O Vampiro de Copacabana

I heard some good things about this film in a recent poll on the best Brazilian films of all time, and decided to take a chance at it. I was a little disappointed with it. I am not saying that the film doesn't have good things in it. Actually, it is not bad as a snapshot of the typical Brazilian middle-class couple in the mid seventies, exposing its problems, both economical and existential. The problem is that the film lacks freshness in its script, and some characters tend toward caricatures, particularly the mother-in-law; it is also somewhat crudely directed. It is watchable, though, and even occasionally interesting. But it could have used a little more imagination. The cast delivers decent but unremarkable performances.

In Copacabana, the idle middle-class Carlos (André Valli) is a womanizer with a washed up marriage with Sueli (Ângela Valério). Carlos in unemployed; has no money; and his family and he will have to leave their apartment in a short period since their landlord has just evicted them. Carlos has extramarital sex with several women and one of his favorite affairs is with the hot Carmen (Rossana Ghessa). He also likes to spend his leisure time drinking with his friend Luiz (Otávio Augusto) and Ernesto. When Carlos discovers the resemblance of his son Renatinho with his neighbor Robertinho, he assumes that Sueli has cheated him. Then he decides to commit suicide and leaves a tape to Sueli telling his affairs; however he is not brave enough to kill himself and he comes back home alive. In the carnival, Carlos wears a vampire costume and wanders alone on the streets, dancing and flirting with women. Meanwhile Sueli is invited by her friend Vera (Kátia D'Angelo) to go with two friends of her to Barra da Tijuca. Sueli dresses an odalisque costumes and they go to a bar. Sueli drinks too much but when one of the men tries to force her to have sex, she does not accept and is left behind on the beach. On Ash Wednesday, Sueli and Carlos dance on the living room of their apartment celebrating their reunion.

"O Vampiro de Copacabana" is a weird cult-movie that shows disconnected highlights of the empty existence of Carlos, a weak man with no attractive but successful with women. His marriage with his wife Sueli has lost the glamour and their relationship now is limited to a tedious routine. There are many people from my generation that worships this film, but I particularly find it quite boring and with a pointless screenplay. In 1976 I was single, but maybe people married with children in those years might have found identification with Carlos and liked this film more than me.

In 2011, the greatest attractions for me are the external footages of the carnival in Av. Presidente Vargas; the shots of Copacabana; and mainly the series of shots of Barra da Tijuca before the civil construction boom of the 80's that has destroyed one of the most beautiful places in Rio de Janeiro. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "O Vampiro de Copacabana" ("The Vampire of Copacabana")