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Brazil (1985) and Blade Runner (1982)

Brazil Movie Poster


Blade Runner Movie Poster

As I document the influence that Gilliam's earlier career as an animator and illustrator has on each of his live action films, I will discuss principally, arguably his greatest film, Brazil.

I will post my blog on Brazil itself soon but as my research is ongoing I will post my latest findings. After having seen Blade Runner (Ridley Scott's 1982 sci-fi movie) many years go I recalled a similar attempt as Gilliam at creating a new world through visuals and strong character realisation. I have often read Gilliam's comments on the film, of it being one of the greatest films he'd ever seen . . . until the ending. He HATED the ending. Not being one for the Hollywood happy ending we can understand why. In his own 'other world vision' of Brazil, set "somewhere in the 20th Century," the hero of the film has to endure torture at the hand of his closest friend before escaping into insanity to finally, truly, be free. But there is a love story in there somewhere! However that did not have the same success as the love of Blade Runner's hero either.

My aim of re-watching Blade Runner was to show how another film of this time, as close to Brazil as I could get (as impossible as that is), differed entirely in terms of the power of the visuals.

From the very opening scene I noted how the whole thing looked like a George Lucas Star Wars set, the buildings were futuristic in the same way as we had already seen in the sci fi films of the seventies. However, as we were shown the close up of the city, a new visual world opened up. The streets are mix of Eastern and Western citizens in equal measure, with the inclusion of a few punks to bring home the possible reality of this bleak planet.

The corporations- on every scene of the city we can see Tokyo-esque huge electronic advertising boards and huge space cars with the same adverts displayed on them, flying through the ever-dark cityscape. These images are clearly expensive special effects and fit into Scott's futuristic "reality". The corporations such as Coca-Cola and Budweiser appear to be the only recognisable belongings of a forgotten 20th century. A daunting prospect, and a message by Scott as to the corporate world.

It is this "reality" that sets Blade Runner apart from Brazil. At no point in Brazil is anything created to appear realistic or true. Sam's mother does not walk around with various shoes on her head because Gilliam thinks this is how people will look in the future or in an alternate universe. This is how people look in HIS world.

Due to the attempt by Scott to create a truly unique visual land, his successes lie here and here lies the success in the eyes of Gilliam. In terms of the nature of the plot, Blade Runner follows a clear story line, often in real time. There is clever camera work, intelligent lighting and generally a refreshing piece of cinema. But it’s no Brazil.

Gilliam, in Brazil, has also created a world where the elite (upper classes) are exempt from the perils the working classes have to endure. Sam Lowry's mother dines in a restaurant with friends while discussing the prospect of handing out surgical gift tokens for Christmas gifts. Again, this is not a reality, but a humorous message and symbol of an elitist society. As one of her guests sits there in all her jewels and finery, she also sports a bloodied head bandage, fresh from her latest facial surgery. It is visuals such as this that remind us of Gilliam's days as a cartoonist. An illustrator.

This sort of imagery would not fit into the plot of Blade Runner. In fact, this way of directing would never occur to Ridley Scott, nor any other director. It is something completely unique to Gilliam, even his special effects are dreamlike, not realistic, it is his visual world that IS the story, not an intricate plot or storyline. His greatest visionary film is loaded with years of ideas and nagging pet hates, of observations and realisations. It is a piece of animated cinema. An animation with people, not drawn characters. But they are still created, not taken from real life, but designed to the point of creation. To me Brazil is a truly brilliant creation of cinema that shows fans of Gilliam's animation that he has simply evolved, not forgotten his teenage talent as an illustrator.



Scene from Blade Runner



Scene from Brazil

Happy Halloween

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Focusing on Gilliam

While researching into satire and comedy of the 1960s, I realised the important of graphic arts in the role. I have just ordered a book called A Great Silly Grin; The British Satire Boom of the 1960s that features Gilliam and I'm really keen to see what it has to say about featured area on Terry Gilliam. I have always believed that Gilliam can be included under the theme of satire and I believe that this even travels through to his later themes such as Brazil.

However, ultimately Brazil is a purely Gilliamesque vision of an alternate world. It is completely self-indulgent and because of this Gilliam has been able to run wild with his visuals.

I could blog entirely on Brazil alone. Which I will do . . .

However, I need tolay out my focus for the research project and that is to show a focus on the 1960s animations and illustrations and then through a timeline show the development of work. However, with a constant influence from his early animating days. The visuals are always developing and, by the time of Brazil, I will compare the special effects of Brazil to another paralleling action film e.g. Blade Runner, and show the less pixelated style of Gilliam's work by comparison. It is, in my opinion, as though Gilliam is still animating, but with people.

My research project is a result of a lot of my own thoughts and opinions but with a great deal of research to back it up.

I wish to form an interesting piece of reading material that shows the positive sides of an artist's own self indulgence.

Gilliam and Satire

After much research into Gilliam's early illustrations and animations I have now found that my project is naturally finding a course towards satire and comedy.

In the opening credits of Life of Brian, Gilliam's simple cut-out technique really sets us up for what we are about to let ourselves in for. The content, for those who are yet to see it, includes characters taken and cut out of magazines, particularly angels. This continues the theme of religion and divine intervention of the film. In fact, the Pythons decide to show their own take on the New Testament and play with the ideas thrown to us in the Bible which results in humour as they destroy the commonly told story of the birth of the messiah. The actual content of Gilliam's simple animation involves the journey of one particular angel through a series of rather rude or odd events. She is not held in high regard or precious as angels are so usually shown but instead flies up to the sun in the end squarking in a very unangelical voice, then gets burnt by the sun.

Despite the simplicity of the animation, I believe that it is this simplicity that proves to be the success of the sequence. The complete reinvention and satirical way of animating such traditional characters and illustrations creates a hugely atmospheric and apt title sequence.

When describing Monty Python as satirical, I have been met with varied comments. In common is the thought that Monty Python is not in fact satire. Soooooo, I wikipedia-d it . . .

Satire (from Latin satura, not from the Greek mythological figure satyr[1]) is a literary genre, chiefly literary and dramatic, in which human or individual vices, follies, abuses, or shortcomings are held up to censure by means of ridicule, derision, burlesque, irony, or other methods, sometimes with an intent to bring about improvement.

[2] It is used in graphic arts and performing arts as well. Although satire is usually meant to be humorous, the purpose of satire is not primarily humour but criticism of an event, an individual or a group in a witty manner.

Satire usually has a definite target, which may be a person or group of people, an idea or attitude, an institution or a social practice. It is found in many artistic forms of expression, including literature, plays, commentary, and media such as song lyrics.

Often the target is examined by being held up for ridicule, ideally in the hope of shaming it into reform. A very common, almost defining feature of satire is a strong vein of irony or sarcasm. Also, parody, burlesque, exaggeration, juxtaposition, comparison, analogy, and double entendre are devices frequently used in satirical speech and writing.

The essential point, however, is that "in satire, irony is militant"[3]. This "militant irony" (or sarcasm) often professes to approve values that are the diametric opposite of what the satirist actually wishes to promote.

Therefore, we could say that Monty Python does in fact reflect human follies that are held to censure by means of ridicule and irony. However, this does chiefly rely on humour. Here is where the second part of the definition becomes apt:

ALTHOUGH SATIRE IS MEANT TO BE HUMOROUS, THE PURPOSE OF SATIRE IS NOT PRIMARILY HUMOUR BUT CRITICISM OF AN EVENT, AN INDIVIDUAL, OR GROUP IN A WITTY MANNER.

In fact, Monty Python does all three.

When I talk of satire and Monty Python I can, when talking generally, refer mainly to the films Life of Brian and Holy Grail as they are the most familiar with the public.

What never ceases to amaze me with MP is the broad spectrum of fans that it has. Often, people I'd never expect to like it are the biggest fans and can reel off entire scenes word for word. Here lies the key to its success, that a comedy sketch can surpass time and culture because, in my opinion, the themes in Python will never become outdated.

The early illustrations and animations of Terry Gilliam

Gilliam's foreword in his biography, written by Bob McCabe:

"...One of the things both Bob and myself wanted to highlight was the visual aspect of all the movies - you can write about them all you want but these movies are basically there to be seen."

The focus of my research begins with Terry Gilliam and an interest that I have in his films, including the early Monty Python years where he began in small, yet gruesome acting roles and provided all animation for the series of films.

It was these illustrations that tied together the style of satirical comedy so successfully. As the first Monty Python series hit our screens in 1969, reactions were mixed. It was a show that excited the youth and confused the parents.

Many of Gilliam's animations focus on bureaucracy, sometimes bordering on the rude in a naturally organic humorous way and involved the cutout technique.

Ironically, the lack of budget meant Gilliam had to often use found materials in his work, worked in his favour. He put into practice the technique that gave a definite, distinct edge to his work. It worked perfectly with the style of jaunty animation and the message of Python itself.

Prior to his permanent arrival in England, and after his time as a Politics student in Occidental College LA, an incident would occur that would prove the point of dissolution for Gilliam, concerning his homeland.

During a peaceful anti LBJ (President Lyndon Johnson) protest Gilliam and his then girlfriend Glenys Roberts decided to go to the scene of the nearby protest. They had heard that local police has sparked some trouble and, with Glenys being a reporter, she wanted to cover the event. Gilliam went with her and recalls to biographer Bob McCabe:

"There were cops everywhere and it was all going fine until the cops went berserk and we ended up in the middle of it. I did a big anti-riot poster afterwards that was sold in the shops. I started getting disillusioned with America and I wanted to go back to Europe, so we came to England"

Gilliam was in fact grabbed by his long hair that had already caused Gilliam some considerable trouble when he was randomly stopped and frisked. In Gilliam's own words:

"…because they knew who I was. I was an out of work musician, living off some middle-class man's daughter, peddling drugs."

It was the flowing, long hair that became a symbol for the free-thinkers of the 1960s. Then I thought of a song that my dad used to play me:

Almost Cut My Hair
Almost cut my hair It happened just the other day It's gettin kinda long I coulda said it wasn't in my way But I didn't and I wonder why I feel like letting my freak flag fly Cause I feel like I owe it to someone

Must be because I had the flu' for Christmas And I'm not feeling up to par It increases my paranoia Like looking at my mirror and seeing a police car But I'm not giving in an inch to fear Cause I missed myself this year I feel like I owe it to someone

When I finally get myself together I'm going to get down in that sunny southern weather And I find a place inside to laugh Separate the wheat from the chaff I feel like I owe it to someone

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Déjà Vu, March 1970

Current Bibliography

Books:

Dark Knights and Holy Fools. The Art and Films of Terry Gilliam by Bob McCabe
Inside The Yellow Submarine by Robert R. Hieronimus
The life of Python by George Perry

Films:

And Now For Something Completely Different
Brazil
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Jabberwocky
Monty Python and The Holy Grail
Monty Python's Meaning of life
The Beatles Yellow Submarine
The Fisher King
The Life of Brian
Tideland
Time Bandits
Twelve Monkeys

Summer update

During the summer I went to Las Vegas with my boyfriend Peter.

















One of the most amazing things about the trip were the shows in particular LOVE! by Cirque Du Soleil, the video below does it no justice at all, it was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. Its worth going to Vegas for this alone.



After the show we went to the Revolution bar in the Mirage hotel, specially built by Cirque Du Soleil, where we made friends with some Americans around a nutty interactive table which you could draw onto. These drawings then showed on the walls, this was really good and got everyone talking.

The show has never left me and I keep finding bits of it cropping up in my work. At the moment its the mechanical set of tiny dancing wellington boots!!!!