Brazil (1985)
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A low-ranking bureaucrat in a dystopian, high-tech world becomes entangled in a web of bureaucratic errors and clandestine resistance after a clerical mistake leads to a tragic death.
The story
In a dystopian, polluted, and hyper-consumerist future, Sam Lowry is a low-level government employee at the Records Department of the Ministry of Information. He spends his days in a mind-numbing job, dreaming of a heroic life as a winged warrior. His mundane existence is disrupted when a clerical error caused by a jammed teleprinter leads to the wrongful arrest and death of a local cobbler. Upon discovering the mistake, Sam becomes obsessed with finding a woman he saw briefly during his investigation. As he navigates a labyrinth of malfunctioning machinery and oppressive bureaucracy, he must navigate the dangers of a state that punishes any deviation from the norm.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sam Lowry, a clerk in a dystopian, high-tech society, discovers that a clerical error led to the death of a man named Archibald Buttle. While trying to rectify the error, he encounters Jill Layton, a woman who resembles the heroine of his dreams. To reach her, Sam must navigate a bureaucratic maze, eventually securing a promotion to access her records. He eventually finds her and they flee together, only to be caught and separated. After a period of imprisonment, Sam is subjected to torture by his friend Jack Lint. During this, a resistance group led by the character Tuttle breaks in, rescues Sam, and destroys the Ministry. Sam eventually finds himself in a state of delusion, believing he has escaped with Jill, while in reality, he is still strapped to a torture chair, having been rendered insane by a lobotomy. He remains in the chair, smiling and humming the film's title song.
- First release year
- 1985
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English; French; German
- Directors
- Terry Gilliam
- Writers
- Terry Gilliam · screenplay; Tom Stoppard · screenplay; Charles McKeown · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jonathan Pryce · Sam Lowry; Robert De Niro · Archibald Tuttle; Katherine Helmond · Ida; Ian Holm · Jack Lint; Bob Hoskins · Archibald Buttle; Michael Palin · Mr. Helpmann; Ian Richardson · Mr. Warrenn; Peter Vaughan · Spoor; Kim Greist · Jill Layton
- Genres
- dystopian; science fiction; black comedy
- Themes
- bureaucracy; technocracy; hyper-surveillance; corporate statism; state capitalism
- Tone and mood
- absurdist; satire
- Setting
- A dystopian, polluted, hyper-consumerist, overbearing, bureaucratic, totalitarian future based on elements of the 20th century.
- Premise and plot tags
- dystopian; satire; retro-futurism
- Content notes
- torture
- Reception
- The film was a success in Europe but initially unsuccessful in North America, eventually becoming a cult film. It has been recognized as one of the greatest British films by various organizations and critics.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 84 · scale: 100 · review count: 18
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · Nominated; Academy Award · Best Art Direction · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The title is derived from the film's recurring theme song, 'Aquarela do Brasil'.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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