Brazil (1985)

Film: Brazil

Director: Terry Gilliam

Country: UK

Released: February 1985

Runtime: 143 minutes

Genre: Science Fiction

Studio: Embassy Pictures / Universal

Influenced: The Wachowskis, Richard Kelly, Luc Bresson, Mamoru Oshii, Alfonso Cuarón

A strange amalgam of Kafka, Orwell and the absurdist humour of Monty Python, Terry Gilliam’s Brazil also has echoes of Pink Floyd’s film version of The Wall (1982) that came out a few years earlier. It’s quite silly and weird at times but there are also moments that are visually sublime (especially the dream sequences and the final scene), and the pacing really picks up in the last hour as the plot gathers momentum. The film is a satire of many things, including bureaucracy, plastic surgery (more of a concern in the 80s), and the police state and misguided decisions based on a fear of terrorists. 

Brazil is set in a dystopian society, and the plot follows the story of Sam Lowry, played by Jonathan Pryce, who works as a low-level government employee in a vast bureaucratic system. Sam is meek and passive, living an unremarkable life, but he dreams of a woman who seems to be a damsel in distress. One day, a fly gets caught in a printer, causing a typographical error that leads to the wrongful arrest and execution of an innocent man, Archibald Buttle. The intended target was Archibald Tuttle (Robert De Niro), a renegade air conditioning repairman who resists the oppressive government.

When Sam learns of the mistake, he becomes involved with the woman from his dreams, Jill Layton (Kim Greist), who is suspected of terrorist activities. As Sam delves deeper into the oppressive bureaucratic system and tries to help Jill, he becomes a wanted man himself. The film navigates between dreamlike sequences and reality, blurring the lines between Sam's fantasies and the grim reality of his dystopian world. As well as the heroic American roles, there are several leading British actors (Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin, etc) in less heroic bureaucratic and engineering roles, and Palin is particularly good as the unquestioning and unscrupulous government functionary, Jack Lint. Lint’s young daughter has some of the funniest lines in the film; when asked what she wants for Christmas, she replies, “a credit card”.

Written by Gilliam in collaboration with renowned playwright Tom Stoppard, Brazil has been lauded for its innovative approach to storytelling and visuals. The film employs a unique blend of dystopian and retro-futuristic visuals, combining retro technology with dark, claustrophobic aesthetics. It also seamlessly integrates Sam's dreams into the narrative, often blurring the lines between reality and imagination. Without doubt it has left a lasting impact on the science fiction genre and has become a cult classic, often referenced in popular culture and by other filmmakers.