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comment by user-inactivated
user-inactivated  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Hubski Movie Club - Voting Thread #6

Brazil. It has to be Brazil.





kleinbl00  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·  

A great film - not sure it's a satire.

user-inactivated  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Hmm maybe you could explain it to me more?

I can understand that when the movie was released in 1985 it may have not been very satirical (or as applicable as today) but for today I think it satirizes a lot of what goes on perfectly; the bureaucracy, endless paperwork, applications for licenses, plastic surgery, and the ever-looming threat of terrorism.

kleinbl00  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Things about satire:

1) Intended to be humorous.

2) Intended to affect change.

3) Generally satirizes something specific.

"Not Another Teen Movie" parodies teen movies - it seeks only to create mirth around the shortcomings of teen movies and does not attempt to affect change. "Wag The Dog" satirizes political operatives - it attempts to raise consciousness about media manipulation and the 24-hour news cycle.

Brazil isn't particularly funny, is not aimed at any particular movement or event, and makes no attempt at fomenting change. It's a dystopian black comedy. I recognize that the Wikipedia entry uses the word "satire" like eight times but it ain't.

Here's office satire:

Here's office satire:

Both of these films are culturally resonant because they're intended to be. They're intended to make you think about your shitty job and what it's worth to you.

Brazil throws this whole bizarre Orwellian mindfuck thing in there that ends up dominating the narrative. It starts off as a "satire" but then spends the majority of its energies riffing off 1984. That's why it's a "cult classic" - a limited number of people love the fuck out of it but most people didn't attach to it because Robert DeNiro has never busted into their apartments with explosives before.

camarillobrillo  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Never heard of this one. Looks good.

user-inactivated  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·  

Its a fantastic movie and if we don't watch it for the club I'd highly recommend finding some time to watch it yourself. Brazil was the first movie directed by Terry Gilliam that I watched and I fell in love with his work thereafter.

camarillobrillo  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·  

It's next on my queue for sure. I really like this Movie Club topic FreeThinker. Very unique.

user-inactivated  ·  3686 days ago  ·  link  ·  

You can thank mknod for this one!