Brazil (1985)

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writers:

Terry Gilliam (screenplay) &
Tom Stoppard (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 December 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

It's only a state of mind.

Plot:

A bureaucrat in a retro-future world tries to correct an administrative error and himself becomes an enemy of the state.

Plot Keywords:

Spear | Satirical | Rube Goldberg | Mistaken Identity | Samurai Warrior

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jonathan Pryce	...	Sam Lowry
Robert De Niro	...	Archibald 'Harry' Tuttle
Katherine Helmond	...	Mrs. Ida Lowry
Ian Holm	...	Mr. M. Kurtzmann
Bob Hoskins	...	Spoor
Michael Palin	...	Jack Lint
Ian Richardson	...	Mr. Warrenn
Peter Vaughan	...	Mr. Helpmann
Kim Greist	...	Jill Layton
Jim Broadbent	...	Dr. Jaffe
Barbara Hicks	...	Mrs. Alma Terrain
Charles McKeown	...	Harvey Lime
Derrick O'Connor	...	Dowser
Kathryn Pogson	...	Shirley
Bryan Pringle	...	Spiro
Sheila Reid	...	Mrs. Buttle
John Flanagan	...	T.V. Interviewer / Salesman
Ray Cooper	...	Technician
Brian Miller	...	Mr. Buttle
Simon Nash	...	Boy Buttle
Prudence Oliver	...	Girl Buttle
Simon Jones	...	Arrest Official
Derek Deadman	...	Bill--Dept. of Works
Nigel Planer	...	Charlie--Dept. of Works
Terence Bayler	...	T.V Commercial Presente
Gorden Kaye	...	M.O.I. Lobby Porter
Tony Portacio	...	Neighbour in Clark's Pool
Bill Wallis	...	Bespectacled lurker
Winston Dennis	...	Samurai Warrior
Jack Purvis	...	Dr. Chapman
Elizabeth Spender	...	Alison / 'Barbara' Lint
Anthony Brown	...	Porter - Information Retrieval (as Antony Brown)
Myrtle Devenish	...	Typist in Jack's Office
Holly Gilliam	...	Holly
John Pierce Jones	...	Basement Guard
Ann Way	...	Old Lady with Dog
Don Henderson	...	First Black Maria Guard
Howard Lew Lewis	...	Second Black Maria Guard
Oscar Quitak	...	Interview Official
Harold Innocent	...	Interview Official
John Grillo	...	Interview Official
Ralph Nossek	...	Interview Official
David Gant	...	Interview Official
James Coyle	...	Interview Official
Patrick Connor	...	Cell Guard
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Priest
Russell Keith Grant	...	Young Gallant at Funeral
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sue Hodge
Dominic Ffytche	...	Office boy (uncredited)
Terry Forestal	...	Running Trooper (uncredited)
Terry Gilliam	...	Smoking man at Shang-ri La Towers (uncredited)
John Hasler	...	Naughty little boy (uncredited)
Peter Sands	...	Ida's boyfriend (uncredited)

Directed by
Terry Gilliam

Writing credits
Terry Gilliam		(screenplay) &
Tom Stoppard		(screenplay) &
Charles McKeown		(screenplay)

Produced by
Patrick Cassavetti	....	co-producer
Arnon Milchan	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Roger Pratt

Film Editing by
Julian Doyle

Casting by
Irene Lamb

Production Design by
Norman Garwood

Art Direction by
John Beard
Keith Pain

Costume Design by
James Acheson

Makeup Department
Elaine Carew	....	hair stylist
Elaine Carew	....	makeup artist
Sallie Evans	....	hair stylist
Sallie Evans	....	makeup artist
Meinir Jones Brock	....	hair stylist (as Meinir Brock)
Meinir Jones Brock	....	makeup artist (as Meinir Brock)
Sandra Shepherd	....	hair stylist
Sandra Shepherd	....	makeup artist
Aaron Sherman	....	prosthetic makeup
Maggie Weston	....	hair & makeup designer

Production Management
Linda Bruce	....	unit manager
Graham Ford	....	production manager
Chantal Perrin-Cluzet	....	production manager: french unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Coleman	....	third assistant director
Julian Doyle	....	second unit director
Terence Fitch	....	additional assistant director
Christopher Newman	....	additional assistant director
Chris Thompson	....	second assistant director
Guy Travers	....	assistant director
Kevin Westley	....	additional assistant director

Art Department
Bernard Allum	....	graphic artist
Lee Apsey	....	supervising carpenter
Michael Bacon	....	prop man
George Ball	....	property master
Françoise Benoît-Fresco	....	assistant art director: France (as Françoise Benoît)
Peter Benson	....	stand-by prop
Gordon Billings	....	prop man
Dennis Bosher	....	assistant art director
Dennis Bovington	....	chargehand carpenter
Stephen Bream	....	draughtsman
Anthony Cain	....	signwriter (as Tony Cain)
Stan Cook	....	dressing prop chargehand
Ron Cowan	....	drapes
Tom Davies	....	supervising carpenter
Gary Dawson	....	property master
Belinda Edwards	....	production buyer
John Frankish	....	art department assistant
Andrew Garnet-Lawson	....	scenic artist (as Andrew Lawson)
Maggie Gray	....	set dressing designer
Alan Grenham	....	construction stand-by
Stephen Hargreaves	....	construction stand-by
Richard Harris	....	construction stand-by
Brian Higgins	....	construction stand-by
Craig Hillier	....	assistant construction manager
David Jones	....	construction stand-by
Michael Jones	....	painter supervisor
Iain Lowe	....	construction stand-by
John Martin	....	construction stand-by
Bill McMinimee	....	dreams and models construction manager
John Murphy	....	chargehand plasterer
Colin Osgood	....	construction stand-by
Tony Rimmington	....	draughtsman
Dave Scutt	....	graphic artist
Stephen Tranfield	....	plasterer supervisor
Peter Verard	....	construction manager
Christine Vincent	....	art department research
Barry Vine	....	construction stand-by
Robert Voysey	....	construction stand-by (as Bob Voisey)
Peter Wallis	....	prop man
Kenneth Welland	....	chargehand painter (as Ken Welland)
David Wicks	....	plasterer supervisor
Dave Wiggins	....	rigger supervisor
Dennis Wraight	....	construction stand-by
John Wright	....	construction stand-by
Steve Pugh	....	stagehand (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Carr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bob Doyle	....	sound recordist
Rodney Glenn	....	sound editor
Rosie Straker	....	boom operator
Eric Tomlinson	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ron Burton	....	special effects buyer
Terence J. Cox	....	special effects assistant (as Terence Cox)
Martin Gant	....	special effects technician
George Gibbs	....	special effects supervisor
Darrell Guyon	....	special effects runner
Ray Hanson	....	special effects technician
Ernest Hill	....	special effects assistant
Bob Hollow	....	special effects technician (as Robert Hollow)
Dave Knowles	....	special effects assistant
David McCall	....	special effects technician (as Dave McCall)
Tim Willis	....	special effects runner

Visual Effects by
Peter Aston	....	model vehicle
Ray Caple	....	matte artist
Valerie Charlton	....	model maker
Richard Conway	....	model effects supervisor
Julian Doyle	....	model photographer
Nick Dunlop	....	optical effects
Kent Houston	....	optical effects
Richard Morrison	....	optical effects
Tim Ollive	....	optical effects
Roger Pratt	....	model photographer
Stanley W. Sayer	....	blue screen consultant (as Stanley Sayer)
Neil Sharp	....	optical effects
Tim Spence	....	model photographer

Stunts
Vic Armstrong	....	stunts
Toby Clark	....	stunt double: Small Sam
Tim Condren	....	stunts
George Lane Cooper	....	stunts
Clive Curtis	....	stunts
Perry Davey	....	stunts
Jim Dowdall	....	stunts
Terry Forestal	....	stunts (as Terry Forrestal)
Tex Fuller	....	stunts
Martin Grace	....	stunts
Frank Henson	....	stunts
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Billy Horrigan	....	stunts (as Bill Horrigan)
Wayne Michaels	....	stunts
Dinny Powell	....	stunts
Greg Powell	....	stunts
Terry Richards	....	stunts
Tip Tipping	....	stunts
Chris Webb	....	stunts
Bill Weston	....	stunt arranger

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	still photographer
Peter Butler	....	camera grip
Mark Cridlin	....	clapper loader
Perry Evans	....	electrician
Chuck Finch	....	best boy
Jean-Yves Freess	....	grip: France
Simon Fulford	....	clapper loader
David Garfath	....	camera operator
Alan Grosch	....	electrician
Brian Herlihy	....	additional assistant camera
John Ignatius	....	assistant camera
Jean-Claude LeBras	....	chief electrician: France
Brian Martin	....	best boy
Steve Parker	....	additional assistant camera
John 'Porky' Rivers	....	grip (as Porky Rivers)
Les Rodhouse	....	electrician
Roy Rodhouse	....	gaffer
Brian Sullivan	....	electrician
Toby Tyler	....	electrician
George White Jr.	....	electrician (as George White)

Casting Department
Margery Simkin	....	casting: USA

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Martin Adams	....	costumes
Anthony Black	....	wardrobe assistant
Vin Burnham	....	costumes
Jamie Courtier	....	costumes
Jean Fairlie	....	wardrobe mistress
Annie Hadley	....	costumes
Gilly Hebden	....	assistant costume editor
Ray Scott	....	costumes
Joyce Stoneman	....	wardrobe supervisor
Frank Vinall	....	wardrobe master
Colin Wilson	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Cilla Beirne	....	assistant editor
Peter Compton	....	assistant editor
Margarita Doyle	....	assistant editor
Sally Kinnes	....	post-production assistant
Keith Lowes	....	assistant editor
Roya Salari	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Ray Cooper	....	music coordinator
Andrew Jackson	....	additional music recordist (as Andy Jackson)
Ray Cooper	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Vic Fraser	....	music preparation (uncredited)
Michael Johns	....	music editor (uncredited)
Michael Kamen	....	conductor (uncredited)
Michael Kamen	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Michael Kamen	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Sidney Sax	....	musician: violin solo (uncredited)
Sidney Sax	....	orchestral fixer (uncredited)
Eric Tomlinson	....	music mixer (uncredited)
E.C. Woodley	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Margaret Adams	....	production coordinator
Alan Arnold	....	publicist
Laurence Bodini	....	production runner
Lesley Broderick	....	assistant accountant
Terry Connors	....	production accountant
Ira Curtis-Coleman	....	video consultant (as Ira Curtis Coleman)
Nick Dunlop	....	title designer
Yves Dutheil	....	location manager: France (as Yves Duteil)
Penny Eyles	....	script supervisor
Geoff Freeman	....	publicist
William Hobbs	....	samurai fight arranger (as Bill Hobbs)
Denis Hopperton	....	stand-by prop chargehand
Kent Houston	....	title designer
Elaine Matthews	....	trainee continuity (as Melanie Matthews)
Judith May	....	cashier
Barry McCormick	....	footstep editor
Arnon Milchan	....	presenter
Richard Morrison	....	title designer
Tim Ollive	....	title designer
Katy Radford	....	secretary
Hamish Scott	....	location researcher
Matthew Scudamore	....	production runner
Neil Sharp	....	title designer
Bob Stilwell	....	follow focus
Margarita Doyle	....	assistant to director (uncredited)
Sarah Teboul	....	accounting assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Embassy International Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (2003) (Italy) (DVD) (director's cut)
• 20th Century Fox (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (UK)
• 20th Century Fox (1986) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (Germany)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (Czech Republic)
• Cinequanon (1997) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Fox Film (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Geneon Entertainment (2003) (Japan) (DVD)
• MCA (video)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Movie Plus (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1985) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Universal Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (UK) (video)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recording
• D.C.A Design  special vehicles & props
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Lisa Weston and S.B International Ltd.  publicity liaisons
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording
• National Philharmonic Orchestra  orchestra
• Peerless Camera Company  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

1984 and 1/2 (UK) (working title)
1984½ (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

132 min | 142 min (director's cut) | USA:94 min (edited version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Germany:12 (re-rating) (2003) | Germany:12 (re-rating) (uncut) | Brazil:14 | Germany:18 (original rating) (cut) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:16 (1985) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:18 (1985-2003)

Filming Locations:

Croydon, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

Embassy International Pictures

Trivia:

Robert De Niro wanted to play the role of Jack, but Gilliam had already promised this to Michael Palin. De Niro still wanted to be in the film, so he was cast as Tuttle instead.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sam falls over Jill's truck's hood, she walks around and sees his right foot hanging on top of the grille over the truck's fog/turn lights. But when the angle reverses to show her, his foot is resting on the bumper, in front of the grille.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Singers: [TV commercial jingle] Central Services: We do the work, you do the pleasure.
TV commercial pitchman: Hi, there. I want to talk to you about ducts.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lord of War (2005)

Soundtrack:

Brazil

Perhaps the greatest of all films

I have read a lot of understandably negative reviews of the movie 'Brazil.' Brazil(in its proper form) is a long film at well over two hours, it has many cutaways to dream sequences that are only loosely related to the rest of the film, and the narrative story is not always the driving force of the film which many people find confusing. With all these things going against it, Brazil is clearly not a film for everyone.

All that being said, Brazil is my very favorite movie. Those things previously described as reasons that some people will dislike the movie are the very reasons I love it. The story is both simple and complex depending on how you look at it, and this kind of paradox is what makes for great art. There, I did it! I used the 'A' word, and not lightly. Brazil is an art film, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Sam Lowry(Jonathan Pryce) is our hero, an unambitious bureaucrat within the ranks of the Ministry of Information. The only place he is willing to be more than a drone is in his dreams where he is some sort of angelic knight fighting to save his dream girl. While running an errand for work, Sam comes face to face with a woman who is the very image of the dream girl, and his life is forever changed when he surrenders his tranquil unambitious life in the attempt to pursue the woman.

This movie is less about the story than it is about the atmosphere in my opinion. Terry Gilliam is a visual genius, and this movie marks his peak(so far) in producing a visually stunning film, with due apologies to Adventures of Baron Munchausen and 12 Monkeys which are beautiful in their own rights. The oppression of the bureaucratic life is felt by anyone who watches this film, and the freedom experienced in the dreams is a fantastic counterpoint. This film does a wonderful job of evoking emotional responses for me, and I suspect for most of the fans of the film as well.

The film can be viewed at many different levels of complexity, from fairly simple to fully allegorical. The simple view would be that the movie is about the dreams we create to escape our dull lives, and the potentially disastrous results of pursuing them in waking life. Symbolically the film can be interpreted as a vicious attack on the status quo as an impersonal, consumer/beauty oriented beast that is upheld by a draconian adherence to regulations and invasive public policy. There are many other ways to see it, most of which are probably unintended, but certainly completely valid.

The best part about Brazil is that it is absolutely hilarious. Jonathan Pryce shows remarkable aptitude for physical comedy. The dialogue is as funny as any movie you'll ever see, though the humor is very dry, and often so subtle that you might not get a joke until a minute after it has passed. There are the occasional tidbits of out loud guffaws one would expect from a script that was partly written by Tom Stoppard, but there is not a constant barrage of this material.

Brazil is a very cerebral film, so if you are thinking, "What does cerebral mean?" you can probably skip it. Anyone who expects to have a story clearly spelled out for them, and done so in a concise manner with little background interference will hate Brazil. Brazil is a film for those who want texture, emotional involvement and some sort of deeper meaning.

Brazil is my favorite movie, but it is clearly not for everyone!