Questions
Who directed Brazil and when did it come out?
Brazil was directed by Terry Gilliam and first released in France on February 20, 1985. It reached UK theaters on February 22, 1985 and the US on December 18, 1985.
Who wrote the screenplay?
The script was written by Terry Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, and Charles McKeown. It earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
What is the movie actually about?
It follows Sam Lowry, a low-ranking bureaucrat in a dystopian, surveillance-heavy future who searches for a woman from his dreams. The plot kicks off when an insect jams a teleprinter, causing the arrest of the wrong man.
Why is it called Brazil if it is not set in Brazil?
The title comes from Ary Barroso’s 1939 song "Aquarela do Brasil," performed in the film by Geoff Muldaur. The song works as an escapist leitmotif even though the story has nothing to do with the country.
Who starred in Brazil?
Jonathan Pryce played Sam Lowry, with Robert De Niro as Archibald Tuttle, Michael Palin as Jack Lint, Bob Hoskins as Spoor, and Katherine Helmond as Ida Lowry. Pryce reportedly called the role the highlight of his career.
Which role did Robert De Niro really want?
De Niro reportedly wanted to play Jack Lint, but that part had already been promised to Michael Palin. He accepted the smaller role of the renegade repairman Tuttle instead.
What was the "Battle of Brazil"?
Universal chairman Sid Sheinberg opposed Gilliam’s dark ending after test screenings, sparking a public fight. Gilliam took out a full-page Variety ad demanding his version be released, and Sheinberg answered with his own Daily Variety ad.
How did Gilliam win the fight over his cut?
Gilliam reportedly screened the film without studio approval for film schools and critics. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association then named it Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay, which pushed Universal into a compromise.
How many different versions of the film exist?
Three: Gilliam’s 142-minute final cut released internationally by Fox, Universal’s 132-minute US compromise version, and a 94-minute "Love Conquers All" TV syndication cut supervised by Sheinberg.
Was the makeup as brutal as it looks?
Reportedly yes. Katherine Helmond spent around ten hours a day in prosthetic makeup and developed blisters that delayed some of her scenes.
Where were the striking exteriors filmed?
Many exterior scenes were shot at Les Espaces d’Abraxas, a monumental apartment complex near Paris. Principal photography ran from November 1983 to August 1984.
Did Brazil make money?
It was made on a budget of about $15 million and took in roughly $9.9 million at the US box office. Its reputation as a cult classic grew well beyond those numbers.
How is the film regarded today?
It holds a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes and was voted the 54th greatest British film in a 1999 BFI poll. Time magazine included it on its 2005 list of the 100 best films of all time.
Did Brazil influence other movies?
Tim Burton and designer Anton Furst reportedly studied Brazil while designing Batman (1989), and it helped inspire the steampunk subculture. Nods appear in works like Loki, Rick and Morty, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, which references "statute 27B-stroke-6."
Is there a lens named after the director because of this film?
Reportedly yes. The 14mm lens became informally known as "The Gilliam" among filmmakers thanks to how often Terry Gilliam used it starting with Brazil.
