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From: sah@ukc.UUCP (S.A.Hill)
Newsgroups: net.movies,net.sf-lovers
Subject: BRAZIL (review)
Message-ID: <5075@ukc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 25-Apr-85 07:16:40 EST
Article-I.D.: ukc.5075
Posted: Thu Apr 25 07:16:40 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Apr-85 23:52:31 EST
Reply-To: sah@ukc.UUCP (S.A.Hill)
Organization: Computing Laboratory, U of Kent at Canterbury, UK
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Xref: linus net.movies:4453 net.sf-lovers:6135


                              BRAZIL
                              ======

        BRAZIL is the latest film to spring from one of the Monty Python
team. In this case Terry Gilliam. Gilliam was responsible for all those
marvelous animations and for the sets in The Life of Brian.

        BRAZIL is simply the best film I have seen in years. It blends an
alternative world (all too similar to our own) with a dark sense of humour.
The world created recalls Orwellian images; a place where bureaucracy
has taken over and individuals are forgotten behind the masks of their own
occupations. Great attention has been paid to detail; you see company logos on
equipment and the computers are real computers with all the works visible.

        Gilliams humour is never far away and is used to great effect breaking 
tension and keeping the audience on its toes.  He switches from dream to reality
without warning, but with devastating results. The images he uses are sometimes
nighmarish, often amusing, and always bizarre. The special effects are subtle -
you know they're there but do not notice them at the time, and spectacular - eg.
flying scenes that look real.

        BRAZIL? Why BRAZIL - well all I can say is that it comes from the
song of the same name. The theme haunts us through the entire film (and
for some days thereafter). It can be both joyous and full of life or heavy
and depressive.

	The film is difficult to classify. It could be SF, but in the
sense that 1984 is. It could be humour, but don't go to see it if you want
to be laughing all the time. It is surreal at times, but all too real at
others.

        Well, I shall not attempt to describe the plot - too much happens,
and it is best left for the viewer to interpret when she/he sees it. I
have attempted to put into words what I felt of the film, but it is such an
impressive production laden with abstract ideas and deep emotion that the
only way you will be able to appreciate what I have attempted to describe
is to see the film.

        If you go on a Friday it will give you all weekend to recover.


                Steve Hill.