Things I Love: Brazil

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a sucker for any depiction of a dystopian future - be it in book, comic, cartoon, song, or indeed, film. I think this morbid fascination stems from my undying love of George Orwell's "1984", which is of course a literary masterpiece. However nothing captures the imagination like a good film.

Which brings me to the mighty Terry Gilliam's "Brazil". Filmed in 1984, oddly enough, and released the following year, this is the story of an Orwellian future as told by an esteemed member of the Monty Python clan. The result, as you'd probably expect from that description, is pure madness.

The story follows a lowly file clerk named Sam Lowry (brilliantly played by Jonthan Pryce). Sam works for a large large, centralized company which deals in information. More specifically, it deals in bureaucracy - layers upon unfathomable layers of it. The only joy Sam has in this grim, grey world are his fantastical visions wherein he is a silver-winged flying demi-god, continuously fighting off baddies and saving a beautiful fair maiden. When that same maiden appears in his waking life, his life is sent into an absolutely insane spin, leading him to actively rebel against the nightmare system he inhabits.

There's so much to love about this film: the way it's shot is masterful, the acting is outrageous, the music is hilarious, plus the whole thing hits achingly close to home, as any conversation with your mobile phone company will soon confirm for you. However, what I personally love most about this film is the feel of it. Not once does it feel like anything other than a Terry Gilliam film. The chirpy music set against this abysmal backdrop of depravation and misery, the satire, the irony, and most of all, the production design. You see, this film was made long before CGI existed so people had to build things for actors to inhabit. As a result, you get a certain authenticity which, as a dystopian future fanboy, I absolutely love. Every single minute detail of the film has a purpose, there is not one wasted thing in the frame. Everywhere you look, beyond the action even, you'll find adverts, slogans and posters in the background saying things like "Don't suspect a friend, report him" or "Relax in a panic-free environment". All of these elements make the entire thing feel like a real world. No matter how deranged things get, and trust me they do, you still believe every second of it. Indeed it is a film so rich in detail, nuance and subtlety, it definitely requires more than one viewing. It's also really fecking funny, which helps.

I will admit that if you are not a fan of Terry Gilliam, you should come in with an open mind. Because if nothing else, the man is a true original. Do expect to see men with sinister baby heads, concrete monsters, latex faces and other such absurdities. Also the last half hour is nothing short of absolute insanity. However, if you fancy getting lost for a few hours in a completely different, but sadly not too unfamiliar world, then I cannot recommend this masterpiece highly enough. To coin an oft-used phrase...they just don't make them like this anymore.


JB.