The great Roman general, Titus Andronicus (Hopkins) returns home from 40 years at war with the Northern Goths where all but four of his sons died.
Titus decides to execute the eldest son of Tamora, Queen of the Goths (Lange), as part of a victory ritual (despite Tamoras pleas for her son's life). This act sets off a long chain of revenge, cruelty, and murder, which begins when Tamora marries the new spoiled and corrupt Emperor, Saturnius (Cummings).
Titus, possessed of excellent acting, superb scenery, enhancing score, and an age-old Shakespearean tale with plots and twists, galore, is a must-see for any serious cinemaphile. Of course, it is literate, convincing, easy to follow even in Shakespearean English, and provides visual, emotional, spiritual, and ethical issues for all to experience and ponder. It`s admixture of the ancient and the modern in its sets and scenery added to its relevance and enjoyment. What a treat--for the eye, the ear, the brain, and the heart. I`m recommending it to my film-scorer son!
This movies gave an old story a new lease of life, truely fantastic, and thats coming from a 20 year old, normally bored to tears by the overbearing performances common to shakespearian plays/movies.