Terra em Transe

Another movie watched, or rather, reviewed, for the course on Cinema Novo that I'm doing in Cinema com Teoria, taught by Prof. Alisson Gutenberg.

Terra em Transe is part of the second phase of Cinema Novo. Directed by Glauber Rocha, it has an exquisite cast, all in fantastic performances: Jardel Filho (Paulo Martins), Paulo Autran (Porfírio Diaz), José Lewgoy (Felipe Vieira), Glauce Rocha (Sara), Paulo Gracindo (Don Julio Fuentes), Hugo Carvana (Álvaro), Joffre Soares (Father Gil), Danuza Leão (Sílvia), Mário Lago (Captain), Flávio Migliaccio (man of the people), Francisco Milani (Aldo).

To circumvent the censorship, which was still not as incisive as after the AI-5, Rocha set the plot in Eldorado, a fictional country located in Latin America. Porfírio Diaz, not by chance is the name of the Mexican dictator who has been in power for more than three decades, with a campaign theme that unites Catholic religion and conservatism, will run for reelection as president of Eldorado with Felipe Vieira, a populist politician. Paulo Martins is a poet who advised Porfírio, but changes sides when he realizes that he distances himself from popular agendas. Sara is his wife and balance point. It is in this political context that the story unfolds.

Glauber uses a lot of allegory to develop a plot that was a mirror of the situation experienced by Brazil, a few years after the 1964 military coup. As an allegory, it will explore situations reminiscent of a samba school parade: dancers and drums at a Felipe Vieira rally, luxurious costumes that portray the past of Eldorado, with the arrival of the white man on the country's coast (here there is a luxurious participation of Clóvis Bornay, icon of the costume parades in Rio de Janeiro), a lot of percussion in the soundtrack, in contrast with classical music, which makes a good distinction between the popular and the erudite, the flag bearer (in this case, Glauber subverts the order and puts a man, Porfírio, to carry a black flag - a sign of mourning for the situation in Brazil?, another allegory) and the parade itself with the walks of candidate Fellipe with the people.

The film also directly brings strong messages such as the scene in which Jerônimo, a representative of the people, starts to speak to Felipe, but is interrupted with Paulo Martins' hand in his mouth, saying that the people have no voice. The violence against those who demonstrated is also shown, and the most violent period of the Brazilian dictatorship had not even begun, in the scene in which the character of Flávio Migliaccio, purposely unnamed, is punched by the candidate's security (Maurício do Valle).

Another interesting contrast is between Carnival, as already exposed here, and Opera, once linked to the poorest strata of the population, to later become synonymous with the elite. The scene in which Porphyry falls with his flag on the steps of a palace is a true act of an opera.

The dialogues and monologues, especially those of Paulo Martins, are difficult to understand, with much erudition. And then Glauber didn't understand why his films didn't have an audience... Reviewing the film, I realized its relevance, especially regarding the political context in which Brazil plunged with the result of the 2018 election.

Despite all these considerations above, which I think are very appropriate, I don't like the film, much for its audio. The noise is annoying all the time, with overlapping voices, soundtrack and ambient sound, at a volume above normal. It is often difficult to understand what the actors are saying, and understanding the dialogues requires reflection at all times. For me, it was a lot of allegory inserted in the political context, which came to be caricatured. Anyway, I recognize the importance of the film for the history of Brazilian and Latin American cinema.

Released on Mr Bongo in 2005 "Terra em Transe" is dated, and has a confused screenplay, although being magnificently updated regarding the lack of ethics and the amoral behavior of the politicians. If the reader has had the opportunity of reading Machiavelli's "The Prince", you'll probably see how the behavior of politicians remains unchanged along the centuries.

However, keeping in mind that in this is movie Brazil was under a tough military dictatorship, this movie is a milestone in the history of Brazilian New Cinema. Glauber Rocha was very braze, discussing forbidden themes such as fight of classes, manipulation of the submissive masses by the elites, corruption in politician, anarchism, campaign promises not kept after the elections, economical power of foreign groups (or countries) in Latin American countries and coup d'état. In 1967, "Terra em Transe" was awarded with "Great Prize" in the Locarno Festival (Switzerland); "Luis Buñuel Prize" in Cannes Festival; "Federation of International Critics Prize" in Cannes Festival; and Best Movie of the Year in the Air France Prize, among other prizes

Although this film is not so perfect as it is normally stated, it is a very important film neverthless. In Brazil, it's usually a case of "love it or hate it" as regards to this film. It may not be perfect, but it is impressive, and shows efficiently political corruption and the degradation of one's soul as well. Although somewhat confused in some moments, the film is packed with great scenes, and is always visually impressive. It also had the merit of discussing Brazil's problems at the time, using fictional "Eldorado" as a shield against the strong censorship applied in these days. Has it's place guaranteed in brazilian cinerama.

I have seen one other film by this guy, Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol, and was completely taken aback at the time: Soviet notions of montage spilled helter skelter over the sunbaked Brazilian plains into the most deranged onslaught of rigorously polemic kitsch. Marx sloganeering via Brecht filmed by Eisenstein and Welles. You either bowed our early or agreed to be annihilated in the cinematic rave.

This has more serious merit I believe, is more pensive, introspective work. Marx is puzzled over. Godard is stripped of hip and ironic complacency. Eisenstein is understood as more than blistering agitprop and in context of the new world the cinematic eye aspires to create. Is such a world worth the effort to materialize? And is it going to be as envisioned?

I recommend it on just the principle that it's a political film promoting discussion, involvement, examination. This is a rare thing to have, especially these days when film consistently shies away from the great turmoils and viewers - understandably so - are becoming increasingly bitter and desensitized to any political involvement that may change the world. Oh we keep voting, but worst of all we have come to terms that it doesn't really matter which way we do, haven't we?

No, this is political work from a time when it was still thought and anticipated that the world could be changed in one lifetime and film could be a tool to assist and herald change. The plot is about a young artist - poet and journalist - who will have to surmise his place and level of involvement in a complex narrative about a nation's past and future strife, the surrogate self of a filmmaker looking for the same.

That narrative is every bit as 20th century Latin American history has affirmed it. On one side there is flag, cross, the capital, the military-secret service complex, bureaucracy, control over state media, counter-revolution. On the other side there are workers' rights, agrarian reforms, redistribution of wealth, democracy, populism, propaganda, socialist rhetorics, the world revolution. The two sides compete for the gubernatorial elections of a fictional county called El Dorado, after the mythical 'Lost City of Gold' that obsessed conquistadors. The modern El Dorado is poor and downtrodden, its people meek and submissive, but still a coveted land for conquest and control. Oil, coal, diamonds, uranium, these are the new riches of mythical proportions.

All told, it's not really hard to discern who is the main recipient of Marxist ire here. Rocha gleefully tears through caricatures but moves on to make another point. Are the latter really ready and able to govern? Do they have a plan beyond bold proclamations? Are they backed by less insidious corporate interests?

Naturally our young poet is puzzled, having been involved with both parties. The film mirrors this inner strife: a non-linear narrative fragmented through many visual cut-ups, hand-held shots, New Wave dissonance, artificiality, internal landscape, poetry recitations, theatrical grandiloquence. Not all of it works, but it's translucent when it does.

As far as political-minded New Wave goes, I believe this has near as much merit as the films of Yoshishige Yoshida from Japan, Eros+Massacre and Heroic Purgatory.

Politics of the region are more complex and subtle than Rocha delves into. Shucks. A key insight into what this is, is the framing device: a dream of delirious death.

While watching this, I kept on going back and forth between a 4 and a 4.5 before I finally settled on a 4.5. Like Rocha's "Black God, White Devil", which I watched a year or two ago, I didn't quite follow everything which went on and somewhat struggled to keep up with the plot. The more of this I watched, however, the more impressed I was with various stylistic touches such as the narration taking on a ghostly feel (the camerawork helps in that regard), various scenes appearing to occur in between Paulo's head and reality, and the film maintaining a dream-like atmosphere at numerous points. The film also captures the blindness of the masses towards accepting the false promises of political figures, and how this blind faith is a pattern which repeats itself over and over again. Thematically, it's interesting, but stylistically, it hits a number of my sweet spots really well and I definitely intend on rewatching it later this year to see if my appreciation of it goes up or down.