Les cannibales

A film of two halves, Os Canibais starts as an opera and ends as a surreal opera. The story is about upper class love and marriage, lifestyle and prejudice, jealousy and revenge, suicide and cannibalism. And so on.

For the first hour or so director De Oliveira keeps the audience in a state of disbelief by showing us the empty life of the upper class in "their own art form": Os Canibais is a true opera- every line is sung, but rewards us in the end by going surreal. You'll know what I mean when you see it yourself.

Even though the last fifteen minutes of Os Canibais are great it doesn't remove the fact that the first hour is somewhat painful to watch. It might be different for people who understand and appreciate opera. The ending can be recommended for everyone who love the films of Bunuel, the works of surrealists or just enjoy good cinema with surprises.

This is a perfect example of what a «movie» or «film», call it what you wish, shouldn't be: as well as most of Manoel de Oliveira's, truth be told... One can't hide behind prizes in Venice or Cannes (by the juri, Cox, after all the man is older than us, so he must know better)... In terms of directing, he's nill, always has been, unless one considers cutting ppl's heads during the shooting, and not even filming them... I can't even say what is most unpleasant; the same actors he always used (apart from those who unfortunately demised before him), the ever-so bad sound editing, the BAD directing.... Not to say the absence of a plot... As in most of his movies. It's plainly dull, fake voices, stupid plot (if there is one), and I advise it to the same fans of Fellini, who admire him for the same reasons... Those alone... Be sure to watch the Oscars, for M. Oliveira will win , but this time it's a «Career» one.... Some deserved much better, as Ennio, who is a great composer... Not this one though...

When this film was screened at the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Festival's Director spoke, practically begging the audience to "stay for the last 15 minutes. It will be worth it." In fact, the entire film is "worth it." From start to finish, it is an honest and well-crafted surrealist film, indeed in the tradition of Bunuel. It's tone and assault on bourgeois society is reminiscent of "The Exterminating Angel". But while "Angel" gets bleaker and bleaker as it progresses, "Os Canibais" becomes funnier and funnier, until, in the last reel, it explodes in a frenzy of absurdism that would make a devout Dadaist giggle.

Should it ever resurface, British and American viewers will easily understand that "Os Canibais" is a film 20 years ahead of its time. It is not the Thatcher/Reagan pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps world that "Os Canibais" is lampooning, but the obscene world of the New Rich as personified by those who shop for shoes while one of the world's great cities drowns.