5. What is the title BRAZIL supposed to mean? (Brazil - Movie, 1985)
Description
This article is from the Brazil - Movie, 1985 FAQ, by David S. Cowen davec@earth.execpc.com with numerous contributions by others.
5. What is the title BRAZIL supposed to mean? (Brazil - Movie, 1985)
Certainly BRAZIL is an enigmatic title for a movie that seems to
have nothing to do with the country of Brazil. One of the drafts of the
screenplay was entitled _The Ministry of Torture, or Brazil, or How I
Learned to Live with the System -- So Far_, and Gilliam also considered
calling his screenplay 1984 1/2. Many of the drafts appear to have simply
been titled "The Ministry." In the book _The Battle of Brazil_, Gilliam
explains where the inspiration stemmed from, while he was in Port
Talbot, Wales:
"Port Talbot is a steel town, where everything is covered with gray
iron ore dust. Even the beach is completely littered with dust, its just
black. The sun was setting, and it was quite beautiful. The contrast was
extraordinary, I had this image of a guy sitting there on this dingy beach
with a portable radio, tuning in these strange Latin escapist songs like
'Brazil.' The music transported him somehow and made his world less gray."
Sid Sheinberg didn't like the title, and had the Universal staff
submit suggestions for a new title. These suggestions included the titles:
If Osmosis, Who Are You? Some Day Soon Vortex Day Dreams and Night Tripper What a Future! Litterbugs The Works Skylight City You Show Me Your Dream... Access Arresting Developments Nude Descending Bathroom Scale Lords of the Files Dreamscape The Staplegunners Progress Forever More The Right to Bear Arms Explanada Fortunata Is Not My Real Name All Too Soon Chaos Where Were We? Disconnected Parties Blank/Blank Erotic Shadow Time Maelstrom Forces of Darkness The Man in the Custom Tailored T-shirt Fold, Spindle, Mutilate Can't Anybody Here Play the Cymbals? Sign on High The Ball Bearing Electro Memory Circuit Buster This Escalator Doesn't Stop At Your Station Gnu Yak, Gnu Yak, and Other Bestial Places.
Continue to:
My Books
