#51 - Brazil

#51 is a 1985 picture meant to evoke 1984 in a comical, almost satirist kind of way - it probably would have been OUT in 1984 if there hadn't been such a heavy conflict between the Studio and Terry Gilliam - LOL

Half the story of Brazil is told in the drama between a studio head and the director as to what kind of film was going to be put out and what kind of happy/sad ending it was to get - as it stands...this is the director's final cut - and bears his image of what he intended - Terry Gilliam did a couple shorts between this and Time Bandits, but this was his next main film. 

As far as films go - it's a little plodding - I'm sure the effects in 1985 were killer - I can understand if some folks walked out bored or just having W.T.F. syndrome - I found myself drifting a bit but as a whole thought it was an interesting film

the idea of being trapped in Bureaucracy is interesting - as that's basically the vise that grips all these characters and all they do - it actually reminded me of a totally unexpected film coming up later on, "Ikiru" where the inertia of trying to get things done in the govt. cause a rebellion in a civil servant - but this is meant to be funny, comedic, and oppressive at the same time, and it pulls it off fairly well

One could easily imagine a remake for today but I'd prefer not - LOL  - this kind of film can only be made once and they did a pretty good job - I'd watch it again with friends

Lotsa special features - it's not on filmstruck and I got stuck with a 1999 box set in 4:3 and not incredibly good detail, but the jest of it came thru

honestly, I've really been waiting almost the whole blog since I started for #52 - so that helped me get this out in a hurry :)