Terry grew up in the paranoia of the 50s this must have affected the set design. I am obsessed with this movie since it first came out. Probably 100 watches.
I saw Brazil when it came out in 1985. As a young kid, I remember thinking: "We have to do everything we can to stop society from ending up like that!" Well, guess what? Society is exactly like Gilliam's Brazil now... especially in the UK.
When I first saw this wonderful film, in 1985, also as a very young man, I remember thinking "I have to deck out my flat in art deco and buy a better suit. "
I watched this film when it first came out in ‘85 as a young 20 something and the film made no sense to me because a lot of the details the film was based on just didn’t exist in the society I was living in at the time, so in that sense the film was before its time. Recently I re-watched the film and I was blown away by how prescient the film was and although it is considered a kind of goofball comedy by some it’s actually quite depressing as the message is that it’s futile to try and beat the faceless, technocratic state. It’s a technocratic state where capitalism exists divorced from democracy and humanity held together by technology and I feel we’re in such a time now. I watched the film as a student in the UK but I live in NY and the world has changed in ways that a 20 something today cannot even fathom. At the time I watched Brazil there weren’t ubiquitous cameras surveilling everyone, we still had privacy. Most people didn’t have cell phones which were these big clunky things. Most people didn’t have personal computers or knew of the internet so again our personal information was private from others and the government and people didn’t disappear into their devices as a means of escape. We didn’t have random terrorist attacks all the time, I mean even the government sign that basically said “If you see something, say something” made no sense to me (those signs were everywhere on subways and street corners after 9/11) and no one thought of environmental devastation as something imminent. There were a lot of areas in life that were not regulated. I mean when I think of the changes through time and the film it just predicted so much.
Brazil is my all-time number one moves (in joint place with a very different movie), I'm always amazed more people don't know it (or think the crap US theatrical release is the film)
Everything in Brazil has come true. Even the credit rating joke. The Chinese are now using a credit-rating-like social score that limits what jobs an individual can apply for and where and when (and if) they can travel.
retroelectrical I watched this film when it first came out in ‘85 as a young 20 something and the film made no sense to me because a lot of the details the film was based on just didn’t exist in the society I was living in at the time, so in that sense the film was before its time. Recently I re-watched the film and I was blown away by how prescient the film was and although it is considered a kind of goofball comedy by some it’s actually quite depressing as the message is that it’s futile to try and beat the faceless, technocratic state. It’s a technocratic state where capitalism exists divorced from democracy and humanity held together by technology and I feel we’re in such a time now. I watched the film as a student in the UK but I live in NY and the world has changed in ways that a 20 something today cannot even fathom. At the time I watched Brazil there weren’t ubiquitous cameras surveilling everyone, we still had privacy. Most people didn’t have cell phones which were these big clunky things. Most people didn’t have personal computers or knew of the internet so again our personal information was private from others and the government and people didn’t disappear into their devices as a means of escape. We didn’t have random terrorist attacks all the time, I mean even the government sign that basically said “If you see something, say something” made no sense to me (those signs were everywhere on subways and street corners after 9/11) and no one thought of environmental devastation as something imminent. There were a lot of areas in life that were not regulated. I mean when I think of the changes through time and the film it just predicted so much.
I think the US release they’re taking about is actually the “Love Conquers All” TV edit. The US actually got a 132 minute theatrical that is missing only a small handful of scenes from the directors cut, like the Santa Helpmann scene. One notable difference is that the Dream Sequence was recut into 3 parts in the US Theatrical cut, making play out more as a reoccurring dream.
Saw it when it came out in the 80s in Canada... so likely the 94min version. I loved it Every viewing afterwards I started hating it more and more. Maybe the full version is the problem. The more I analyze it the worse it gets.
in 1985, in my US hometown, this played for a week in the theatres, and I saw it twice, alone. Masterpiece.
I would have sat behind ya chief but i was 4
I saw it for the first time in 1987 as a free show on college campus. Word had gotten out by then, it was packed.
I saw it in a theatre upon release but I can’t remember the crowd. I remember walking out amazed.
Terry grew up in the paranoia of the 50s this must have affected the set design. I am obsessed with this movie since it first came out. Probably 100 watches.
I saw Brazil when it came out in 1985. As a young kid, I remember thinking: "We have to do everything we can to stop society from ending up like that!" Well, guess what? Society is exactly like Gilliam's Brazil now... especially in the UK.
When I first saw this wonderful film, in 1985, also as a very young man, I remember thinking "I have to deck out my flat in art deco and buy a better suit. "
I watched this film when it first came out in ‘85 as a young 20 something and the film made no sense to me because a lot of the details the film was based on just didn’t exist in the society I was living in at the time, so in that sense the film was before its time. Recently I re-watched the film and I was blown away by how prescient the film was and although it is considered a kind of goofball comedy by some it’s actually quite depressing as the message is that it’s futile to try and beat the faceless, technocratic state. It’s a technocratic state where capitalism exists divorced from democracy and humanity held together by technology and I feel we’re in such a time now. I watched the film as a student in the UK but I live in NY and the world has changed in ways that a 20 something today cannot even fathom. At the time I watched Brazil there weren’t ubiquitous cameras surveilling everyone, we still had privacy. Most people didn’t have cell phones which were these big clunky things. Most people didn’t have personal computers or knew of the internet so again our personal information was private from others and the government and people didn’t disappear into their devices as a means of escape. We didn’t have random terrorist attacks all the time, I mean even the government sign that basically said “If you see something, say something” made no sense to me (those signs were everywhere on subways and street corners after 9/11) and no one thought of environmental devastation as something imminent. There were a lot of areas in life that were not regulated. I mean when I think of the changes through time and the film it just predicted so much.
It is, for me, one of the greatest films ever made.
If you haven’t at least watched it then we can’t be friends....
I love that you mentioned Franz Kafka. I agree about the optimism.
i love the dun dun dun dun de dun de dun from brazil. beaurocracy theme music.
Brazil is my all-time number one moves (in joint place with a very different movie), I'm always amazed more people don't know it (or think the crap US theatrical release is the film)
How does this not have more views
Word of mouth is a strong tool. If you enjoyed the episode give it a share.
Thanks for the comment and the listen. Appreciate it!
Not everyone wants to hear people discuss a movie for 30 minutes. The same people who took nothing from Brazil and aren't worth watching movies with.
Everything in Brazil has come true. Even the credit rating joke. The Chinese are now using a credit-rating-like social score that limits what jobs an individual can apply for and where and when (and if) they can travel.
retroelectrical I watched this film when it first came out in ‘85 as a young 20 something and the film made no sense to me because a lot of the details the film was based on just didn’t exist in the society I was living in at the time, so in that sense the film was before its time. Recently I re-watched the film and I was blown away by how prescient the film was and although it is considered a kind of goofball comedy by some it’s actually quite depressing as the message is that it’s futile to try and beat the faceless, technocratic state. It’s a technocratic state where capitalism exists divorced from democracy and humanity held together by technology and I feel we’re in such a time now. I watched the film as a student in the UK but I live in NY and the world has changed in ways that a 20 something today cannot even fathom. At the time I watched Brazil there weren’t ubiquitous cameras surveilling everyone, we still had privacy. Most people didn’t have cell phones which were these big clunky things. Most people didn’t have personal computers or knew of the internet so again our personal information was private from others and the government and people didn’t disappear into their devices as a means of escape. We didn’t have random terrorist attacks all the time, I mean even the government sign that basically said “If you see something, say something” made no sense to me (those signs were everywhere on subways and street corners after 9/11) and no one thought of environmental devastation as something imminent. There were a lot of areas in life that were not regulated. I mean when I think of the changes through time and the film it just predicted so much.
Where did you get this stupid idea?
I think the US release they’re taking about is actually the “Love Conquers All” TV edit. The US actually got a 132 minute theatrical that is missing only a small handful of scenes from the directors cut, like the Santa Helpmann scene. One notable difference is that the Dream Sequence was recut into 3 parts in the US Theatrical cut, making play out more as a reoccurring dream.
the value of tragedy and the need for satire
Masterpiece.
This movie is a reimagination of Orwell's 1984 with a Kafkaesque burocratic government
Indeed. I believe Gilliam's working title for Brazil was "1984 and a 1/2"
Gilliam has said he never read 1984 prior to making Brazil.
@Jan Yes, he has said that too. He has said that while he is familiar with the plot line he has never read the actual book.
Saw it when it came out in the 80s in Canada... so likely the 94min version. I loved it Every viewing afterwards I started hating it more and more. Maybe the full version is the problem. The more I analyze it the worse it gets.
The film is a masterpiece whether anybody says so or not.
We may as well say so.
Both
"America" is not limited to the United States. "America" includes Canada, Mexico, and central and South America.
Overrated as hell.