LibGuides: Shakespeare on Film: Titus Andronicus

BBC/Time Life

Titus Andronicus
"Hear me, grave fathers! Noble tribunes, stay!" -Titus Andronicus[p]Set in late Roman times, this tragedy draws on mythology for brutal tales, such as a banquet where a mother is served the flesh of her sons. Titus Andronicus is created as a commanding figure of bravery with a flawed sense of honor, a concern for the reputation of nobility than for its substance. Starring Eileen Atkins, Trevor Peacock. Provided by OhioLINK Digital Resource Commons.

Titus Andronicus (2014): The smash hit of Shakespeare's early career, Titus Andronicus is one of the Bard's most experimental works, a revenge tale of the utmost brutality that centres around the honoured Roman general who fatally refuses to show mercy to the eldest son of Tamora, Queen of the Goths, whom he has defeated in war. Director Lucy Bailey's staging of the Roman tragedy sees the great London theatre transformed into a temple of death, one in which swathes of black fabric coalesce with horrific violence and stand-out performances to create shatteringly powerful drama. This production is available to stream for a small fee from the Globe Player.

Julie Taymor's incredible 1999 film stars Antony Hopkins as Titus Andronicus, Alan Cumming as Saturninus, and Jessica Lange as Tamora. Full of anachronism in costume and set, the violent and vivid production has been well-received by scholars for the last fifteen years. There are two copies of the DVD on reserve at the library.