José Lewgoy
Brazil, 1970s: the country is living under a military dictatorship which lasted 21 years. During that period, the most produced and seen cinema was the pornochanchadas: a diverse genre that combined erotic atmosphere and popular appeal. A review of a dark period of one of the most charming countries in the universe is made through the most unprecedented way – solely through the images and sounds from a selection of the pornochanchada films, in a wry, pleasurable mash-up.
The true story of Assis Chateaubriand, the first magnate of communications in Brazil. Due to his influence during the late 1930s up to the early 1960s, he has come to be called 'the Brazilian Citizen Kane'.
The documentary "Depois do Transe" covers the entire process of creating the masterpiece "Entranced Earth", which was released and awarded at the Cannes Film Festival in 1967. "Entranced Earth" charmed the world and won great admirers such as filmmaker Martim Scorsese and the writer Marguerite Duras, who at the time considered a "fabulous filmic opera."
Apolônio Brasil was a cult pianist who used to play in nightclubs in Rio de Janeiro, in the 1950s and 1960s. Quite a character, Apolônio was loved by women, idolized by his audience and friends, besides being extremely high-spirited and charming. For all that, his brain is removed after his death and becomes the center of a dispute among an American scientist, Dr. Bóris, who wants to study it, his friends and his son Paluca. The film is an attempt to pay homage to the nightlife in Rio de Janeiro of the 50s, and to the "chanchada" a genre of musical-comedy typically Brazilian. - Written by [email protected]
Pedro da Maia, meets a beautiful woman called Maria Monforte with whom he gets married despite his father's objection. The marriage produces a son, Carlos Eduardo, and a daughter. Some time later, Maria Monforte falls in love with Tancredo and runs away to Italy with him, taking her daughter along. When Pedro finds out, he goes with his son to his father's house where he commits suicide. Carlos stays at his grandfather's house and is educated by him. Carlos, becomes a doctor and opens his own office. Later he meets a gorgeous woman, Maria Eduarda. The two fall in love and have dozens of nights together. Eventually Carlos finds out later that Maria lied to him about her past and he starts fearing the worst. In the end, Carlos finds out that Maria is his sister. He informs her that they are siblings and that they cannot live like this anymore. Carlos, to forget his tragedies, goes for a trip around the world.
An adaptation of the book "The Maias" by Eça de Queiroz. When aired on Rede Globo in 2001, the series ended up edited into a soap opera. Other books by Eça were also added into the story - “The Relic” and “To The Capital” - in order to make the style easier to digest and the story funnier. The DVD version is a 904 minutes long, uncut, story separated into 4 discs. Both extra book-based plot lines were removed and the scenes were reedited in order to find the director's vision again. The episodic structure was removed and a non-interruptive narrative was adopted in its place.
The story of Brazilian Antônio José da Silva, a jewish poet, playwright and lawyer living in the 18th Century Lisbon, who managed to avoid Inquisition by converting himself to Catholicism, after being tortured. But his fierce criticism of Portugal's élite led him to persecution and torture, becoming kind of a scapegoat.
Força de um Desejo is a Brazilian telenovela produced by Globo TV and was shown in the schedule of 18 hours between May 10, 1999 and January 29, 2000, in 226 chapters. It was written by Gilberto Braga and as collaborators with Alcides Nogueira Marques, Lilian Garcia, Eliane Garcia, Philip Miguez and Mark Silver and directed by Mauro Mendonça Filho, Carlos Araújo, Fabricio Mamberti and João Camargo, with production of the core Marcos Paulo. Featured Malu Mader, Fábio Assunção, Cláudia Abreu, Marcelo Serrado, Selton Mello, Nathália Timberg, Lavínia Vlasak, Isabel Fillardis and Denise Del Vecchio in leading roles.
After stirring society by leaving her groom at the alter and going directly to a prostitution house, a young model becomes the city's most famous harlot, known as "Hilda the Hurricane", in the 50's Brazil. She could do fine if it wasn't for Malthus, a young novice said to be a saint, for whom she falls in love. However, the boy is kept under the strict, severe doctrine of Father Nelson, a conservative priest intolerant even to every minor sin. Things start getting harder when Roberto, Malthus' old friend and a communist reporter (the actual author of the story), tries to interview Hilda and disclosure the real reasons behind her radical change of mind. In the meantime, the middle-classes are terrified by the "leftist threat" in Brazilian politics.
Policarpo is a chauvinistic patriot, a major who tries to find solutions for Brazilian problems using only the resources of his own country. His visionary and idealistic temperament is behind his strange ideas about how to build a great nation.
"Portraits and excerpts from Brazilian films from all times. Actors, directors and images that affirm cinema."
The story of two immigrant couples: Teresa and Angelo; Pierina and Massimo. While fighting for survival in the new world, the unexpected love of Massimo and Teresa appears. They react against family and cultural traditions and leave to a new destiny, leaving their partners. Quatrilho is the name of a card game in wich the player have to betray his partner in order to become the champion.
Driver who was left by his wife, who wanted to try a career in the movies, has to deal with their son's revolt when the latter finds his mother, whom he thought dead, singing in a nightclub.
The Angel is a millionaire playboy who fights the forces of crime, especially his deadly enemy, the arch-villain Scarlet Scorpion, who recently has kidnapped the fashion designer Glória Campos, who is in love with our hero.
A harmonica player, a player pool and his old assistant are invited to animate a rich people's party but time passes and they are never invited to introduce themselves. While waiting in the lobby witness all sorts of absurdities as the party goes on and guests are becoming more uninhibited.
Little known actor, Jack Noah, is working on location in the dictatorship of Parador at the time the dictator dies. The dictator's right hand man, Roberto, makes Jack an offer he cannot refuse.. to play the dictator. Jack's acting skills fool the masses but not close friends and employees of the dictator.
A fearsome 19th century bandit, Cobra Verde cuts a swath through Brazil until he arrives at the sugar plantation of Don Octávio Countinho. Not knowing that his new guest is the notorious bandit and impressed by his ruthless ways, Don Octávio hires Cobra Verde to oversee his slaves. But when Cobra Verde impregnates Don Octávio’s three daughters, the incensed plantation owner exiles the outlaw to Africa where he is expected to reopen the slave trade. Following his trans-Atlantic journey, Cobra Verde exploits tribal conflicts to commandeer an abandoned fortress and whips an army of naked warriors into a frenzied bloodlust as he vies for survival.
Former athlete enters an old cinema in São Paulo's decadent city centre and meets an intriguing and mysterious woman, very much like the leading lady on the film. He gets involved with her and her problems and in no time is being accused of a crime.
A young model runs away from the set of a commercial spot she's filming, and enter the mansion of Araucaima, where its dwellers indulge in strange rites.
The team of Galinheiro Futebol Clube, formed by emeritus fighters, has as technical Cardea, advised by three direct assistants: Elvis, former player as Cardinal and aspiring singer; Fumê, cook of Independência Futebol Clube, great team in which Cardeal also works as a wardrobe; and Lupine, samba and composer.
Two stories chronicle the days of the bohemian, libertine youth of 1960s Rio de Janeiro.
It tells the story of the Camabará family for many generations, which were fundamental to the social and political formation of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The stories are remembered by Dona Bibiana, who remembers the life of her grandmother Ana, her husband, the Captain Rodrigo, his son Bolivar and his daughter-in-law Luzia.
Luis Molina and Valentin Arregui are cell mates in a South American prison. Luis, a gay man, is found guilty of immoral behaviour and Valentin is a political prisoner. To escape reality Luis invents romantic movies, while Valentin tries to keep his mind on the situation he's in. During the time they spend together, the two men come to understand and respect one another.
Matthew Hollis is man on holiday in Rio with his best friend. Both men have teenage daughters with them. When Matthew falls for his best friend's amorous daughter named Jennifer, they embark on a secret, if slightly one-sided relationship. Jennifer's father is furious when he finds out about the 'older man' in his daughter's life, and sets out to hunt him down with the aid of Matthew!
Fitzcarraldo is a dreamer who plans to build an opera house in Iquitos, in the Peruvian Amazon, so, in order to finance his project, he embarks on an epic adventure to collect rubber, a very profitable product, in a remote and unexplored region of the rainforest.
German director Werner Herzog begins work on his 1982 epic "Fitzcarraldo" but soon runs into serious setbacks, from casting problems to his own stubborn refusal to use special effects. After having to reshoot much of the film because the lead actor was recast, his crew must then haul an old-fashioned steamboat over a mountain using manpower alone. With a resolve bordering on insanity, Herzog struggles to realize his vision, vowing to see the film completed -- even if it leads to his undoing.
After the funeral of her father Arnaldo, who committed suicide, Engraçadinha confesses to the priest the motives. On the engagement party of her cousin Sílvio with Letícia, Engraçadinha seduces him in the library, and later she ends her engagement with Zózimo and lies to Letícia, telling that she is pregnant. Letícia decides to tell Arnaldo what happened, and he says that the child can not be born. He exposes dirty secrets to Engraçadinha, and a tragedy is announced.
A caboclo's soul wanders through purgatory (or hell), visiting many places until he boards a ship whose destination is unknown.
In 1970, the Esquadrão da Morte (Death Squad)' crimes for the refinement of violence provoked a wave of reactions throughout the country. The photos of the victims, adorned by the skull, symbol of the group, caused an uncomfortable indignation. This is the story of Mateus Romeiro, the most famous of the policemen, who was part of the Homens de Aço (Steelmen) group, one of the factions in which the squadron was divided.
Girl and her boyfriend are kidnapped. She develops a strange attraction to her kidnapper and the two get involved.
Guia de Filmes indicates: "melodrama addressing the massification of large urban centers and the contradictions of consumer society and advertising. It is the first independent production by the firm of Vera Fischer and Perry Sales, and also, the first film directed by Englishman Michael Sarne in Brazil; however, he retired before completion and the film was finished by Perry Salles, marking his directorial debut ".
"Como É Boa a Nossa Empregada" is an erotic comedy from the 70's (called "pornochanchada" genre) divided in three segments: 1) "Lula e a Copeira": Lula uses frogs, bats and spiders to scare the ugly kitchen maid of his house and force her to quit the job. When his parents put an advertisement on the newspaper to hire a new maid, he waits the candidates outside the house to choose one very hot, telling lies about his family to the others. They hire the sexy Clara, who is subjected to a sexual harassment from Lula's father Rivadávia, the family's friend Dr. Ricardo and Lula, leading the trio to troubled situations. 2) "O Terror das Empregadas": The sixteen years old Bebeto chases all the maids of his house and neighborhood trying to have intercourse with them. His mother takes him to the psychologist Dr. Leonel, who convinces her that her son needs to have a sexual experience with a whore to help his self-esteem, and suggests the sexy and expensive prostitute Leila Sandra.
"Lula, 'bon vivant' who subsists at the expense of small blows, goes on with his life without a present or future purpose. Basically, he just tries to forget having been abandoned by his fiancee Helena, who gave in to his father's imposition. The situations in which he gets involved from then on are paradoxical, trying to survive in the best possible way and spending money he doesn't have, but which comes to him in one way or another. On a day of complete despair, Lula meets a group of "hippies" and leaves catechized. Willing to anything, he becomes a preacher of new customs and new ethics of life. In turn, Helena, whose marriage had failed, dreams of meeting Lula again, hoping to return to his arms.
Music manager has to get three of his artists together for a special show, but soon finds out it isn't an easy task.
In Minas Gerais, the powerful "colonel" Alexandrão gets married with the young and virgin Cristina and promotes a huge wedding party in his farm. He eats and drinks a lot along the day, and in his "first night" with the bride, he dies before consummating his marriage. The marital status of Cristina becomes very unusual, being a virgin widow. Her doctor advises her to travel to Rio de Janeiro to rest, and she moves with her aunt to an inherited apartment in Leme. Once in Rio de Janeiro, the rascal Constantino, who is aware of her wealth, courts her and borrows money, clothes and a Mercedes Benz from his friends, pretending he is businessman man. His friends release "stocks" in a parallel stock market, based and supported in the expectation of the possible marriage of Constantino with Cristina. However, the ghost of Coronel Alexandrão appears for her whenever she intends to have sex with Constantino.
Pra Quem Fica, Tchau tells the story of a teenager from the interior who comes to Rio, financed by an uncle, and goes to live with a womanizer cousin.
The eccentric members of a wealthy Brazilian family each go through personal torment, debauchery and intense guilt in this symbolic and gory film. The father has made a fortune in the slaughterhouse business and ignores the feelings of his wife and his workers. He frequents a mulatto woman, who is always seen naked. His daughter and her friend act on their lesbian fantasies before her friend marries her brother. An elderly aunt seduces the brother before she drowns herself in the swimming pool. His lesbian sister shoots the girl, and the boy incestuously attacks his mother. When the mother threatens to leave, the father begs for her to stay and continue the hollow charade of their marriage for the sake of social appearances. The father grovels before his mistress after his daughter slashes her wrists. Any comparison between this dysfunctional family, the Manson family, and Shelley Winters' sick Barker brood in Bloody Mama is all an unfortunate artistic coincidence.
Two ladykillers living in Rio de Janeiro know no limits when courting a beautiful woman. A problem arises when one of them starts coming on to a girl, not knowing she's his buddy's daughter.
While making a movie in Rio de Janeiro, the singer Roberto Carlos is kidnapped by an international gang that wants to make money with his songs in a computer, together with Pierre (José Lewgoy) , the villain of the movie, and sent to New York.
A statuette bought in an antique shop in Tokyo may lead to the discovery of a great treasure.
During the Brazilian military government, journalist Estêvão is sent from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia to cover the important statement of a minister, but takes the opportunity to deliver incriminating documents to another one.
Eldorado, a fictitious country in America, is sparkling with the internal struggle for political power. In the eye of this social convulsion, the jaded journalist Paulo Martins opposes two equally corrupt political candidates: a pseudopopulist and a conservative. In this context, Paulo is torn between the madness of the elite and the blind submission of the masses. But, in this complex tropical reality, nothing really is what it seems to be.
German documentary for TV about the "Cinema Novo" movement (Brazilian New Wave). Director Joaquim Pedro de Andrade focuses on six Cinema Novo filmmakers working in Rio in 1967.
A vivacious woman tries to please all of her lovers but finds she can't handle the jealousy that erupts among them.
Investigator Fred Lester uncovers a killer using an air pistol firing chemical bullets in the swinging '60s spy thriller RING AROUND THE WORLD, a globe-hopping escapade featuring a plane-and-parachute stunt later repeated in the James Bond film Moonraker.
"High Noon" spoof. Kid Bolha and Ciscocada, two clumsy swindlers, arrive at a violent Old West town called Citydown where, by mistake, one of them is appointed Sheriff. They're intent on facing the dreaded Jesse Gordon, a gunman who kills for pleasure.
Intent on offering his fiancée a better life, countryman heads for Rio de Janeiro in search of a place in the sun...
Movie producer Cecílio B. de Milho is intent on filming an epic about Helen of Troy, while some of the crew would rather turn it into a musical comedy.
Two friends grow together in the same neighborhood but, as adults, take different paths in life. One becomes an honest worker, and the other gets strayed. But the good guy's sister has an affair with her brother's friend, and is much abused by him. Her brother wants revenge. But when he sees him in danger, some time later, he must decide which is the stronger feeling: the former friendship, or his wish for revenge.
In Buenos Aires, Frederico hides in a ship going to Rio de Janeiro to travel for free. But Azulão, the cook, finds him and blackmails him into working in the kitchen. Meanwhile, Alberto, the captain, receives a radio message saying that there was a dangerous international spy on board. Things get worse when some passports are mixed-up.
A beautiful young woman, raised by prostitutes and disgusted with life, accepts the offer to move with an older, opportunist man. Depressed and weak, she dedicates herself to her doll collection until by chance she meets a young doctor she falls in love with.
A gang, leaded by the unknown and mysterious Anjo, robs a jewelry and schedules a meeting in the Copacabana Palace Hotel, in Copacabana. The identification would be through a cigarette case with an angel, and the password "- Is everything all right?" Meanwhile, the director Ricardo is preparing a show for the carnival in the hotel with Marina, and they love each other. The janitor Serafim receives a letter from his unknown American brother, who will come to Rio to spend the carnival and meet him, and asks Eliana for a chance in the show, since his brother believes he is an artist. When Ricardo finds the cigarette case lost by Anjo in the entrance of the hotel, he is misidentified by the thieves, and this is the beginning of lots of confusion and fun.
