My review of Titus the movie

To be honest, in order to fully appreciate Titus, you have to read Shakespeare’s original play Titus Andronicus. If you haven't read Shakespeare lately this film might no make sense.  On the other hand, even though it can’t quite stand on its own, the movie is a nicely acted effort to immortalize Shakespeare’s early play on the big screen. In an effort to make the play more appealing to our time, and perhaps to save money on expensive period setting and wardrobe, the film weaves in and out of modern scenes of car filled streets, extras dressed in black suits and hats, villains unleashing their obsessions to rock music in front of rows of computer gaming machines. The modern effect of the movie failed to shed light on the corruption of government and the personal abuse of power to kill. Because graphic violence is difficult to show on stage, Shakespeare describes its impact through verse that the characters speak in response to what happens. I feel like Roger Ebert pretty much hit the nail on the head with his statement about this movie: “It’s what the play deserved.” That’s exactly right. The original play by William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus is a gratuitously violent and overblown. And I love it. I loved every minute of this flick because of how true it stays to the original intentions of its author. Shakespeare knew  that theater-goers relish a guilty pleasure. As someone who was raised around the arts and has been to Broadway several times I can honestly say violent stage productions tickle a certain fancy of mine. Yes, comedy and love productions hit the heart and are easy for me to relate my own life to. But violent plays satisfy a side of me that will never be seen unless I want to go to jail! 

Class 2/3/10

In class on Thursday it was said that homosexuals are perceived to be child molesters. I have struggled with that statement since that day. I think that there is no statement more ludicrous than that one. I don't think one's sexuality makes them a child molester. Nor do I agree that people who prefer the same sex are more likely to molest children. There are many reasons people molest children, some include they have a medical or mental problem that needs treatment, they are opportunists, who lack feelings for others and who have an antisocial personality disorder, or they have an ongoing sex drive directed toward children. I think it's a very strange assumption to make that homosexuals are child molesters. It is also another way that society tries to label individuals who go against the "norm".  In life there are choices you make some people can't control their choices while others can. Society views homo as wrong and hetero as right. There are men who are married with children that molest little boys. What does that make them? There is no difference between homosexual couples and heterosexual couples. Except the titles and scrutiny that society places on different relationships. People who  judge others and cast judgement onto others as well as make assumptions are just dense in my opinion. I don't think anyone has the right to say who can work were and who can't. Yes the Children's Hour is set in a different time period, but the same stereotypes are around today. Hopefully one day sexuality, gender, and race will all be things that don't matter and as a society we will focus on the quality of people and not how they live there lives. When that day comes the world will truly be a better place.