BRAZIL
 |
| It's only a state of mind. |
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Duration: 132 minutes
Plot: a bureaucrat in a retro-future world tries to correct an administrative error and finds himself becoming an enemy of the state.
Analysis: Terry
Gilliam is hands down an extremely interesting, ingenius and innovative
director/writer, one of the best of the 20th century. Not only being a
member of the legendary British comedian club commonly known as Monty
Python but also a real pioneer of the art of cinematography, Gilliam managed to excite both critics and audicence with Brazil, his most famous movie. In fact, Brazil's scenario was so smart, so unexpected and so ground-breaking that unavoidably affected deeply the majority of Gilliam's later work.
Regarding the movie itself we may say that till today, thirty years
after its shooting, there hasn't been another film capable of
antagonizing its originality –many have tried, only to miserably fail. Watching Brazil feels
like watching another parallel world through a magic mirror. The
novelty and variety of Gilliam's ideas are so extensive and overthrowing
that literally throw a punch of surprise and excitiness to the unsuspected viewer's face. The bucolic
costumes, the extravagant makeup, the pointy dialogues, the suffocating
scenaries, the meticulous performances, the intense music, the clever
visual tricks, everything greatly boost the feeling of strangeness and
awkwardness. A feeling which may sound unappealing at first but will
surely be loved by the viewer as Brazil's plot keeps unrolling.
And even if none of the above is good enough to arouse your interest,
then do yourself a favor and be patient till the movie's finale only to
enjoy one of the most (if not the most) unexpected, bold and
enterpreneurial endings in the history of cinema.
Things to notice:
- Terry Gilliam's unmatched fantasy,
- the controversial finale and
- Robert De Niro's legendary cameo.
Oscar awards (1986):
- two (2) oscar nominations for:
b) Best Art Direction - Set Decoration.
Evaluation: 9.1/10
Should be watched tonight if: you want to get lost inside Gilliam's perplexing mind.
Trailer
