MarceloGilli Reviews

Amante Muito Louca (1973)

Petits bourgeois

[5/10 · 1 July 2007]

This x-ray of the typical Brazilian middle-class family of the 70's is not devoid of intelligence, though it is rather unpolished, technically speaking and, to be frank, in the screenplay area as well. What I found most interesting was the ending, which torpedoes all the potential elements of tragedy which had been evoked. It's a quite different approach from the one taken in Fatal Attraction, whose basic idea this film anticipates. Teresa Rachel received many praises for this performance, and she is indeed fine. Stepan Nercessian is fine most of the time, as is Claudio Correa e Castro. This is the only film I have seen directed by Denoy de Oliveira, and I am certainly curious to see the remainder of his oeuvre.

The Color of Destiny (1986)

Well made but couldn't bring myself to care

[5/10 · 28 December 2006]

Competently done, well acted and well scored drama that nevertheless fails to fully engage due to a less than resonating storyline. There are interesting parallels between the personal and political aspects -- two nationalities/two girlfriends, despotic regime/despotic father -- but these parallels are not explored and it is up to the viewer to elaborate on them. Guilherme Fontes delivers a correct performance but who shines is undoubtedly Júlia Lemmertz as the refugee cousin. Today the film has the added interest of bringing back the eighties for those who lived during that time, and, for those who didn't, it must be interesting to compare both periods in terms of music style, clothing, general attitudes, etc.

Dawn to Dawn (1933)

Competently filmed rural drama

[7/10 · 18 December 2006]

Set in a farm, this has a father and a daughter living by themselves. The father exploits and represses the daughter, who toils as a slave and never meets anyone. One day, a young man appears and they become mutually attracted. This simple story has an outdoors act, as they plow the field, in between two indoors acts, inside the hut. In the outdoors sequences, the director creates a sense of loneliness and despair, and then of love and hope; the indoors are used to create an atmosphere of oppression. All this is handled competently in this short film. The problems that I saw in this film are: the excessively caricatured characterization of the father; and not-so-good acting (by all three, I guess; the young woman is actually good at facial expressions but is not so good with her voice).

Little Geezer (1932)

Miniature violence

[6/10 · 18 December 2006]

The idea of children in adults' roles is apparently recurrent in movies. It had already been the basis for The Little Train Robbery (1905), and would later reappear in Bugsy Malone (1976), which has very similar situations as in this Little Geezer, except that in that film the machine guns spilled whipped cream and here apparently they contain real bullets; in The Little Train Robbery the merchandise they steal is candy, so there is a link with children's interests; in Little Geezer there is none. There must be a reason that lead people to come back to this joke but I can't be sure what it is, and I have never figured out what is so funny about it. But this film is moderately enjoyable, mostly because of the daring (for the time) editing (only sometimes it is so fast that it is hard to make out the individual scenes).

Lullaby (1925)

The brutality of rural Russia

[8/10 · 18 December 2006]

Alternating the realistic depiction of a Russian peasant home and expressionistic hallucinations, 'Lullaby' is a remarkable short film that deserves a lot more recognition than it has. It has an oppressive atmosphere that one rarely sees in films of any age or length. The performers look like real Russian peasants. The expressionistic bits are in the style of 'Caligari', with drawings as background. There are also three men with painted faces whose exact meaning and purpose I could not figure out. One can easily see that in this film the class struggle has poor against poor (peasants exploiting a house servant). The ending is a logical solution since the musician can also be considered as an exploited worker. Thus, no matter how poor these peasants are, they are the oppressor simply because they own the land. Marx was right. P.S.: The "Unseen Cinema" DVD box informs in its web page that the release date of this film is 1929, not 1925.

O Vampiro de Copacabana (1976)

So-so chronicle of middle-class life

[4/10 · 18 December 2006]

I heard some good things about this film in a recent poll on the best Brazilian films of all time, and decided to take a chance at it. I was a little disappointed with it. I am not saying that the film doesn't have good things in it. Actually, it is not bad as a snapshot of the typical Brazilian middle-class couple in the mid seventies, exposing its problems, both economical and existential. The problem is that the film lacks freshness in its script, and some characters tend toward caricatures, particularly the mother-in-law; it is also somewhat crudely directed. It is watchable, though, and even occasionally interesting. But it could have used a little more imagination. The cast delivers decent but unremarkable performances.

Um Uísque Antes, Um Cigarro Depois (1970)

Artistically mediocre and technically poor

[3/10 · 16 December 2006]

Of the three short stories adapted for this film, I have read only the second one, by Dalton Trevisan, and it is an excellent short story. Sadly, this literary brilliance didn't translate well into the movie and this is possibly the worst of the three segments. Not that the other two are much better though. The whole movie has an exploitative air about it, typical of the early seventies' Brazilian movies where lots of naked women and sexual thematics were used to attract audiences. This one is a notch above the rest, perhaps. The camera-work is characterized by the relentless use of zoom, that gives a cheap air to the movie. Notice that at 44 minutes into the movie a 1970 calendar appears in one scene; this, and the fact that Murilo Nery won a Best Supporting Actor award at the 1970 Santos Film Festival for his performance in this film, establish beyond any doubt that this film was released in 1970. A curiosity: actor 'Flávio Ramos' who plays the leading part in the last segment is none other than Flávio R. Tambellini. He is the son of director Flávio Tambellini and has a career as a film producer and director.

Ovelha Negra, Uma Despedida de Solteiro (1974)

A nice surprise

[6/10 · 15 December 2006]

'Ovelha Negra' slipped under my radar for very long. Thanks to a poll in which several critics and film scholars chose the best Brazilian films of all times, I had my attention drawn to it and decided to see it. I was skeptical at first, as it is by the same guy that gave us the awful 'Engraçadinha', but by the very first frames of 'Ovelha Negra' it becomes obvious that there is no comparison between the two films. The first hour of 'Ovelha Negra' is arguably the best part of the film. It evokes life in the late forties in Brazil with a vividness and truth that are very rare in most films. Technically, the film is very well done, given its probable low budget. Of course, not everything is perfect. The actress that plays Rita the singer can't sing satisfactorily and that detracts a little from the film in terms of mood and believability. Also, perhaps the last half hour of the film could have been better thought out in its details. But the sum of this film's qualities is greater than the sum of its flaws, and I recommend it.

Natal da Portela (1988)

Not a great film, but underrated anyway

[6/10 · 7 December 2006]

I am writing this comment in the attempt to correct what I think is a great injustice; it is very rare that my rate is higher than the average IMDb user rating and this is one of these cases. This is not a great film, perhaps. It is imperfect. It has mostly static shots, and the production values don't compare to Hollywood ones. But it has enough of the essential qualities a film should have, such as a good story and a screenplay that tells it intelligently and heartwarmingly; it also has good actors (most of them anyway). The staging is stylized, rather than realistic; I think many people are not prepared to accept or even understand that. At the very least, its subject matter is very important for Brazilians; it has to do with the cultural history of Rio de Janeiro and, perhaps less so, of other Brazilian States as well.

The Telltale Heart (1928)

Interesting adaptation of a classic story

[7/10 · 2 December 2006]

Influenced by 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' in its stylized set design, this Poe adaptation has a narrative-driven structure, without much experimentation in the line of, say, 'The Fall of the House of Usher' (the American film), released in the same year. That does not mean it doesn't offer creative solutions for the storytelling. But it is a more modest film. The main actor is made to look like Poe himself, a nice idea in my opinion as Poe's stories are probably deeply related with his own neuroses and fears. Also, the actor playing the old man conveys exactly the image intended by Poe's text, especially the pale eyes with a film on them. Overall, a worthy film, recommended for fans of silent cinema.

Portrait of a Young Man in Three Movements (1931)

Beautiful, entrancing imagery

[8/10 · 30 November 2006]

This is a non-narrative film comprised mostly of long takes of natural events such as the flow of the tide on a seashore, or the leaves of a tree, or the clouds in the sky. The only non-natural events displayed are the motions of a machine at work (I could not identify which sort of machine it was), and it probably was chosen because of the repetitive pattern of its movement, which kind of echoes that of the tide flow shown just before them. The shifting patterns of light and shade induce a sort of trance in the viewer -- an aesthetic experience that at its best can be ecstatic. The amazing thing about this film is that its concept is simple and its images are taken from common events, yet we never take the time to look at them in our everyday life.

The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (2006)

Hollywood, Brazil

[2/10 · 26 November 2006]

To begin with, it is unbelievable that the kid's parents didn't check if the grandfather was there! What kind of real people would drop their son in the sidewalk and leave? And now it is definitive: Brazil has officially become a branch of Hollywood, filmically speaking. Some of the worst vices of American Cinema are present in this film. Example: in a party, a song is played and the boy starts dancing, which prompts every one in the room to start dancing too, in a frenetic and contagious way. Example of stupid scene: the boy is starving, yet refuses the pie that the girl brought him -- of course, he will eat it later, he just doesn't want to show the girl that he had such lowly, shameful needs such as eating. I could go on an on... It's an empty, superficial film, with cardboard characters, clichéd situations, and no imagination or cinematic skill.

In Youth, Beside the Lonely Sea (1925)

Poetry in images

[9/10 · 25 November 2006]

This short (5 minutes) film consists of three screens standing side by side, forming a continual image, just as it were a single wide frame. Above and below every frame are two verses of the homonymous poem by American poet Thomas Bailey Aldrich (1836-1907); the verses are replaced by new ones as the film advances. The film (and poem) tell the story a man from his youth when he was full of dreams and hopes up to when he is old and despondent. He is haunted by visions of nymphs by the sea and in the woods (in his youth) and of fairies in his lonely room (in his old age). This is an acutely moving film, and the special effects are impressive. The fact that its maker is unknown only adds to its mystical aura.

La cartomancienne (1932)

Symbolism and male nudity

[7/10 · 24 November 2006]

A woman is looking for the perfect man. She ascends a flight of stairs and meets a fortune teller. The figure of man wearing a bathing suit appears. The film is full of symbolism that uses alchemical motifs -- so we are told -- and can be understood as a work of pure visual art, working through beautiful association of geometrical patterns or fusions. The only thing that nearly spoils the film is the asymmetry between the nakedness of the masculine figure and the abundance of garment on the feminine one. Was it one-sided prudishness or what? I had never heard of this filmmaker and, looking at his filmography, I don't see any familiar titles. Judging by this film, he was a talented artist.

The Major Lied 'Til Dawn (1938)

Entertaining and well animated

[7/10 · 18 November 2006]

This cartoon has excellent animation and many interesting gags. The humor is very lighthearted and harmless, with a lot of jokes based on analogies between urban or technological objects and natural or primitive ones (example: the elephant has a gear shifting handle). It's also interesting because it displays jokes that would be frowned upon today because of their ecological incorrectness (example: a bear is morphed into a coat); actually the whole subject of the cartoon would hardly be a viable choice in present days. As a final note, the copy I watched (shown on Cartoon Network) did not contain one the jokes mentioned in the "Plot Summary" section, namely the one in which a native uses his lower lip as a record player.

The Abyss (1977)

Plot less self-indulgent crap

[1/10 · 17 November 2006]

Rogério Sganzerla made some good films, like 'O Bandido da Luz Vermelha' and 'A Mulher de Todos'. 'Abismu', however, is pure dreck. It is simply a collage featuring some bizarre characters -- a mad scientist played by José Mojica Marins (of Coffin Joe fame), a hit-man played by Wilson Grey, a psychic played by Jorge Loredo (famous for the TV character 'Zé Bonitinho'), and others; they talk, they ride in cars, they speak in monologues. I must confess that Jorge Loredo's lines are absolutely hilarious -- if you dig nonsense, that is. Unless you think it's worth going through this otherwise dreary film just to hear his outlandish utterances, keep your distance from this film. As a final note, let me stress that there is no plot in this film. Forget about the plots you see at some websites -- there is nothing happening in the film that remotely resembles a story.

The Three Little Pups (1953)

Tex Avery: coolness incarnated

[10/10 · 16 November 2006]

As perhaps has been observed elsewhere, Tex Avery not only concocts the most imaginative and wild gags ever, he also creates characters that stay with the viewer forever. No one was as original. In a first attempt to summarize the essence of Avery's style, I will say that most of his visual gags are based on physical impossibilities of two kinds: (1) things that behave not like themselves but rather like what their appearance might allow -- example: the log that peels; (2) the rule of behavior of things is stretched beyond its range of validity -- example: the bullet hits the 'bull's eye', even if it has to deviate from a straight line. But Tex is much more than that: he was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

Porky's Railroad (1937)

Capitalism and Technology

[8/10 · 15 November 2006]

This is a very good cartoon that I intend to watch many times more in the future, but for now I will publish these modest comments based on my experience of having seen it only once. What strikes me as shocking about 'Porky's Railroad' is its absolutely -- even brutally, I should say -- honest depiction of the soul of man under capitalism -- to paraphrase the title of that famous book by Oscar Wilde -- which I unfortunately have not read yet. The first shot establishes the state-of-the-art in trains -- one that would look modern even by today's standards. Then, the film switches to Porky's obsolete -- and barely functional -- model. It is interesting then how the film establishes Porky's character as sentimentally attached to his old train, but not anti-technology at all: for him, machines have precedence over animals. The race that ensues is the necessary conflict that precedes the shocking -- and of an unbridled cynicism -- ending that carries to the last consequences the truism that sentimentality has no place in a technological capitalist society -- Porky wins the race but is not allowed to keep his train; instead he is promoted to machinist of the new one, and is soon bursting with joy. Obsolescence happens to trains as well as to people -- the old machinist goes to the 'garbage can' just as Porky's old train.

Amazonas River (1996)

Tedious documentary; Vanzolini lifts it from utter crap

[3/10 · 7 November 2006]

If you need to inform yourself about the Amazon region, and have exhausted every other source of available information, then maybe you won't lose much by giving this film a try. Otherwise, I advise you not to waste your time with it. It is overlong, wastes time with uneventful sequences in a boat, and very little research was made specifically for the movie. The only thing that counts in this movie is zoologist Paulo Vanzolini. He is extremely well-informed about the region and every time he speaks he delivers useful information. That is seldom translated into cinematic action, though. Except for some geological illustrations at one particular sequence -- which one can probably find in any encyclopedia -- it's just his voice and his congenial presence against a fixed background.

Bebel, Garota Propaganda (1968)

Poor film-making, dull film

[3/10 · 5 November 2006]

If you have read or heard positive comments about this movie, don't believe it. It's true that there is a plot, which is more than you can say about many Brazilian movies of the sixties and seventies. It's also true that the acting is not bad, which is also more than you can say about many Brazilian movies of any period. Sorry, but there aren't many more good things that I can say about it. They came up with a ridiculous character of a reporter, that doesn't make any sense and makes a dull movie even duller. Everything in this movie is mechanical and lifeless, and seems to advance at a turtle's pace. If you want to see Rossana Ghessa in top shape, this is recommendable. Otherwise, it is not.

O Capitão Bandeira Contra o Dr. Moura Brasil (1971)

The Beer-Loving Pal Can't Save an Awful Mess of a Movie

[1/10 · 5 November 2006]

This film is just plain awful. It is obvious that Mr. Calmon didn't know the first thing about making a decent movie when he made this one (I have only watched one later film by him -- Eu Matei Lúcio Flávio -- and it was good, so he must have learned a few things along the way). Apparently he was trying to emulate the sacred principles of 'Cinema Novo' with large doses of symbolism and a plot as flimsy as he could devise. But it's all childish and nonsensical, and very painful to watch. Hugo Carvana has a rather congenial character in this film, and a competent performance. But that doesn't make up for the general stupidity of the film. Claudio Marzo is not a great actor, but that is rather irrelevant here, since he hasn't got anything to work with in the first place.

Moral em Concordata (1959)

Borderline prostitution

[5/10 · 31 October 2006]

When you compare this Brazilian drama with other productions of the period, you will be surprised. Even though I gave it a mere 5 out of 10, this is well above the Brazilian average. The actors are fine. Maria Della Costa is here a woman of stunning beauty, and a professional actress by any standard. Jardel Filho is good as always. The text contains many references to issues -- political corruption, middle class hypocrisy -- that are still hot. The production is lavish by the period's standards. The text is quite well written, albeit somewhat dated. The theme concerns the constraints, economical and otherwise, that impose upon women, forcing them to pursue a life of borderline prostitution. Odete Lara is not exactly a great actress, but who cares? I watch any urban film of the period just for the glimpse of a wonderful time that is no more. The musical selection adds to this pleasant ambiance.