Wednesday, November 24, 2004

My own personal 'Brazil'

I sat and watched Brazil today, it's a Terry Gilliam film and like all of his films it's very surreal. I loved the feel of it, the 1950's come futuristic slant but most of all I like the message it has. On watching the 'What is Brazil?' featurette after I understood the film alot better, the film draws you into making your own conclusions, you form your own ideas watching it and I'll wager everyone see's it different.

Terry got the idea from Port Talbot in Wales, when the beach there was covered in coal dust and the view was none too idyllic, he imagined someone sat there listening to a radio playing a Brazilian tune and dreaming of escape.

The film itself is very dark in nature, a future grim society where pen pushers rule supreme, its about one mans dreams - a free man in an oppressed society.

I drew so many parallels with this film and my own life, working in a dull office environment and wishing to escape it, imagining being a kind of hero and dreaming of being loved. Some people in my office mirror the film, one of the new boss's in particular.

This I guess brings me to the title and thinking I'm in my own 'Brazil' at the moment, stuck in a grey town, doing a mundane job but hoping of escape. We can't forget our dreams can we?

After all, they are what keep us going.



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