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Brazil

  • 19851985
  • RR
  • 2h 12m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
203K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,039
354
Brazil (1985)
Three Reasons Criterion Trailer for Brazil
Play trailer1:32
3 Videos
99+ Photos
DramaSci-Fi
A bureaucrat in a dystopic society becomes an enemy of the state as he pursues the woman of his dreams.A bureaucrat in a dystopic society becomes an enemy of the state as he pursues the woman of his dreams.A bureaucrat in a dystopic society becomes an enemy of the state as he pursues the woman of his dreams.
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
203K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,039
354
    • Terry Gilliam
  • Writers
    • Terry Gilliam(screenplay by)
    • Tom Stoppard(screenplay by)
    • Charles McKeown(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Jonathan Pryce
    • Kim Greist
    • Robert De Niro
    • Terry Gilliam
  • Writers
    • Terry Gilliam(screenplay by)
    • Tom Stoppard(screenplay by)
    • Charles McKeown(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Jonathan Pryce
    • Kim Greist
    • Robert De Niro
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 640User reviews
    • 258Critic reviews
    • 84Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars

    Videos3

    Brazil: The Criterion Collection
    Trailer 1:32
    Watch Brazil: The Criterion Collection
    Brazil (1985)
    Trailer 2:35
    Watch Brazil (1985)
    Guillermo del Toro and Neil Gaiman Find Hope in Powerful, Eclectic Films
    Clip 8:43
    Watch Guillermo del Toro and Neil Gaiman Find Hope in Powerful, Eclectic Films

    Photos181

    Jonathan Pryce in Brazil (1985)
    Jim Broadbent and Katherine Helmond in Brazil (1985)
    Winston Dennis in Brazil (1985)
    Jonathan Pryce and Charles McKeown in Brazil (1985)
    Kim Greist as Jill Layton
    Jonathan Pryce in Brazil (1985)
    Jonathan Pryce and Katherine Helmond in Brazil (1985)
    Jonathan Pryce, Katherine Helmond, Barbara Hicks, and Kathryn Pogson in Brazil (1985)
    Guy Standeven in Brazil (1985)
    Jonathan Pryce and Michael Palin in Brazil (1985)
    Robert De Niro and Jonathan Pryce in Brazil (1985)
    Kim Greist in Brazil (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jonathan Pryce
    Jonathan Pryce
    • Sam Lowry
    Kim Greist
    Kim Greist
    • Jill Layton
    Robert De Niro
    Robert De Niro
    • Harry Tuttle
    Katherine Helmond
    Katherine Helmond
    • Mrs. Ida Lowry
    Ian Holm
    Ian Holm
    • Mr. Kurtzmann
    Bob Hoskins
    Bob Hoskins
    • Spoor
    Michael Palin
    Michael Palin
    • Jack Lint
    Ian Richardson
    Ian Richardson
    • Mr. Warrenn
    Peter Vaughan
    Peter Vaughan
    • Mr. Helpmann
    Jim Broadbent
    Jim Broadbent
    • Dr. Jaffe
    Barbara Hicks
    Barbara Hicks
    • Mrs. Terrain
    Charles McKeown
    Charles McKeown
    • Lime
    Derrick O'Connor
    Derrick O'Connor
    • Dowser
    Kathryn Pogson
    Kathryn Pogson
    • Shirley
    Bryan Pringle
    Bryan Pringle
    • Spiro
    Sheila Reid
    Sheila Reid
    • Mrs. Buttle
    John Flanagan
    • T.V. Interviewer…
    Ray Cooper
    • Technician
      • Terry Gilliam
    • Writers
      • Terry Gilliam(screenplay by)
      • Tom Stoppard(screenplay by)
      • Charles McKeown(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Terry Gilliam was asked to do a film class during the filming of this movie at the University of Southern California. Terry agreed, and took advantage of the situation by preparing to bring an "audio visual aid", which was his cut of the movie, which would have been allowed. Unfortunately, two days before the event, students advertised a free screening of the movie. When he arrived, it was announced that Universal Pictures would not allow him to show it. During his speech to the class, he was interrupted by studio executives' phone calls. They eventually allowed him to show a clip. He showed the entire movie, and repeated the screenings for over two weeks. It was during one of these screenings, that Los Angeles, California movie critics saw it, and awarded it the Best Picture of the Year award, which was responsible for getting it released the way Gilliam wanted it.
    • Goofs
      When Harry Tuttle escapes from Sam Lowry's flat, he is wearing a hood covering his head. When Harry starts to zip-line off the precipice, he is replaced by a stunt double wearing a baseball cap.
    • Quotes

      Jill Layton: Care for a little necrophilia? Hmmm?

    • Crazy credits
      Sidney Sheinberg's name is listed in the credits next to Worst Boy. Terry Gilliam and Sheinberg fought notoriously over the content and release of the film.
    • Alternate versions
      There are at least three different versions of Brazil. The original 142 minutes European release, a shorter 132-minutes prepared by Gilliam for the American release and another different version, nicknamed the Sheinberg Edit or 'Love Conquers All' version, from Universal's then boss Sid Sheinberg, against whom Terry Gilliam had to fight to have his version released.
    • Connections
      Featured in What Is Brazil? (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Hava Nagila
      (played after the restaurant bombing)

    User reviews640

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Visually fantastic but plot needed more work
    Sam Lowry works within the huge ministry of information in a near-future world of bureaucracy. A simple administration error leads to the death of an innocent man. Lowry finds himself drawn into a world where he is forced to go against the admin world that he works in with devastating results.

    This is one of Gilliam's best films (the other being 12 Monkeys). His nightmare vision is complete with wonderful visual touches - some inspired, some very unnerving in their originality. This satire on the world of bureaucracy gone mad has some wonderful elements that don't seem too farfetched - tiny offices, never-ending paperwork, a government so keen to cut costs that people who are arrested are forced to fund their own defence etc. The dream scenes and the romance don't sit too easily beside this element but they help add to the hallucinatory effect of the whole film.

    The feeling of paranoia runs wild through the film. Everything in it symbolises the uselessness of trying to work against a unbeatable system and the pointlessness of individual effort - witness Tuttle eventually overcome by the "paperwork" he once resisted. The only problem with the film is that the plot is mostly rubbish, at first it's hidden but in the middle section and the end the holes become obvious.

    The cast is mostly excellent despite forced to work with very weird characters. Pryce is brilliant as the quiet bureaucrat pushed into a nightmare by his dreams, although Kim Greist is dull as the focus of his dreams, Jill. The rest of the cast consists of a range of extended cameos including Ian Holm, Michael Palin, Bob Hoskins and an excellent Robert De Niro as a guerrilla heating engineer.

    The studio bosses wanted an upbeat happy ending to help sales - basically the final 45 seconds had to go. However Gilliam stuck by his guns and produced a film that is visually inspiring whilst being depressingly based in the real world - right up till the final credit has rolled. "Has anyone seen Lowry?" - everyone should.
    helpful•28
    16
    • bob the moo
    • Dec 4, 2001

    FAQ5

    • Why is the film called "Brazil"?
    • What is the significance of the ducts and air conditioning?
    • What did the giant samurai represent?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 1985 (United States)
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Mentmore Towers, Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, England, UK
    • Production company
      • Embassy International Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 2 hours 12 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby Stereo

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