Brazil (1985)

[Dualnames]

I've said this before, but well, it's something that I'd like to know, and perhaps there's an answer to this question. So well, here, bare with me ..

Do you know a film similar to Brazil (1985) by Terry Gilliam?
Please suggest and do not spoil, OR NEMO WILL GET YOU.


Yeah, I'm obsessed kill me. Generally Gilliam does this to me. 12 Monkeys was a favorite for a long time.

[Anian]

Are you asking if there is such a film or which film is it (as in you know of it but don't know the name)?

You might wanna try "The PianoTuner of EarthQuakes" (produced by Gilliam) but it's not as good as Brazil imo. I thought Time bandits was a tad childish, Parnassus was sort of mild and Fear and loathing I actually found the book funnier and more interesting than the movie. Oh, on very first watch I thought Fisher king was boring, but then I watched it a few years later and found it interesting plus it has Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams so that's a plus.

But if you haven't watched "Tideland", I suggest you do and if you don't get the version of the film with Terry's warning/intro, then read this: if you watch this movie and find some behaviour or thoughts of the characters weird and/or disturbing, then you're not thinking innocent enough as a child does...something to that affect. But be warned it gets really weird, Brasil went confusing and illogical to an extent but Tideland is...just watch it, it's memorable.

[Ponch]

Videodrome. Naked Lunch. Desert Heat. You're welcome.

[Dualnames]

Ponch, I'm glad to say I haven't seen those movies. I will check em out.


@anian: I've seen all the movies you're saying, but Tideland and the PianoTuner of EarthQuakes. So I will check em out.

[Ponch]

Naked Lunch and Videodrome are very much in the same "what is real and what is just in my head" vibe as Brazil. Desert Heat, on the other hand, is the strangest, silliest action movie I've ever seen. The only way I could make sense of it is to assume the hero dies of thirst in the desert in the opening scene and the rest of it is the fever dream he has before he passes away.

Your mileage may vary of course. 

[Dualnames]

I finished naked lunch, and CLOSE, but absolutely not as similar as Brazil in any sense.
A fascinating movie though.

[Ali]

I would avoid 'Piano Tuner of Earthquakes', and start with the Quay Brother's short films instead. Try 'Street of Crocodiles'.

Tarkovskys's 'Stalker' equals Giliam's imagination, but it doesn't have the humour of Brazil.

I can't think of anything else now... it is quite a unique film really!

[LUniqueDan]

1 word : Blade Runner

[Dualnames]

Blade Runner (What is this, an insult???!?!?)
Stalker (Duh!)

I'm not sure I like short films, but I'll sure give a shot to it, Ali.

[Ali]

If you like Gilliam, I'm amazed you don't like shorts. There's some great shorts which aren't a million miles from him (apart from Crimson Permanent Assurance):

The Tale of The Rat Who Wrote

Mt. Head

And this one has a Gilliamesque saritical tone (like the gameshow from Time Bandits): The Truth Quiz Show

Since Tarkovsky got a 'Duh!' I assume you're familiar with Fritz Lang. But 'Dr Mabuse: The Gambler' and perhaps more so 'The Testament of Dr Mabuse' share qualities with Brazil. They're not short though, the first one is about 4 hours long.

EDIT: Yes to City of Lost Children, Delicatessen and their earlier short the Bunker of the Last Gunshots!

[Ilyich]

I'd second Cronenberg's "Videodrome" - it's closer to Brazil than "Naked Lunch" and just as good. His "eXistenZ" also comes to mind, and it's about videogames.

Also, and sorry if these are too obvious:
Alfonso Cuaron's "Children of Men" - one of my favourite movies of all time, along with Brazil, also a dark dystopia and also extremely awesome.
Chris Marker's "La Jetee" - a short film that consists of b/w photographs with voiceover and inspired 12 Monkeys.
Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" - a classic and an absolute must-see.
Sidney Lumet's "Network" - also a classic and I find it has similar to Brazil satirical tone.
Nicolas Roeg's "The Man Who Fell To Earth" - moody, artistic, strange and it has David Bowie playing an alien.
Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" - not that close, but Tom Stoppard is a co-writer of Brazil and a brilliant playwright, so it's well worth checking out.

If you're in the mood to watch a weird, but brilliant and slightly gilliamesque russian(soviet) sci-fi comedy [and you can find it in english] - I would also like to highly recommend Georgi Daneliya's "Kin-Dza-Dza!"

These films might also be somewhat similar to Brazil, but I either didn't like them, or haven't watched them yet: Alex Proyas' "Dark City", Caro/Jeunet's "Delicatessen" and "The City of Lost Children", Kathryn Bigelow's "Strange Days".

[Dualnames]

I'm crossing out movies I've seen btw.
"eXistenZ"
"La Jetee"
"Metropolis"
"Dark City",
"Delicatessen"
The City of Lost Children"
"Strange Days".

Alfonso Cuaron's "Children of Men" - one of my favourite movies of all time, along with Brazil, also a dark dystopia and also extremely awesome.

I have started this movie once, but haven't finished it, so perhaps it's the time.

Sidney Lumet's "Network" - also a classic and I find it has similar to Brazil satirical tone.

This is on my watch-list.

Nicolas Roeg's "The Man Who Fell To Earth" - moody, artistic, strange and it has David Bowie playing an alien.

Same as above.

Tom Stoppard's "Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead" - not that close, but Tom Stoppard is a co-writer of Brazil and a brilliant playwright, so it's well worth checking out.

I will.

If you're in the mood to watch a weird, but brilliant and slightly gilliamesque russian(soviet) sci-fi comedy [and you can find it in english] - I would also like to highly recommend Georgi Daneliya's "Kin-Dza-Dza!"

I have this suggestion 3 times already, and well, I guess it's time to watch it.

[ddq]

I'll just throw out there that Children of Men has one of the most epic tracking shots in the history of cinema.

[Anian]

I'll just throw out there that Children of Men has one of the most epic tracking shots in the history of cinema.

Indeed, especially the openning.

[Ali]

most epic tracking shots in the history of cinema.

On that subject, A Touch of Evil. Also Welles's The Trial. There is a tracking shot past rows of desks in The Trial which I've always thought Gilliam was referencing in Brazil.

(This thread has the best films in it!)

[Dualnames]

On account of movies, I've found a bit, but some may say entirely unlike Brazil, though definitely interesting in terms of connection, are:

Casablanca: A magnificent masterpiece, and shows that Gilliam stole the idea on how to use Brazil from this movie, as "As Time Goes By" is also part of the plot in both movies, and both movies use variations of it, here and there.

1984: I'm surprised no one mentioned this. I have not read the book, and I regret doing so, but this movie is simply and utterly fantastic. An amazing food for thought.
And if you love 1984, then watch "The life of others" to see that the human civilization has been there and also watch a fantastic movie .

[Igor Hardy]

1984: I'm surprised no one mentioned this. I have not read the book, and I regret doing so, but this movie is simply and utterly fantastic. An amazing food for thought.
And if you love 1984, then watch "The life of others" to see that the human civilization has been there and also watch a fantastic movie .

Sorry, to ruin your great mood, but if you really watched some adaptation of 1984 before reading the book, then you've just spoiled for yourself possibly the best experience of your life.

This is also why no one mentions 1984: The Movie here. All the movie adaptations are nothing - there is only the book.

[Dualnames]

1984: I'm surprised no one mentioned this. I have not read the book, and I regret doing so, but this movie is simply and utterly fantastic. An amazing food for thought.
And if you love 1984, then watch "The life of others" to see that the human civilization has been there and also watch a fantastic movie .

Sorry, to ruin your great mood, but if you really watched some adaptation of 1984 before reading the book, then you've just spoiled for yourself possibly the best experience of your life.

This is also why no one mentions 1984: The Movie here. All the movie adaptation are nothing - there is only the book.

I am aware of that. I don't judge a book by it's film adaptation.

[Ali]

This is also why no one mentions 1984: The Movie here. All the movie adaptations are nothing - there is only the book.

I have to disagree a bit. In the case of very good books (1984, Catch 22 etc) the film tends to be less good.

However, as Anthony Burgess pointed out, mediocre and trash literature often makes for good cinema. (Possibly because it's a degenerate artform, but I hope not).

Almost all of Hitchcock's films were adapted from books. Apart from the Dahne du Maurer stories, most have been forgotten. The same is true of Kubric. The Shining is certainly a better film than it is a novel.

And as a firm disliker of Lord of the Rings, I have to say that the film is much less boring.

[Igor Hardy]

Ali, I only meant the 1984 film adaptations.

I agree some film versions are way better (and more meaningful) than their literary originals. Most notably Blade Runner.

The Wicker Man as well probably, though I never read the book (no one ever talks about the book, perhaps because it had no song and dance numbers).

And as a firm disliker of Lord of the Rings, I have to say that the film is much less boring.

I would call that differently: the Peter Jackson films are the occasionally boring ones, while the books are simply and deliberately slow-paced. These were books written by a geek for other geeks after all .