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Brazil (1985)
Released By: MCA Universal Home Video   Rating: R   In Theaters: N/A
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Studio: MCA Universal Home Video
Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Terry Gilliam
Language: English
Official Website: N/A
Theatrical Release: N/A
Home Video Release: N/A
Cast: Bob Hoskins, Jonathan Pryce, Katherine Helmond, Michael Palin, Robert DeNiro
Published ID: 3582
UPC: 025192016820, 037429138526, 715515018029, 715515018128,
Plot: Brazil constitutes Terry Gilliam's enormously ambitious follow-up to his 1981 Time Bandits. It also represents the second installment in a trilogy of Gilliam films on imagination versus reality, that began with Bandits and ended in 1989 with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. To create this wild, visually audacious satire, Gilliam combines dystopian elements from Orwell, Huxley and Kafka (plus a central character who mirrors Walter Mitty) with his own trademark, Monty Python-esque, jet black British humor and his gift for extraordinary visual invention. The results are thoroughly unprecedented in the cinema. Jonathan Pryce stars as Sam Lowry, a civil servant who chooses to blind himself to the decaying, drone-like world around him. It's a world marred by oppressive automatization and towering bureaucracy, and populated by tyrannical guards who strongarm lawbreakers. And Lowry is stuck in the middle of this nightmare. Whenever real life becomes too oppressive, Sam fantasizes (to the tune of Ary Baroso's 1930s hit Brazil) about sailing through the clouds as a winged superhero, and rescuing beautiful Jill Layton (Kim Greist) from a giant, Samurai warrior. The omnipresent computer that controls everything in the real world malfunctions, causing an innocent citizen to be arrested and tortured to death. When Sam routinely investigates the error, he meets - and pursues Jill , literally the girl of his dreams. But in real life, she's a tough-as-nails truck driver who initially wants nothing to do with him. It turns out that she is suspected of underground activities, in connection with a terrorist network wanted for bombing public places. The price Sam pays for his association with her is a close encounter with the man in charge of torturing troublesome citizens (Michael Palin). He is rescued - at the last minute - by maintenance man Harry Tuttle (Robert de Niro) who moonlights as a terrorist, but that only represents the beginning of his plight, for now the system is onto him. Gilliam ran into enormous problems with Brazil. Universal - which produced the picture - originally slated it for release in 1984, but the studio - intimidated by the film's whopping length of 142 minutes - demanded that Gilliam trim the film to bring it in under two hours and alter the pessimistic ending. Gilliam refused; Universal shelved the picture for a year. In response, the director took out a full page ad in {~Variety} asking studio president Sid Sheinberg when the film would be released. Sensing tremendous pressure, Universal bowed to Gilliam's insistence on fewer cuts but still demanded a happy ending. Gilliam trimmed only eleven minutes and altered the conclusion just slightly (instead of cutting to black, it fades into puffy white clouds on a blue sky, with a reprise of the title tune). It was thus released in early 1985 at 131 minutes, and of course became a seminal work; many critics regarded it at the time as the best film of the eighties. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
IDDateTimeTitleReviewHelpfulVotesTotalVotes
Dark Future
Added 9/24/2009
Nice futuristic work of the future where egocentrism and personal greed has taken absurd heights.

A low profile top official has his life upside down with emotions experienced from the different epoch.

Good work is a bit old-fashioned as too much similar was later created with an advanced audio/visual technology.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Awesome
Added 9/12/2009
The first time I watched this video was during a tour in Afghanistan and I saw the cover and my intrest was peaked. I enjoy watching a wide range of movies. After watching for the first time Brazil instantly jumped to one of my top 10 all time favorites. If you are the type of person who only watches blockbusters then don't watch this movie and comlain about it. This movie is for someone that knows a great movie when they see it. But for everyone else watch this movie and enjoy it. watch the Love Conquers All edition first so you can see how bad movie studios butcher films when you sit down and watch the Directer's cut.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Terry Gilliam at his best
Added 9/12/2009
This movie is fantastic. We had it on VHS and the upgrade to DVD is well worth it.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Brazil
Added 8/2/2009
It is a great brain and eye pleaser. It is a great classic movie.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
Classic Sci-Fi Noir
Added 7/13/2009
"Brazil" is CLASSIC sci-fi noir. This movie - along with "Blade Runner" and "Dark City" - comprises my "Big 3" of the genre. It combines future and retro elements with film noir in a way that captivated me the first time I saw it on late-nite TV. The 3-disc boxed set appears to be the ultimate gift for any "Brazil" fan; it's at the top of MY wish list.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Dark Future
Added 9/24/2009
Nice futuristic work of the future where egocentrism and personal greed has taken absurd heights.

A low profile top official has his life upside down with emotions experienced from the different epoch.

Good work is a bit old-fashioned as too much similar was later created with an advanced audio/visual technology.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Awesome
Added 9/12/2009
The first time I watched this video was during a tour in Afghanistan and I saw the cover and my intrest was peaked. I enjoy watching a wide range of movies. After watching for the first time Brazil instantly jumped to one of my top 10 all time favorites. If you are the type of person who only watches blockbusters then don't watch this movie and comlain about it. This movie is for someone that knows a great movie when they see it. But for everyone else watch this movie and enjoy it. watch the Love Conquers All edition first so you can see how bad movie studios butcher films when you sit down and watch the Directer's cut.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
Terry Gilliam at his best
Added 9/12/2009
This movie is fantastic. We had it on VHS and the upgrade to DVD is well worth it.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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