Ceasar Must Die is a very novel version of Shakespeare's "Julius Ceasar" in which a Roman dictator is rebelled by his conspirators who are latter defeated in the Battle of Philippi. It follows a group of inmates in a high-security Rebbibia Prison preparing for a public viewing of William Shakespeare's play.
Filmmaking duo Paolo and Vittorio Taviani has conjured something deeply compelling with what little material they are working with. Its minimalist beauty - largely filmed in stark monochrome and runs for little over than hour - gives vehemence to the piece. Real inmates are hired as actors so it would only be fitting to see scatterbrain performances, but in scenes which require emotional heights, it becomes hard to tell if they were really in-mates at all, and not professional actors.
Its humanity plainly touches me. Having these real-life inmates to get involved with this kind of profundity is gold.
It doesn't quite live up to the enormousness of Shakespeare-screen adaptations that it precedes, but this one sucks you right in no matter what. It has enough supply of brilliance and its simplicity, rawness and miniature-scale are a matter of charm.
My only quibble was the line at the end. It leaves a clear explanation of the entire material and forbids the viewers's free interpretation of it. The con says, "Ever since I've became acquainted with art, this cell turned into prison."
VERDICT: A-
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