Dieselpunk + Steampunk Culture
Brazil (1985). Cornerstone of Dieselpunk
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Ella Kremper on -
Brazil is one of my favourite films - Terry Gilliam exploited his genius in this film.
-
Permalink Reply by hatchleader on -
I know i will be slated for this but... I hate this film!!
Yes quite steam/diesel punk, but what the hell is it about?? Creeps me out in all the wrong ways!
-
Permalink Reply by Tome Wilson on -
Don't feel bad, big guy. It's not my favorite either. Gilliam likes his weird served very cold.
It's like ordering a hamburger and getting a kick in the crotch instead.
Maybe Ella can translate it for us?
-
Permalink Reply by Ella Kremper on
-
My view on Brazil is that it shows how one person's attempt to break out of the mediocrity and bureaucracy of the world around him, as seen in Sam Lowry's reality, is all but futile. The dreariness of 'reality' is seen in the greyness of the real world - the grey suits, the grey surroundings and so on. The only places where we see change, seen via brighter colours, are in Sam's dream fantasies, his mother through her plastic surgery and ultimate illusions of youth through her parties and Sam's relationship with Jill. He eventually tries to beat the system for a happy ever after, which ultimately fails (as from the ending).
Sam ironically doesn't want to take up the opportunity of a promotion, which would mean that he would end up staying in the grey world of reality, but perhaps at this juncture he's aware of the fact that there is no hope of breaking the system, or he's not aware that he is able to. Some of the characters he meets along the way, such as Robert De Niro's (the name escapes me at the mo!), might not even be real... but that's just a theory on my part.
I like to see Brazil as an off-centre Nineteen Eighty-Four. I quite like reading about dystopian worlds and whatnot, so I can see how it doesn't appeal to some people! I hope this helps.
-
Permalink Reply by hatchleader on
-
Well i can at least say i have a rough idea as to what it means now! Still as a wannabe engineer i like my things less confusing and more clear cut!
Each to their own though!
-
Permalink Reply by Ella Kremper on
-
Heh, I can understand why it'd be confusing! I had to watch it again before I finally grasped my own idea of what I thought was going on.
-
Permalink Reply by Ottens on -
Ella actually wrote a review of Brazil for issue 6 of the Gatehouse Gazette. Sadly, I've never seen it, but it's on my birthday list, so hopefully in two months from now, I'll have the DVD!
-
Permalink Reply by Tome Wilson on
-
There's only so much time in the day, Ottens.
Standard TV is a commercial-laden wasteland in the US now, so I've picked up a netbook and TV hook-up (scan-converter) so that I can watch these classics for free. It certainly beats watching ShamWow ads every 7 minutes.
-
Permalink Reply by Ella Kremper on
-
I wish they did a Region 2 DVD that had the commentary on it. I would love to hear Gilliam spouting on about how the production company butchered the final cut and delayed release. I'm glad the proper ending is the one that everybody sees now, because it wouldn't make sense with the other after putting yourself through 2 hours of Gilliam's brain!
-
Permalink Reply by Studio Nyxland on -
It's my favorite film of all time. I've seen it a number of times and it has everything in it. And despite what everyone else tells me, it does have a happy ending, he escapes inside his mind where he can't be hurt. I think that is a wonderful end!
-
Permalink Reply by Ella Kremper on
-
This is true! Although the ending for everyone else isn't exactly 'Love Conquers All', he doesn't change the world as a whole but escapes from his own dreary life, with Jill.
I should probably watch it again, I need a mind-bashing!
© 2012 Created by Tome Wilson.
