Titus is a 1999 Italian-American-British historical thriller film adaptation of William Shakespeare's revenge tragedy Titus Andronicus, about the downfall of a Roman general. Starring Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange, it was the first theatrically-released feature film adaptation of the play. The film was made by Overseas Filmgroup and Clear Blue Sky Productions and released by Fox Searchlight Pictures. It was the film directorial debut of Julie Taymor, who co-produced and wrote the screenplay. It was produced by Jody Patton, Conchita Airoldi and executive produced by Paul G. Allen.
A boy eating lunch in a 1950s-style kitchen plays war with his surrounding toys. A bomb blast outside the window frightens him under the table from where he is rescued and taken to an Amphitheatre, where an invisible audience cheers. An army resembling the Terracotta Army enters; Romans under the command of Titus Andronicus, the general at the center of the play, return victorious from war. They bring back as spoils Tamora, Queen of the Goths, her sons, and Aaron the Moor. Titus sacrifices Tamora's eldest son, Alarbus, so the spirits of his 21 dead sons might be appeased. Tamora eloquently begs for the life of Alarbus, but Titus refuses her plea.
Truth is heavy
Weighs down on my head
Once again innocence comes to an end
There's a girl just like the ones that I love
Can't afford to get high
She sells her body for the drugs because
Truth is harsh
Truth in unreal
Times are hard
It's going to get harder still
Truth is heavy
Weighs a ton
Cold as ice
Burns like the sun
There's a kid just like me
Can't get by, he's going to get a gun because the truth is harsh still
Truth is harsh
Waking up is getting harder and harder and harder
Don't know if I can keep living this life much further
I need an escape