This is your receipt for your husband... and this is my receipt for your receipt.

Hello I am the movie encyclopedia and if no one else will see it, I will.

Terry Gilliam was amazing in Monty Python. He was hillarious, imaginative and always entertaining. As a director he is an artistic genious creating some of the greatest cult classics of all time. That Python esque humor is there as well as the Python style but Gilliam has shown that his brilliance is truly hard to define.

You need proof? Look no furthur than Gilliam's telling of George Orwell's classic 1984 with a twist...BRAZIL.

Part dark comedy, part thriller and all sci fi goodness, Gilliam's Brazil mixes the elements and the overall story of 1984 but with brighter colors and Gilliam's take on style.

The basic story revolves around Sam Lowry, played by Jonathan Pryce (of Pirates of the Carribean, My Zinc Bed and plenty other films). Pryce has the serious everyman look to him but he is both witty and darkly funny in this film. His character alone is brilliant to watch as he transforms through the films entirety. Lowry is a government official who dreams of bigger and better things, like beautiful maidens or being able to fly. Because of a spelling error Lowry ends up in contact with Jill and renowned terrorist and air conditioner specialist Harry Tuttle.


Tuttle is played by Robert DeNiro..no you didnt hear me wrong. Although his part is short in the movie DeNiro is brilliant and quite fun to watch, considering a lot of the other serious movies he does. Kim Greist plays Jill and she does quite well for herself. That seems to be an overarching theme in this movie...brilliant and well done acting. If Kim Greist is unfamiliar to you than see Manhunter...the film Red Dragon remade. Michael Palin (of Python fame) is even in this movie and does fantastically.

I dont really want to reveal too much else of the plot but its definetly Orwellian and does the book justice. The last minutes are both disturbing and quite funny, something this movie does well.

The art style, the deep underlying themes, the brilliant acting and the wonderful dialogue (written partially by Gilliam himself) makes this a great cult classic, highly enjoyable and a film you must own.

MY VERDICT: OWN IT