Caesar Must Die

To continue making Shakespeare’s plays into contemporary cinema, it seems almost obligatory to think of the most outlandish scenario in which to place the story. CAESAR MUST DIE is a brilliant and humanist take on the Bard’s Julius Caesar in which the play is being rehearsed by inmates of a maximum security prison in Rome. Casting real inmates (many facing long sentences for violent crimes) for the roles is just one of the conventions used in this captivating film shot almost entirely in black and white. With scenes shot throughout the prison, CAESAR MUST DIE blends the story of the prisoners rehearsing with the world of the play happening within the prison. The casting choice provides an additional sense of menace, particularly when Brutus decries his allegiances to Caesar, whom he must kill; only a killer’s eyes could authentically convey such inner conflict. CAESAR MUST DIE is at once innovative and captivating while being an eerily genuine portrayal of a classic play brought into a contemporary world. Difficult, yes. Successful, absolutely. (In Italian with subtitles) – T.W.