ed to do with Titus was to create my own time because the play feels so...now. The challenge in a cinematic Titus was to find what worked best for the medium. Each medium works in different ways, so it was important to find cinematically what would work for Titus," explains the direc- tor. Taymor's vision of Titus is brilliantly Fai CSREES realized in a film that merges time, and, in a stroke of genius, is seen through the eyes of a child. Titus (Anthony Hopkins), the great Roman general, returns to Rome victori- ous from a long war with the northern Goths in which he lost several sons. With him as prisoner are Tamora (Jessica Lange), the Queen of the Goths, who has been brought to Rome as a slave with her three surviving sons, and her compan- ion/lover Aaron, the Moor (Harry Lennix). Roman ritual states that one of Tamora's Ignored by theatre audiences everywhere, Titus is perhaps one of the finest films ever made from a Shakespearean play. It's directed by Julie Taymor (seen here with Anthony Hopkins during filming), an outstanding new talent in the cinema business. sons must die, and in a sacrifice, he is indeed killed, his steaming intestines brought to the horrified mother on a plate. With that the tale of double revenge begins to unravel, as the manip- ulative Tamora plots her revenge against the general. Titus' support for the new emperor, the corrupt Saturnius (Alan Cumming) is betrayed when the spoiled man takes Tamora as his new wife, an act that shocks: Titus and unsettles much of Rome. Turn to Page 21 2 F 'J 3 188 MARY ST. PHONE (905 985-7383 ~ FAX vos) 985-3708 - PORT PERRY, ONT. 43100-20203 Zgpared clos, 13-Y4"x 11-1, 1-12 flog. Mesaried coun. from PAPERMATE ONLY! | Microwave, BBQ or Oven Ready CHICKEN WINGS 99 907 g 2b 22-28 pieces Supreme Homestyle Beef Burgers 29 5.33 oz 8 x151.2g Rib O' Pork id 112x958 3.35 02 Breaded 5 Chicken Deep HD Dutch 49 3k i f SAYA SE SO A HUN SY DVN 4 BV S f i | | ( ) R S | JAN C DINISOIVINE J BN AE EW Shs FHHundroeds of Mcoeal ideas. One aisle. Open 7 days a week =) ie