In Julie Taymor's film, Titus (1999), a great focus is placed on the power that a spectacle can have on a text. Taymor is able to show how the text can be more effective when a grand performance is made out of it. Taymor further elaborates on this point by showing the humour that can be found in violence. This essay will further analyse these points by firstly showing how there is dark comedy in the film. Furthermore the reasoning behind why an audience is amused by violence will be discussed. Lastly, the power of a spectacle and how it ultimately relates to the comedy that can be found within the film will be explained.
One big aspect of the film is that the audience finds it very easy to laugh at peculiar moments. Normally individuals find humour in things that are light-hearted and allow them to escape from their everyday life.
Julie Taymor @ 2007 Toronto International Film Fes...
English: Illustration from Titus Andronicus from N...
English: Miss P. Hopkins as Lavinia, from Titus An...However, Taymor highlighted how people today are amused by bloodshed and gruesome acts. She goes to show that there is entertainment to be found in horror. Even in the film, an individual's fascination with violence is shown. The boy in the beginning is playing with toy soldiers and using tomato sauce as blood (Titus, 1999). Through this boy's play it is shown that an individual's primal obsession is violence. Taymor is showing that even at a young age - humankind, like the boy, is intrigued and amused by violence and horror. It is in their nature to be entertained when other people are harmed.
Taymor further emphasizes this point by connecting it to the power that can be found within a spectacle. One of the main reasons as to why Taymor's film is so effective is because she is able to bring to life certain scenes...