Brazzil
April 2001
Culture Pulse
Plays, movies &
best-seller books
PLAYS
RIO
Alta Sociedade (High Society)—A rich and famous couple has to face the whims of the Justice. Written and directed by Mauro Rasi, with veteran actors Fernanda Montenegro and Ítalo Rossi who for the first time in 30 year are again sharing the stage.
Anjo Duro (Tough Angel)—A raw-edged monologue presenting the difficult work of Nise da Silveira, the doctor who revolutionized psychiatric treatment in Brazil. From Luiz Valcazaras.
Disk Ofensa—Linha Vermelha (Dial Offense—Red Line)—After finding a homeless woman who is good at offending people a couple starts taping her invectives to use in a 900-type telephone service. Written by Pedro Vicente.
Mais que Imperfeito (More than Imperfect)—Couple discuss their own behavior. Second part of a trilogy started by E Aí, Comeu (How was it? Did you screw her?), by Marcelo Rubens Paiva, in which men commented on women's behavior.With Clara Garcia, Ingra Liberato, Tato Gabus Mendes, and Antônio Gonzalez.
Qualquer Gato Vira-Lata Tem uma Vida Sexual Mais Sadia Que a Nossa (Any Stray Cat Has a Healthier Sexual Life than Ours)—Girl asks a scientist to help her get back her fiancé. Written by Juca de Oliveira, directed by Bibi Ferreira, with Rita Guedes, Roger Gobeth and Marcos Pasquim.
Dois Perdidos Numa Noite Suja (Two Lost Souls on a Dirty Night)— Plínio Marcos's text, which has become a classic. Two tramps trying to survive in the big city. Directed by Tanah Corrêa, with Alexandre Borges and José Moreira.
SÃO PAULO
Antes Só Do Que Mal Acompanhado (Better Alone than in Bad Company)—Written and directed by Cláudio Carneiro. A group of actors talks about the human condition and several human feeling like fear, greed and love. By the theatrical troupe Doutores da Alegria.
Esta Noite Ouvirei Chopin (Tonight I Will Listen to Chopin) by Sérgio Pires directed by Rodolfo David. Author Pires interprets Dalva, a transvestite who gets into the stage when he hears he is very ill.
Getsemani—Tragicomedy by Mário Bortolotto who also directs. Bortolotto, is a prize-winner of the APCA-2000 for life achievement. A story of cultural terrorism. Four men kidnap an editor to force to publish literature they deem decent. With the group Cemitério de Automóveis and singer-compososer Carlos Careqa.
Pret-à-Porter 4—Improv show created by the students from Centro de Pesquisa Teatral do Sesc under the supervision of director Antunes Filho. Three sketches: in a cybercafé, in a nursing home, in a school.
Vem Buscar-Me Que Ainda Sou Teu (Come Fetch Me That I'm Still Yours)—A theatrical troupe on the brink of bankruptcy keeps presenting the play Coração Materno (Motherly Heart) an adaptation of song by camp singer Vicente Celestino. Written by Carlos Alberto Soffredini, directed by Nelson Baskerville, with group Triboduscênicos. Musical comedy.
Caixa 2 (Under the Table)—Comedy. It has been playing since October 1997 and was seen by more than 600,000 people. Ângela, a secretary, is used by her lover to hide money from the Revenue Service. Directed by Fauzi Arap, with Juca de Oliveira and Mauro Mendonça.
As Sereias da Zona Sul (The Sirens of the South Zone)—Comedy. Play in four episodes about the adventures of women from Rio's south zone beach communities. Written by Miguel Falabella.
MOVIES
Just-released American movies:
Cecil B. DeMented (Cecil Bem Demente), The Body (O Corpo), Finding Forrester (Encontrando Forrester), The Limey (O Estranho), The Way of the Gun (A Sangue Frio), Before Night Falls (Antes Do Anoitecer), The Wedding Planner (O Casamento dos Meus Sonhos), Chocolat (Chocolate), Enemy at the Gates (Círculo de Fogo), What Women Want (Do Que as Mulheres Gostam), Dr. T and the Women (Dr. T e as Mulheres), Dracula (Drácula), The Exorcist—Director's Cut (O Exorcista _ Versão do Diretor), Chicken Run (A Fuga das Galinhas), Hannibal (Hannibal), Men of Honor (Homens de Honra), Vertical Limit (Limite Vertical), Malèna (Malena), Cast Away (Náufrago), The Watcher (O Observador), Almost Famous (Quase Famosos), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (O Tigre e o Dragão), Traffic (Traffic)
O Chamado de Deus (God's Call)—Brazil/2000—By José Joffily. Documentary about the daily routine of six seminarians (Brasil, 2000). Three of them prepare themselves for the religious career following the philosophy of the charismatic Catholicism and the other three under a Liberation Theology perspective. All of them are also shown visiting their families, the highlight of the film. www.ochamadodedeus.com.br
Amores Possíveis (Possible Loves)—Brazil/2000—Romantic comedy by Sandra Werneck. Once again the director deals with heartbreaks telling three different love stories but interchangeable between the characters. It all starts when Carlos waits for his sweetheart at the movie theater. He ends up meeting Júlia. Fifteen years later Carlos has become a successful lawyer and unhappy husband, or a gay, or a chronic bachelor still looking for the ideal woman. With Murilo Benício, Carolina Ferraz, Beth Goulart, Emílio de Mello, Irene Ravache and Alberto Szafran.
Babilônia 2000 (Babylon 2000)—Brazil/2000—Documentary directed by Eduardo Coutinho. (Brasil, 2000). Coutinho who directed acclaimed Cabra Marcado para Morrer and Santo Forte shows the arrival of year 2000 on Rio's slums. Together with four other directors and using digital cameras, he was able to collect touching and candid testimonies at the Babilônia and Chapéu Mangeuira hills.
Tainá—Uma Aventura na Amazônia (Tainá, An Adventure in the Amazon)—Brazil/2000—Adventure movie for kids. Directed by Tânia Lamarca and Sérgio Bloch.
Brava Gente Brasileira (Brave Brazilian Folks)—Brazil/2000—Historic drama. The love story between Dom Diogo, a Portuguese colonizer, and Indian girl Ánote. Set against the story of the colonization of Mato Grosso's Pantanal. Directed by Lúcia Murat, with Diogo Infante, Luciana Rigueira, Floriano Peixoto.
Um Anjo Trapalhão (A Fumbling Angel)—Brazil/1996—Comedy. Released originally on TV. Simpleton Didi Mocó arrives at Vila Esperança decided to make its residents once again believe in Santa Claus. Directed by Alexandre Boury and Marcelo Travasso, with Renato Aragão plus Isadora Ribeiro, Francisco Cuoco, Regina Duarte and Deborah Secco.
O Auto da Compadecida (The Compassionate Lady Play)—Brazil/1999—Comedy. Two men from the Brazilian Northeast, João Grillo and Chicó have a hard to survive and to through some hilarious situations. Directed by Guel Arraes, with Matheus Nachtergaele, Selton Mello, Marco Nanini, Fernanda Montenegro, Maurício Gonçalves and Lima Duarte.
Pop Star—(Brazil/2000)—Comedy starred by Xuxa, an internationally-renowned top model who comes back to Brazil to meet the Charming Prince she met on the Internet. Directed by Paulo Sérgio de Almeida and Tizuka Yamazaki, with Luigi Baricelli, Silvia Pfeifer, and Marcos Frota.
BEST-SELLER BOOKS
FICTION
1 As mentiras que os homens contam, Luis Fernando Verissimo. Objetiva, Objetiva, R$ 16,90
2 Comédias para se ler na escola, Luis Fernando Verissimo. Objetiva, R$ 16
3 Ninguém é de ninguém, Zíbia Gasparetto. Espaço Vida e Consciência, R$ 22
4 Harry Potter e a pedra filosofal, J.K. Rowling. Rocco, R$ 22
5 O demônio e a srta. Prym, Paulo Coelho. Objetiva, R$ 19,90
6 Harry Potter e a câmara secreta, J.K. Rowling. Rocco, R$ 22
7 Os Maias, Eça de Queiroz. Ediouro, R$ 28,50
8 Harry Potter e o prisioneiro de Azkaban, J.K. Rowling. Rocco, R$ 25
9 A confraria, John Grisham. Rocco, R$ 27,50
10 As mil e uma noites, Antoine Galand, org. Malba Tahan. Ediouro, R$ 43
NONFICTION
1 Como dizer tudo em inglês, Ronald Martinez. Campus, R$ 29
2 Limites sem trauma, Tânia Zagury. Record, R$ 20
3 Um dia daqueles, Bradley Greive. Sextante, R$ 19,90
4 Os templários, Piers Paul Read. Imago, R$ 40
5 Pai rico, pai pobre, Robert Kiyosaki. Campus, R$ 24
6 A arte da felicidade, Dalai Lama. Martins Fontes, R$ 32,50
7 O livro da sabedoria, Dalai Lama. Martins Fontes, R$ 9,80
8 O avantajado livro de pensamentos do Casseta e Planeta, Casseta e Planeta. Objetiva, R$ 15
9 Mantenha seu cérebro vivo, Rubem Katz, Sextante, R$ 18,90
10 A fantástica história de Sílvio Santos, Arlindo Silva. Editora do Brasil, R$ 23,90
CHILDREN AND TEENS
1 O livro do riso do Menino Maluquinho, Ziraldo. Melhoramentos, R$ 14, 65
2 O tesouro das virtudes para crianças, vol. 2, Ana Maria Machado. Nova Fronteira, R$ 23
3 O pequeno príncipe, Saint-Exupéry. Agir, R$ 18
4 Contos e lendas orientais, Malba Tahan. Ediouro, R$ 18.50
5 Mais coisas que toda garota deve saber, Antônio Vilela. Melhoramentos, R$ 11,40
6 Para gostar de ler, vários autores. Ática, R$ 11,90
7 O homem que calculava, Malba Tahan. Record, R$ 19
8 Coisas que todo garoto deve saber, Antônio Carlos Vilela. Melhoramentos, R$ 11,40
9 Coisas que toda garota deve saber, Samantha Rugen. Melhoramentos, R$ 11,40
10 O livro das virtudes para crianças, William Benett. Nova Fronteira, R$ 23
According to Jornal do Brasil, http://www.jb.com.br