"Brazil" (1985) - Director Terry Gilliam's (of Monty Python) Dystopian Black Comedy about a 1984-ish Society

[DonRocks]

If you liked "A Fish Called Wanda" and "In Bruges," you'll like aspects of "Brazil."

Terry Gilliam directed this 34-year-old, wants-to-be-classic film about a totalitarian state "sometime in the 19th century." "Brazil" is a strange mixture of "Modern Times," "Metropolis," and "1984," all seasoned with the comedic absurdity of Monty Python. 

At first, without taking itself *too* seriously, it comes across as an extremely powerful, disturbing, effective satire against the oppressive state.

Then this film ultimately collapses under its own weight: Rambling and lost, it becomes tedious and pretentious, and tries to be arty for the sake of being arty, sacrificing all semblance of plot for imagery and tone - it's as if the entire last-third of the movie was written on-the-fly. 

"Brazil" is a good movie, but there's a reason you probably haven't watched it before - someone spent a whole hell of a lot of money making this, but for me, it was a chore to finish. I'm certain there are people who love this film, and I'm curious to hear their thoughts.

There are apparently three versions of this - I watched the 2'15" version with Gilliam's original ending, which is more than disturbing.

[DIShGo]

This movie had the potential to be great, but it fell short once the endless car chases and explosions started. I loved the first two-thirds or so of this film, but the director chose flashy sets and special effects over character development as the thinly-plotted story progressed. I have enjoyed a "Fish Called Wanda" twice, as well as "In Bruges," and I would view them both again in a heartbeat. I have no desire to see "Brazil" a second time. 

[ol_ironstomach]

Brazil already is a classic, just not a masterpiece¹.  Jack Mathews 1987 making-of book The Battle of Brazil provides more than enough background and venom for Universal's then-chief Sidney Sheinberg over what happened to the film.

¹ this reasonably describes most of Gilliam's oeuvre - even the much-loved Time Bandits - IMHO save for his film adaptation of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which to begin with is rich in the currency of his tribe, but also enjoys two phenomenal performances from its leads