Sleep and Dream as Escape: "Brazil"

Have you ever wished you could prolong a dream? Is sleep your only respite from problems in waking life? Dreaming as a means of escape is one of the themes of Terry Gilliam's 1985 film "Brazil." The hero, Sam Lowry, can find relief from his dull, bureaucratic, state-controlled life ONLY in the realm of his dreams. But what happens when that dreamlife begins to seep into his waking life?

Podcast Lecture: The Somniloquy

Viewing:

"Brazil"

Questions:

1. What vision of society does "Brazil" present? How is "Brazil" similar to and different from Orwell's 1984?

2. Describe the dream sequences. Can you tell the dreams apart from Sam's waking life? What devices (visual, auditory, narrative) does the film use to differentiate the dream world from the real world which does it use to blurr the two?

3. Notice the slogans and sayings repeated throughout the film. What effect do these have upon the viewer?

4. How do the elements of Sam's dream world find their way into the real world?

5. During which moments is it particularly difficult to know whether Sam is dreaming, fantasizing?

6. What do the various elements of Sam's dream world symbolize? How would you interpret his dreams?

7. How do you interpret the scene where Sam sees his own face when he removes the mask of the giant?

8. At what point in the film do the boundaries between real and illusion seem to break down completely?

9. How many different endings does the film seem to offer? How do you interpret the very last scene before the closing credits? Is Sam mad?

10. Think about the theme of escape: how does Sam attempt to escape from his life? Is escape possible in a centralized, totalitarian society? If so, how?

11. How does "Brazil" reflect societal, cultural and political concerns of the mid-1980s? How does it play today in the 21st century?

12. What is the role of technology in the film? What types of technology proliferate and what is the relationship between humans and machines in the world of the film?

Activities:

Scene Study--Where's Sam Lowry? Watch the chapter "Where's Sam Lowry" on the dvd, and notice the juxtaposition of Sam's work world and his dream world. How is his dreaming self presented? How do his coworkers attempt to escape from the bureaucratic machine of their working lives?