Beatrice
Brazil is, in my opinion, Terry Gilliam’s first masterpiece.
This movie features an amazing cast of talented actors such as Robert De Niro, Jonathan Pryce, and Katherine Helmond.
Brazil is a cinematographic extravaganza, oscillating between black and white photographic bleakness and stunning visual effects. Add to that a captivating soundtrack and we have here a feast for the senses.
This film depicts with cynicism but also humor and tenderness, a futuristic society completely controlled by a bleak bureaucracy, in which all people are “robotic” and where dreaming is the only escape.
Jonathan Pryce is perfect in his role as a shy, average man, subjected to this dystopian society who will gradually emancipate himself and find redemption through his imagination and through his love for the woman of his dreams (very well played by Kim Greist).
De Niro played his part as Harry Tuttle, the libertarian heating engineer with brilliant gusto as do all the many secondary characters (from Ian Holm to Katherine Helmond to Michael Chapman).
The ending is dark yet hopeful at the same time and as intense as a fireworks show.
Brazil is one of my favorite movies and in my opinion one of the underrated gems of Science Fiction.
