Brazzil
January 2002
Cultural Pulse

Plays, movies &
best-seller books

PLAYS

RIO

Se Correr o Bicho Pega, Se Ficar o Bicho Come(If You Run the Beast Will Get You, If You Stay the Beast Will Eat You)—A new mise-en-scène for Oduvaldo Vianna and Ferreira Gullar's play from 1966. Mocinha, a flirtatious daughter of a political boss fall in love with Roque, a scoundrel who unwillingly ends up becoming a hero. Directed by Antônio Pedro, with Leandra Leal and Murilo Rosa.

Fim do Jogo (Endgame)—Classical Samuel Beckett's text in which two men, a blind and a cripple take discuss the human condition in a tragic-comic manner. Directed by Francisco Medeiros. Actors Edson Celulari and Cacá Carvalho take turns—every week it changes—interpreting the two characters.

Um Porto para Elizabeth Bishop (A Haven for Elizabeth Bishop)—A monologue in which American poet Elizabeth Bishop, who lived in Brazil between 1952 and 1967, talks about the Brazilian people and her convoluted love affair with woman architect Lota Macedo Soares. Regina Braga is Bishop.

Cócegas (Tickling)—Several women provoke laughs and compassion while talking about their stressed life. Ingrid Guimarães and Heloísa Perissé wrote and interpret all the different characters.

SÃO PAULO

O Homem do Sobretudo Escuro (The Man with the Dark Overcoat)—Based on Agatha Christie's short stories. A young couple who owns a boarding house in England is visited unexpectedly by a police inspector. Directed by Silvio Tadeu and Iná Carvalho, with the troupe Cia. Target de Teatro.

Deus Ex-Machina e os Super Ex-Heróis na Terra do Impotente Viagra Falls (Deus Ex-Machina and the Super Ex-Heroes in the Land of the Impotent Viagra Fall)—Despite the title, this is a drama about an Indian who is expelled from his tribe after being seduced by deconstructionism and post-modernism. Written and directed by enfant terrible Gerald Thomas. With Fabiana Guglielmetti, Amadeo Lamounier, and Marcos Azevedo.

A Descoberta do Mundo (The Discovery of the World)—Based on Clarice Lispector's (1920-1977) book of same name. After firing the maid a lonely woman, GH, decides to clean the house and reflect about her own life and the world. All the actresses play simultaneously the same character. Directed by Marco Antonio Rodrigues, with Ciça Magalhães, Fernanda Castello, Júlia Ianina, Lilian Damasceno, Paula Weinfeld, Talita Ortiz and Thaís de Medeiros.

Novas Diretrizes em Tempos de Paz (New Directions in Times of Peace)—During the Second War, a Polish refugee tries to get his Visa to stay legally in Brazil. Written by Bosco Brasil, directed by Ariela Goldmann, with Jairo Mattos and Dan Stulbach.
 

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MOVIES

Just-released or re-released American movies:

Behind Enemy Lines (Atrás das Linhas Inimigas), The Straight Story (História Real), The Princess Diaries (O Diário da Princesa), Promises (Promessas de um Novo Mundo), American Pie 2 (American Pie 2 - A Segunda Vez É Ainda Melhor), From Hell (Do Inferno), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal), Storytelling (Histórias Proibidas), Jason X (Jason X), Monsters Inc (Monstros S.A.), Lord of the Rings (O Senhor dos Anéis), Riding in Cars with Boys (Os Garotos da Minha Vida), The Others (Os Outros), Shrek (Shrek), Rat Race (Tá Todo Mundo Louco!), Small Time Crooks (Trapaceiros), Bandits (Vida Bandida),

Lavoura Arcaica (Archaic Tillage) Released in English as To the Left of the Father—Brazil/2001—The story of a Lebanese family in Brazil. One of the sons feeling oppressed by father, smothered by mother and sexually attracted by sister leaves home. Based on Raduan Nassar's novel Lavoura Arcaica. Directed by Luiz Fernando Carvalho, with Selton Mello, Raul Cortez, Simone Spolidore, and Juliana Carneiro.

Bicho de Sete Cabeças (Seven-Head Beast or Enigma)—Brazil/2000—Power struggle between son and father ends with the young man being sent to a mental institution when the father finds out that he is smoking pot. Based on Austregésilo Carrano Bueno's autobiographical book Canto dos Malditos (Corner of the Damned). Directed by Laís Bodansky, with Rodrigo Santoro, Othon Bastos, and Cássia Kiss.

Xuxa e os Duendes (Xuxa and the Elves)—Brazil/2001—TV host Xuxa is an herbalist imbued with magic powers who needs to save an elf entrapped inside a wall. Directed by Paulo Sérgio de Almeida and Rogério Gomes. With Xuxa, Gugu Liberato, Angélica, Guilherme Karan, and Emiliano Queiroz.

O Xangô de Baker Street (Baker Street's Xangô)—Brazil/1999—Sherlock Homes and his sidekick Watson travel to Rio during the Brazilian Empire to help solve a crime that occurred in Rio de Janeiro. Based on Jô Soares's book of same name. Directed by Miguel Faria Jr., Joaquim de Almeida, Anthony O'Donnell, Maria de Medeiros and Marco Nanini.

La Lengua de las Mariposas (A Língua das Mariposas)—Spain/1999—The start of Spain's civil war profoundly alters the relationship between a teacher and a boy student. Directed by José Luís Cuerda, with Fernando Fernán-Gomes, Manuel Lozano, and Uxía Blanco.
 

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BEST-SELLER BOOKS

FICTION

1. O Senhor dos Anéis _ volume único (Martins Fontes) J.R.R. Tolkien

2. Harry Potter e a Câmara Secreta (Rocco) J.K. Rowling

3. Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban (Rocco) J.K. Rowling

4. Harry Potter e a Pedra Filosofal (Rocco) J.K. Rowling

5. Harry Potter e o Cálice de Fogo (Rocco) J.K. Rowling

6. Quadribol Através dos Séculos (Rocco) Kennilworthy Whisp

7. Animais Fantásticos e Onde Habitam (Rocco) Newt Scamander

8. As Mentiras Que os Homens Contam (Objetiva) Luis Fernando Verissimo

9. A Mesa Voadora (Objetiva) Luis Fernando Verissimo

10. Baudolino (Record) Umberto Eco

NONFICTION

1. O Universo numa Casca de Noz (Mandarim) Stephen Hawkins

2. Querida Mamãe Obrigado por Tudo (Sextante) Bradley Trevor Greive

3. As Melhores Piadas do Planeta e da Casseta volume 4 (Objetiva) Casseta e Planeta

4. Um Dia Daqueles (Sextante) Bradley Trevor Greive

5. Quem Mexeu no Meu Queijo? (Record) Spencer Johnson

6. Boa Forma em 90 Dias (Globo) Matt Roberts

7. Friends, Guia de Episódios (Frente) Cristhiane Ruiz

8. A Onda Que Se Ergueu no Mar (Companhia das Letras) Ruy Castro

9. A Vida Sexual de Catherine M. (Ediouro) Catherine Millet

10. O Programa das Dez Semanas (Manole) Turibio Barros

ESOTERICISM/SELF-HELP

1. Os 100 Segredos das Pessoas Felizes (Sextante) David Niven

2. Histórias para Aquecer o Coração (Sextante) Jack Canfield

3. Quando É Preciso Voltar (Caminheiros) Zibia Gasparetto

4. Você: A Alma do Negócio (Gente) Roberto Shinyashiki

5. Ah, Se Eu Soubesse (Negócio) Richard Edler

6. Pelo Amor ou pela Dor (Caminheiros) Ricky Medeiros

7. Limites sem Trauma (Record) Tania Zagury

8. Enquanto o Amor Não Vem (Sextante) Iyania Vanzant

9. Mensagens dos Mestres (Sextante) Brian Weiss

10. Pílulas para Prolongar a Juventude (L&PM) Fernando Lucchesi

According to Jornal do Brasil, http://www.jb.com.br