Brazil

BFI Film Classics

by Paul McAuley

When the American distributors of Brazil (1985) saw the European cut of Terry Gilliam's film, they raved about its visual brilliance but demanded extensive cuts. Gilliam's successful guerrilla battle to preserve the integrity of his film became the stuff of Hollywood legend, and Brazil is now acclaimed as one of the best science fiction films of the last thirty years – and the key film in Gilliam's storied career.

Paul McAuley traces Brazil's production and critical reception, analyses its retro-futuristic imagery and inventive sequences, and unpicks the narrative's intricate web of accident, coincidence and allusion. Exploring themes such as the costs of colluding with authority and the power and uses of fantasy, a recurring motif in Gilliam's films, McAuley considers the film's relationship with the dystopian trend that dominated the science fiction film genre of the 1970s and 80s. He shows how its satire on mindless consumerism and the unchecked powers of the state remains more relevant than ever today.

This special edition features original cover artwork by Peter Strain.

Genres: Film, Nonfiction, Essays

96 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2014

About the author

Since about 2000, book jackets have given his name as just Paul McAuley.

A biologist by training, UK science fiction author McAuley writes mostly hard science fiction, dealing with themes such as biotechnology, alternate history/alternate reality, and space travel.

McAuley has also used biotechnology and nanotechnology themes in near-future settings.

Since 2001, he has produced several SF-based techno-thrillers such as The Secret of Life, Whole Wide World, and White Devils.

Four Hundred Billion Stars, his first novel, won the Philip K. Dick Award in 1988. Fairyland won the 1996 Arthur C. Clarke Award and the 1997 John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best SF Novel.

Reviews

[Dominick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This accessibly-written but nevertheless well-researched little book, part of the BFI Film Classics series, is a short study of why Terry Gilliam's film Brazil merits the accolades and serious attention it has received. I do wish this was a longer book--only 79 pages of text proper, with a lot of illustrations--because it is so clearly written and engaging. McAuley leaves a lot of room for in-depth study and analysis, opting instead for a more or less chronological tour through the film, with a fair bit--not too much, but a fair bit--of summary. The assumption seems to be that the target audience for this book either will not have seen the film or will not remember it sufficiently well to engage with a discussion that does not provide extensive summary. Nothing wrong with that, necessarily, but for readers who do know the film well (like, oh, me) this approach, while still interesting and worthwhile--someone else's perspective on what happens in a scene can be fascinating, and McAuley often focuses on elements it would not have occurred to me to include in a summary--also often does not really tell me much I don't know already. Definitely recommended for anyone interested in learning more about the film, but probably of less (though by no means no) value to more serious scholars of the film.

[Jonathan Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread this after reviewing the film. Decent discussion structured around an in-depth plot summary (as several other BFI titles are), but I'm not sure I really learnt much I hadn't already gathered from listening to Gilliam's Criterion commentary.

[Rob Frampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is sometimes a little too drily academic for its own good, but SF author Paul MCAuey strikes the right balance between insight and criticism to make this a readable and informative adjunct to a masterpiece of a film.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice and tight analysis of one of my favorite films.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good survey-level analysis of Brazil, but detail-oriented viewers will need to look elsewhere for more comprehensive discussion.

[Karl O' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Na naaaa
Na na na na na na na naaaaa
Na na na na na na na naaaaa
Naaa naaaa
Naaa naaaaaaaa