Terry Gilliam’s BRAZIL (Terry Gilliam, 1985,UK) is an eclectic view of the world around us and within. It takes prompts from all walks of life and all over the world at the time. The timetable of the film is stated as taking place “Somewhere in the 20th Century.” The world that he creates is full of electronics and Ducts that can be seen throughout the film. The Ducts and wiring are said to represent the “umbilicus” or an umbilical cord that feeds the people what they what from the government (also known as central services) but also tying them to it. It can be said that this film is Science Fiction because of the alternate reality or world that has been created. The Director of this film states in the director’s commentary that this is more like a documentary on life since it draws some of its characters and ideas straight from real life events. For instance in this film there are terrorists that bomb places throughout the film, this was in reference to the Numerous IRA bombing that where happening at the time in Britain. The part about these bombings that is the most interesting in the film is how the people in the film continue their daily lives almost not noticing or just plain ignoring the bombing. One of the main antagonists in this film is the paperwork. Bureaucracy in this film is seen by most of the people in the film as an infallible system. But to the viewer of the film we see all the possible things that may go wrong and do. There is a lack of humanity with everyone more worried about filing the correct paperwork to cover their own ass’ instead of taking any responsibilities on their own behalf. Thus the phrase “Just doin my job.” tends to pop up here and there.
Brazil was released in 1985. During this time the cold war was gradually coming to an end, Reagan was introducing his “star wars” project and Margaret Thatcher was prime minister. Gilliam comments that in one scene he has the main character of the film act as if he is caught up in a Hollywood chase scene and is excited about this until he looks back to see a man that was chasing him now on fire and this jars him from his short fantasy. The motivation for which was the Hollywood chase scenes at the time. In 1983 and 1984 Return of the Jedi (George Lucas, 1983, US) and Indiana Jones (Steven Spielberg, 1984, US) were released. These are films that Terry mentions to be full of chase scenes that the movie going public has been seeing lately. The thing that bothers him about these scenes is that there is a clear distinction between the good and the bad guys and when the carnage of the chase scenes is over the bad guys are killed without remorse. In Brazil the lines between good and bad are blurred. Afer all, the people chasing him are just doing their jobs and are not necessarily evil. Brazil makes reference of many historical figures and ideas in this film. He uses FDR in the form of a crippled leader, Mr. Helpman, and throws a twist of Germany in with his hairstyle. There are many Propaganda posters seen throughout this film which give us the sense that the government is always there.
Before this Film Terry Gilliam had been doing a lot of work with a group called Monty Pythons Flying Circus. He directed Monty Pythons Holy Grail (Terry Gilliam/Terry Jones, 1975, UK), The Meaning of life (Terry Jones/ Terry Gilliam, 1983, US) and other films. These films tend to been more humorous and satirical than this work, but the subject matter of those films tend to draw on History and religion as a main theme. Brazil’s humor was usually a bit of cleverness that when looked at from the point of view of someone actually in that world, was more sad than funny. Given the fact that Terry Gilliam was an American (I say “was” because he gave up US citizenship in 2006)(1) and working in Britain I think gives him a unique perspective on the world and better knowledge of things going on at the time outside of our own country. Brazil is an amazing amalgamation of the 20th Century all rolled up into one world where a man must fight between his own dreams and the dreams of the government which he lives under.
