Review of Brazil

Introduction

Today, Science Fiction cinema invariably implies large spaceships and expensive special effects. It wasn`t always that way though. There was a time when sitting down to a sci-fi movie meant that you were in for a post apocalyptic wasteland, or a nightmare dystopian vision. Ah, those were the days. The Cold War era inevitably resulted in a belief that society was going to hell in a handbasket, and films naturally reflected that fact. It`s so much better now, when all we have to worry about are environmental catastrophes on a global scale or Kevin Costner with gills. Still, warped societies resulting from Cold War paranoia are infinitely more interesting on film, and coupled with the inventive visual genius of Terry Gilliam, 1985`s Brazil is a veritable feast for the senses.

This is one of those dystopian futures, featuring a world drowning in bureaucracy and the pursuit of clerical efficiency. Sam Lowry is the small cog in the machine of perpetual paperwork that becomes the unlikely rebel against the totalitarian society. Sam is much like any other office drone, except that he displays a remarkable competence in his job with a strange reluctance to accept promotion, and at night he dreams of soaring free, a winged warrior who come to the aid of damsels in distress. However a simple clerical error puts into motion a chain of events that will drastically change his life. Pretty soon he will meet the girl of his dreams and get involved with the terrorist underground.

Video

Brazil is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic format. The film is getting on a bit so expect a hint of grain and some minor print damage, and while the contrast is good for the most part, some of the darker scenes do tend towards the indistinct. Nevertheless, the picture is sharp and clear throughout. But if Terry Gilliam is known for one thing, it is striking visual imagery and Brazil has this in spades. The future bureaucratic metropolis is based loosely on fifties film noir, in terms of design and costume, but with peculiar touches that give the world of Brazil a singular identity. The small mundane world of the citizens in their dreary apartment hovels, surrounded by endless ducting and complex air conditioning is in stark contrast to the labyrinthine world of the bureaucracy, with its endless corridors and machine like precision. The effects are not really that impressive, especially in this age of CGI, but Brazil is far more about the atmosphere and ambience, and in that it is totally enthralling.

Audio

The sound is an English DD 2.0 Surround track and it is quite good, if not exactly the 5.1 surround glory that many would have been hoping for. Still the rears are used quite effectively to create an immersive feel to the film. The music is nice if unremarkable, but Brazil is a film more about dialogue than effects and this is clear at all times.

Features

In terms of extra features, this Region 2 release comes out a poor second best to the 3-disc Criterion edition. But from what I can ascertain, that version isn`t anamorphic. So what we gain in an anamorphic picture, we lose out on an audio commentary, a whole other version of the film, stills, storyboards and production material and the documentaries.

That isn`t entirely true. This disc does have the theatrical trailer and it also has the What Is Brazil? 28-minute featurette. This is quite a fascinating documentary with interviews with the cast and crew. It`s far from the usual publicity junkets we get nowadays and as well as being intelligent and engrossing, it is refreshingly honest and candid. The featurette is subtitled for those concerned.

Conclusion

I found Brazil to be a fascinating couple of hours that had me leaning towards my television in a way that I hardly ever do anymore. Terry Gilliam created a rich and dark twisted fantasy world that simply is a treat. The story is a familiar one, of a man who rebels against an oppressive society, but this particular story is told with such inventive wit and a typically British sense of humour that it`s completely fresh and original. For anyone who has had to deal with the government on any level, the bureaucracy shown here is all too familiar. The endless waiting in queues, the constant passing between departments and the innumerable forms are a distorted vision not too far removed from our own world. I refer of course to the dreaded Inland Revenue. It is all too similar to the sinister department of Information Retrieval who will charge you for the privilege of their none too tender care. It isn`t that surprising that the terrorists in Brazil act against the bureaucracy rather than any particular cause.

I refer of course to Harry Tuttle, the rogue heating engineer as played by Robert DeNiro. Unexpected casting, but DeNiro is hilarious as the terrorist with a wrench, and his appearances are far too brief in this film. Actually the whole of Brazil is populated with a cast of oddball characters. Jonathan Pryce is ideal as the everyman, Sam Lowry and gives a touching performance as the only dreamer in a dull world. Michael Palin is surprisingly menacing as the businesslike torturer, Jack Lint and Kim Griest gives a good performance as Lowry`s dream girl, Jill Layton. I love Bob Hoskins as the vindictive heating engineer who gets a rather unsavoury comeuppance.

If you`ve seen 12 Monkeys, then you`ll have an idea of Terry Gilliam`s rather unique mindset. Brazil takes his twisted and unsettling vision of a nightmare future and adds a brilliant comic twist to it that will have you laughing out loud. He manages to combine bleak and entertaining in unique way so that you don`t mind so much as the story gets darker and darker and the film has a great twist in the tail. The movie is visually striking, the story is enthralling and the characters are wonderful. Brazil rightfully has its fans, but if you haven`t seen it, give it a rent as you`re in for a treat. If you are thinking of buying, and you aren`t too concerned with extras, then go for this disc. It`s got the whole film and it`s anamorphic to boot.