236 Brazil (1985)
Description
This article is from the Movie Trivia, by Murray Chapman muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au with numerous contributions by others.
236 Brazil (1985)
- Lots of significant names:
- Mr Kurtzman (German for ``short man''): small in stature and success. Named
after the editor of ``Help'' (Harvey Kurtzman), a magazine that director
'Terry Gilliam' (qv) worked for in the mid-60s. It was at a photo shoot
for this magazine that Gilliam met 'John Cleese' (qv), who would later
invite him to join the Monty
Python team.
- Mr Helpman: ``helped'' Sam
- Mr Warrenn: works in a rabbit-warren style place: a maze of corridors
- Harvey Lime, possibly a reference to Harry Lime in
"The Third Man (1949)" (qv).
- Gilliam had trouble with studio producers over the black ending he wanted on
the film. The producers wanted a ``happy Hollywood'' film which eliminated
(among other things) the final transition and a critical line of dialog which
reveals the fate of Jill. These changes were made, and this ``butchered''
version was shown on US television at least once. Gilliam threatened to
disown the film, and consequently the cinematic release and all videotape
versions show the film essentially as he intended it to be seen (although
the US cinematic release still omitted the line about Jill).
- The ``young Mrs Lowry'' was played by both 'Kim Greist' (qv) and
'Katherine Helmond' (qv).
- Gilliam tested more than a half-dozen actors to play the part of Jill,
interviewing or testing 'Jamie Lee Curtis' (qv), 'Rebecca De Mornay' (qv),
'Rae Dawn Chong' (qv), 'Joanna Pakula' (qv), 'Rosanna Arquette' (qv),
'Kelly McGillis' (qv), 'Ellen Barkin' (qv), and he even considered
'Madonna' (qv). Gilliam's personal favorite was Barkin.
- The book ``The Battle of Brazil'' details the production of this movie.
- References to "Potemkin (1925)" (qv).
- The theme song (which Sam listens to in his car) was also featured in
"Brazil (1944)" (qv).
- DIRCAMEO(Terry Gilliam): the smoker in the Shangri-La tower who bumps
into Sam.
- DIRTRADE(Terry Gilliam): [burst]: SWAT teams enter through ceiling.
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