Bye Bye Brasil (1979)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Carlos Diegues

Writers:

Carlos Diegues (writer)
Leopoldo Serran (writer)

Release Date:

18 February 1982 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The Caravana Rolidei rolls into town with the Gypsy Lord at the mike: he does magic tricks, the erotic Salomé dances...

Plot Keywords:

Accordion | Amazon | Television | Mute | Fire Breathing

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

José Wilker	...	Lorde Cigano
Betty Faria	...	Salomé
Fábio Júnior	...	Ciço
Zaira Zambelli	...	Dasdô
Príncipe Nabor	...	Andorinha / Swallow
Emmanuel Cavalcanti	...	Prefeito / Mayor (as Emanoel Cavalcanti)
José Márcio Passos	...	Assessor Prefeito / Mayor's Assistant
Carlos Kroeber	...	Caminhoneiro / Truck Driver
Joffre Soares	...	Zé da Luz
Rodolfo Arena	...	Lavrador / Peasant
Aderbal Junior
Carlos Lagoeíro	...	Sertanejos
Catalina Bonakie	...	Viúva / Widow (as Catalina Bonaky)
Rinaldo Gines	...	Chefe Índio / Indian Chief
Marcus Vinícius	...	Empresário
Walter Bandeira	...	Cantor
Oscar Reis	...	Contrabandista / Smuggler
Cleodon Gondin	...	Cliente / Customer
José Carlos Lacerda	...	Steward
Marieta Severo	...	Assistente Social / Social Worker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
José María Lima	...	Assistente

Directed by
Carlos Diegues

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Carlos Diegues		writer
Leopoldo Serran		writer

Produced by
Bruno Barreto	....	associate producer
Lucy Barreto	....	executive producer
Luiz Carlos Barreto	....	producer
Carlos Henrique Braga	....	associate producer
Walter Clark	....	associate producer
Lucíola Vilella	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Chico Buarque de Hollanda
Dominguinhos
Roberto Menescal

Cinematography by
Lauro Escorel

Film Editing by
Anisio Medeiros
Mair Tavares

Art Direction by
Anisio Medeiros

Costume Design by
Anisio Medeiros

Makeup Department
Antonio Pacheco	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Marco Altberg	....	production manager
Otávio de Miranda	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fábio Barreto	....	assistant director
Bruno Wainer	....	assistant director

Art Department
Paulo Chada	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Emmanuelle Castro	....	sound editor
Antônio César	....	additional sound
Walter Goulart	....	additional sound
Jean-Claude Laureux	....	sound
Victor Raposeiro	....	sound
José Luiz Sasso	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Pedro Cavalcante	....	electrician
Lourenço Cesar	....	grip
Djalma de Oliveira	....	grip
Jadeyr Guimarães	....	electrician
José Luiz	....	electrician
José Tadeu Ribeiro	....	assistant camera
Ademir Silva	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Hernandes Fontes	....	assistant editor
Denise Fontoura	....	assistant editor
José Joaquim Salles	....	assistant editor
Hernandes Toledo	....	second assistant editor

Other crew
Cláudio Barreto	....	production assistant
Nieves Cabello	....	continuity
Carlos Machado	....	choreographer
Alvaro Magaldi	....	production assistant
Fernando Pimenta	....	title designer

Production Companies

• Luiz Carlos Barreto Produções Cinematográficas

Distributors

• Embrafilme (1979) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Carnaval Unifilm (1980) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Fox Lorber (USA) (VHS)
• Globo Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• New Cinema Enterprises (1980) (Canada) (as "Bye Bye Brazil") (subtitled)
• New Yorker Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1981) (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Bye Bye Brasil (Argentina)
Bye Bye Brazil

Runtime:

Brazil:100 min | USA:110 min

Country:

France | Brazil | Argentina

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Altamira, Pará, Brazil

Company:

Luiz Carlos Barreto Produções Cinematográficas

Movie Connections:

Features O Ébrio (1946)

Soundtrack:

Para Vigo Me Voy (Say sí sí)

I'll take heart over art anyday!

At last, a film I can unreservedly recommend--well, at least to adults.

"Bye Bye Brazil" is a film with heart, involving three-dimensional characters I was able to care about, their stories told unpretentiously in a straightforward exposition unhindered by self-conscious special effects, confusing games with the time-frame, etc. as in so many "artistic" films I've been watching lately (and in some cases ejecting from the player before they're finished).

Too bad this film is from 1979. I wish it were brand new, so I could hope for a return to these plain and honest values in film-making.

As soon as I saw that the title song was sung by Chico Buarque, one of my very favorite musicians, I suspected I was in for a pleasant evening, and I wasn't disappointed. The movie would be worth buying (apparently available on VHS only) just for that wonderful song, sung in its lengthy entirety over the closing credits, and briefly at the film's commencement. But "Bye Bye Brazil" offers much more than a pretty (and very funny) song. Time and again I was reminded of Bergman's films, as the interplay between the five chief characters developed. There's a certain visual resemblance to some of Bergman's scenes, too.

You could have a worse model.

Highly recommended--though not for kids.