"Brazil"

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"Brazil," a 1985 black satire of a world laden with bureaucracy, apparently was well received when it came out in Europe but got a less-enthusiastic reception here in the U.S. Not surprising ... there is a baseline of intelligence required.

But also not surprising, I thought as I rewatched it today, because the helplessness-in-the-face-of-mediocrity is pretty damned close to the bone. "Brazil" gores a lot of trendy oxen, whatever its sci-fi/fantasy tintings. I guess there are people who deliberately go to the movies to be deliciously depressed, but I can't imagine that audience constituting a significant revenue stream for director and former Monty Python regular, Terry Gilliam.

"Brazil" is honestly a classic and I don't imagine I will ever watch it again. I prefer the quiet walk of the elephant to the inescapable and utterly warranted sweep of the cheetah's claws.
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