MovieChat Forums > Titus (2000) Discussion > Hopkins doing Shakespere

Hopkins doing Shakespere

posted 18 years ago by mavmaramis
2 replies | jump to latest

Despite the protestatons in the trivia section regarding Hopkins and Shakespere, from my own personal perspective I feel that Hopkins made a great Shakesperian actor.

I feel though that he really ought to be given the 'right' role to play. I am not sure Titus Andronicus was indeed the part he should play or indeed the play he should have done.

I leave that speculation up to others.

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What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculties! in form and moving, how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension, how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals!
- Hamlet Act II, scene II

[–] Edward_de_Vere 18 years ago

Hopkins had some good moments in Titus (in the "I tell my sorrows to the stones" scene, he captures the iambic rhythm of Shakespeare as well as any actor I've seen), though I agree that Hopkins wouldn't be my first choice for the part of Titus Andronicus.

I've seen Hopkins in two other Shakespeare roles on film. One was the BBC production of Othello (as Othello, done in traditional blackface), and I must say that both he and the film were terrible. Hopkins gave a ridiculous, over the top performance and Bob Hoskins (as Iago) matched him. Hopkins himself admitted that he's never felt comfortable doing Shakespeare and other classics, stating that the theater (as opposed to Hollywood) bored him and that he felt intimidated by the archaic language. Perhaps watching his own Othello performance was what convinced him to give up Shakespeare and take up dull, forgettable Hollywood action and horror films.

On the other hand, Hopkins was decent (if too young at the time) as Claudius opposite Nicol Williamson's Hamlet.

[–] ehaas-3 9 years ago

Hopkins has done Shakespeare and in so doing has undone him. :)