|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
97.125.114.209
Salles or Meirelles (or even Babenco) films but, rather, the great films from their mentors, the directors of the fifties, sixties, and seventies.
Case in point, Luis Sergio Person's, "Sao Paulo, Sociedade Anonima," from 1965. At the time, Brazil was in a military dictatorship but Person trained his sights beyond the political, which can be seen from his title. "Sociedade Anonima" is similar in meaning to corporation but, in placing it after the name of the city, Person is playing on the literal meaning of an alienated society, a modern megalopolis where citizens are cogs in a vast "business."
An ambitious man has several affairs but is dissatisfied with the moral emptiness both of his lovers and his modest career. Then, almost simultaneously, he meets and marries a strong-willed, principled woman and begins working for an unprincipled but highly successful business owner.
But behind and beyond these two powerful influences, a third influence which never sleeps, which can never be quieted or satisfied, exerts its inescapable will. Sao Paulo itself, the restless,
cacophonous, population-exploding nucleus of South America, brilliantly is created not as a scenic, urban backdrop but as living character which cannot be silenced or ignored.
This isn't merely a very good film or an artistic tour-de-force. Rather, it transcends the merely entertaining or engrossing into a penetrating, disturbing, and unequalled depiction of modern urban existence.
Yes, Person obviously was aware of Antonioni (the brilliant use of architecture), Godard (the street shots, the shot-on-the-run feeling), and Fellini (the caustic, almost hideous depiction of marginalized characters)--- but he has taken that palette and created a unique masterpiece, all with a Brazilian flair.
In the central role (and his first film!), Walmor Chagas demonstrated the skills that would lead to decades of stardom in Brazilian film.
The score, which some have criticized for being either too prominent or not-matched-to-the-drama, I'd argue was perfect counter-point.
Now, as to why Brazilian film gets so little respect... I'd guess it's because of the powerful influence of the cliché of Brazil as the land of sun and passion.
It also has world-class architecture and painting, similarly all-but-ignored... but that's another discussion.
Follow Ups:
nt
;O)
Brazilian film makers OD on slums, forced "edginess" and handheld cameras. All Brazilian films are black and white; even those in color.
"We must beware of those who burn with zeal but are not endowed with much sense." - Angelo Roncalli
.
NO GRITS NO GLORY
fds
ll
.
NO GRITS NO GLORY
fs
./
NO GRITS NO GLORY
Kidding!
"The man is only half himself, the other half is his expression." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
From a blogger:
"Firstly, you have to know Cinema Novo (Brazilian New Cinema) in the 60’s and 70’s headed by Glauber Rocha. His major films (Black God White Evil, Antonio das Mortes, Earth Entranced, The Turning Wind and The Age of the Earth) are available on DVD. Other important directors were Joaquim Pedro de Andrade (Macunaima and The Priest and the Girl); Leon Hirszman (São Bernardo and They Don’t Wear Black Tie), Ruy Guerra, Maurice Capovilla and Paulo Cesar Saraceni.
Nelson Pereira dos Santos is one of the greatest Brazilian director who had with some envolvement with Cinema Novo. His masterpiece is Barren Lives (1962).
Other important wave was Cinema Marginal or Underground Cinema from 70s. The main names were Ozualdo Candeais, Rogerio Sganzerla e Julio Bressane. The films are very rare and fews were released recently on DVD. You can find The Red Light Bandit (1968) and Sem Essa, Aranha (1970) both by Sganzerla; Bang Bang (1971) by Andrea Tonacci; Meteorango Kid (1981) by Andre Luiz Oliveira. You can find Bressane’s recent films on DVD like Cleopatra (2007) and A Love Movie (2003).
Other great films:
São Paulo Sociedade Anônima (1965) by Luiz Sérgio Person
Todas as Mulheres do Mundo (1967) by Domingos Oliveira
Keeper of Promises (1962) by Anselmo Duarte – Golden Palm Winner and Oscar nominated
All Nudity Shall Be Punished (1973) and Everything’s Alright (1978) both by Arnaldo Jabor
Pixote (1981) by Hector Babenco
Revival of Brazilian Cinema since 90s:
First of all, see: To the Left of the Father (2001) by Luiz Fernando Carvalho
then:
Mango Yellow (2003) by Claudio Assis
The Invader (2001) by Beto Brant
Carandiru (2003) by Hector Babenco
Estômago (2007) by Marcos Jorge
The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (2006) by Cao Hamburger
The Man Who Copied (2003) by Jorge Furtado
Elite Squad (2007) by José Padilha
Movies, Aspirin and Vultures (2004) by Marcelo Gomes
Useless to cite Fernando Meirelles and Walter Salles’s films
Some films that I cited here are available in Amazon.com.
Unfortunably, many other great films not cited here aren’t available on DVD not even in Brazil. You may find them on Internet, but hardly you will find subtitles."
Unless you live near a major film culture center (NY, LA, Chicago), many of these movies are nearly impossible to see, even on home video.
consider loaning some in exchange. If you have a local film club, that could be a way of deferring expense. A local college with a film club may also be open to a Brazil week and I'm sure the Brazilian Consulates have cultural programs which help finance these.
Post a Followup:
FAQ |
Post a Message! |
Forgot Password? |
|
||||||||||||||
|
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: