Yes, I know, this blog theoretically is about living here in Potrerillos, but no matter how happy I am here, I will never stop feeling connected to Brasil. So, this morning while surfing news reports, I happened to see that Dawn Marpessa, who played Eurydice in the original 1959 classic Orféu Negro–Black Orpheus–died of a heart attack in France. Fascinatingly enough, she was preceded by her costar, Bruno Melo, who played Orféu, by a mere 41 days! Yet they had almost nothing to do with one another after the movie was produced.
I happen to think that the Brasilian film industry is among the best in the world, and that both versions of Orféu Negro–both the original and the 1999, 50th anniversary one, rank near the top. I personally prefer, probably out of affection for the music, the 1959 version, but the later one has very strong points. They’re just different versions of the same legend, and they are excellent. What gives the original its edge is the music–by Tom Jobim and Luiz Bomfá. I’ve been playing the soundtrack this morning, and tonight we’ll watch both movie versions. I’m not that big a fan of samba, but this music is bossa nova, and I like that if I like any samba at all.
Other terrific Brasilian movies: Cidade de Deus (City of God), which is basically about the drug culture in a favela, or slum and one boy’s attempt to transcend it, and excellent; one of my all-time favorites, Central Station which stars one of the top actresses on the planet, Fernanda Montenegro and which takes place in rio and in one of my favorite areas, the sertão or backlands of the northeast; Four Days in September (in which Fernanda Montenegro has a cameo role) which is based on a real event, a kidnapping of an American ambassador; and finally, an utterly incredible film in which there is basically no action but is mesmerizing, House of Sand, starring Fernanda Montenegro and her daughter Fernanda Torres in an acting tour-de-force.
Because Portuguese is my language of the heart, I always watch in the original language with the English subtitles. Doesn’t matter–the movies are powerful no matter how you choose to hear them.
I have a feeling that we’ll be on a Brasilian film retrospective here for the next week or so!
I enjoy Brazilian movies too. There is a book on my wish list with Barnes and Noble. The title is “Elite Squad”. It is about the corrupt police. I know they have one story about a drug dealer who decided to quit the business. He had had enough. The police kidnapped him and put him back to work. They did not want to lose their income.
Maybe this might be some insight to why the drug business in the USA continues.
Hi, John–
I don’t know that book, but the premise doesn’t surprise me. In general, everyone assumes that all the police forces, with the exception of the Federal Police, are corrupt. They certainly are–the whole “justices system” is from mayor to police to everything else–in the north, especially in the state of Pará.
The 1999 movie of “Orfeu” gives you an idea of Rio police, anyway. As a whole, the police forces–where they exist–are notorious for poor training, poor pay and corruption. In many smaller cities, the police are more or less traffic cops and little else, “law enforcement” being taken over by the Policia Militar, which is something like what our state National Guards are. they are scary, believe me, with their poor training and “attitude”.
Good books to read about the rio police are the Inspector Espinosa series by Luiz Garcia-Roza. I can recommend them. Off beat but good books. I never wanted to visit rio until i started reading them. Now, in my more insane moments, I think about it!
Joyce
Ah come on! There is more to Rio de Janeiro. Im a Brit ex-pat just re-located to Rio and it would be good to hear educated individuals thinking outside of the box!
Well Hi, Tracy!
My comment was in response to corruption in the Rio police. Hate to blow your image of Rio, but unfortunately it does exist. I read the Rio and São Paulo papers every day. I know many, many people in Brasil and I know the reality of life there. Corruption is a way of life in Brasil, possibly the most corrupt country in South America. Sorry if this doesn’t seem like thinking “outside the box” but I do prefer reality to fantasy.
During my 2005 trip, I met a British couple who lived in Rio–the husband worked for an oil company, Shell, I think. They’d been there 3 years. They loved the city–but had no illusions about it or Brasilians, either.
It’s no different from someone from another country moving to New York and thinking that all the nasty things that are said about it aren’t true. they are–but that doesn’t mean that the good things are false, either.
If you like, I can recommend even more Brasilian movies that are almost documentaries. “Cidade de Deus” is brilliant and describes the Rio drug culture very well. “Carandiru” is another based on a true story, although I have to admit that I don’t remember whether that prison is in Rio or outside of São Paulo.
It wasn’t that many years ago when drug gangs shut down rio’s central districts with armed attacks on the municipal building and police headquarters. Not once but several times.
Sure, there’s a carioca way of life but one of the things I hear from Brasilian friends is that’s evaporating as well as “modern times” catches up with Rio. Of course, any way of life is available to foreigners with money.
Tell me, do you speak Portuguese yet? It’s a great language.
As a matter of fact, I would like to visit Rio thanks to the Garcia-Roza books, whereas before I never wanted to. It’s a dangerous city and I’m basically a coward.
All that said, I love Brasil and its people–its just that I’m not fooled by them nor do I romanticize them. Neither the country nor its people need that. But tell me what you think in 2 years.
Joyce