I just watched Black Orpheus, the Cinema Novo masterpiece. I had to post the coda scene as it makes me smile.
Brazil, Russia, India, China Already Cooler Than You
All about creativity and pop culture in the BRICs, by Richard Monturo
I just watched Black Orpheus, the Cinema Novo masterpiece. I had to post the coda scene as it makes me smile.
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All about creativity and pop culture in the BRICs, by Richard Monturo
Son-of-a-bitch, browser crashed and wiped out my elegantly-crafted response. Ok, here goes the lazy version:
“Black Orpheus” is one of my all-time favorites. Despite being directed by a Frenchman, it gives us a great reference on what makes a modern carioca a carioca—like a study of how recent history translates to current pop culture (carnaval, music, sexuality, race relations, etc). Aside from all the cultural beeswax, the dated color of the film and the fact that all the actors are so damn beautiful makes it easy to enjoy without trying to be some kind of armchair cultural scientist.
So, if you want to see another cinematic gem, you need to check out “Como Era Gostoso o Meu Frances” (How Tasty was My Frenchman). It’s a 70s film set in the 16th century about a French dude with a case of jungle fever (super hot Tupi Indian, heh).