Terra em Transe (1967)

Second viewing; the first one occurred between 1983 and 1986.

English titles: Entranced Earth; Anguished Land; Land Entranced; Land in Anguish.
Suggested translation of title: Land in Crisis

The film is the story of Paulo, a poet and journalist who gets involved in party politics, told in a flashback during what seems to be his final moments, following a prologue in which he urges governor Vieira to oppose a coup that has been staged by senator Diaz.

This is interesting as a somewhat crude dramatization of Latin America's politics in the 1960s. Basically, the crisis evoked by the title was caused by the difficulty of overcoming the archaic structures of exploitation of Latin America, which thrived on a largely illiterate people who was an easy prey to the interests of local landowners, foreign capitalists, and an instrumental mass media. Paulo initially, in a learning period, allies himself to a reactionary politician, then, achieving a more developed political understanding, switches to a more popularly connected one, but gets frustrated when the latter reveals to be utterly compromised. He goes through a period of conformism and debauchery, and eventually comes to the realization that he must somehow choose the side he perceives as the lesser evil. That would be Vieira who is perhaps perceived to have nationalist leanings. The film is mostly made of recitations in an operatic style, eschewing realism altogether. Some of the text has a juvenile flavor to it, veering occasionally to borderline nonsense, particularly in the ramblings of the poet character. The film is visually somewhat dull, being composed of mostly close ups, with occasional ensemble shots with camera angles and movement designed to give a sense of urgency and impending doom.

Rating: 61 (down from 64)