After defeating the Goths, Rome descends into chaos in Titus Andronicus -- or, Will and James prefer to call it, The Titus Chainsaw Massacre. In Shakespeare’s goriest play, which is larded with a dozen on-stage murders, wanton dismemberment, appalling cruelty, and, of course, questionable culinary choices baked in throughout. In this episode, Will and James explore the lines between tragedy, satire, and horror and why this play went from being one of the most popular of Shakespeare’s plays in his lifetime only to be discarded for two centuries until shortly after World War I. // WORKS REFERENCED // Mark Van Doren, Shakespeare (1939); Titus Andronicus, dir. Julie Taymor (1999); The Silence of the Lambs, dir. Jonathan Demme (1991); Night of the Living Dead, dir. George Romero (1968); Alien, dir. Ripley Scott (1979); American Psycho, dir. Mary Harron (2000); Hostel, dir. Eli Roth (2005); Saw, dir. James Wan (2004) // NON-SHAKESPEAREAN RECOMMENDATIONS // Will: Ross Macdonald, The Zebra-Striped Hearse (1962)' James: Orlando Figes, A People’s Tragedy: The Russian Revolution: 1891–1924 (1996) // CREDITS // Intro Music: Jon Sayles, "The Witches' Dance" (composed by anonymous); Outro Music: Jon Sayles, “Saltarello” (composed by anonymous); illustrative excepts from: Silence of the Lambs, dir. Jonathan Demme (1991) and Titus Andronicus, dir. Julie Taymor (1999)