Vidas Secas

One of the 5 best brazilian movies of all times. That's the opinion of the brazilian critics, and became obvious for everyone who see the film. A precise recreation of the Graciliano Ramos masterpiece by the "father" of "Cinema Novo". Definitively, a classic.

As the great director Nelson Pereira dos Santos was, he delivered a consistent movie on the harsh life conditions of scarcity and hunger in Northeastern Brazilian hinterland, adapting to cinema a major classic of the country's literature by Graciliano Ramos. Cinematography is spectacular and certainly this paramount Cinema Novo film inspired a later classic of Brazilian cinema: Cinema, aspirins and vultures. The footage shot with animals in Barren Lives is particularly impressive. Baleia is a charismatic character, being decisive on how much moving the film may be.

I rented this movie just because I had read the good book by Graciliano Ramos, back in 1992 in high school. When I played the video tape I really enjoyed what I saw. The slow rhythm is not an obstacle for us who want to have a great time watching a movie. It's the other way around, we just can't leave it once we realise "Vidas Secas" is an impressive narration of the difficulties poor people have when they try to move from their dying land in order to start a new life in the city. It's really time to press "play" and sit back.

My rate 7/10

This film of Nelson Pereira dos Santos and another one called "Oz fuzis" or 'The guns' by Ruy Guerra are my favourite Brazilian movies. These films have mirrored the films of Mrinal Sen and Adoor Gopalakrishnan made in India at about the same time. The realism they offer and the rather unconventional use of the soundtrack affects the viewer, though seriously lacking in production quality. I know that most critics tend to classify these two Brazilian films as representative of the Cinema Nouvo, but I prefer to see the two as unusually impressive cinema, little affected by Hollywood. Vidas Secas in a way brings back memories of neo-realism in de Sica's "Bicycle Thief."

The later work of dos Santos failed to impress me. He seems to have burned out--improving in technical qualities but losing out on artistic vision.

An itinerant family's search for a better life seems to lead nowhere. The husband finds work as a cowhand, the wife wants nothing more than a leather bed to sleep in.

The stark, black and white cinematography with which the sun-bleached, barren landscape was shot underscores the poverty the family is trying to escape. Kudos to the director who was able to coax an admirable performance from the family's dog. It's a totally engaging film w/ effectively subdued performances from the principals. Reminiscent of Italian Neo-Realist cinema, this makes for rewarding viewing, a cure for the summer blockbuster syndrome.