Brazzil
June/July 2002
Cultural Pulse

Plays, movies &
best-seller books

PLAYS

RIO

Amor, Religião e Sexo (Love, Religion and Sex)—Seven inmates share their experiences and interact with each other in jail, undressing themselves figuratively and literally. Written and directed by Wellington Amorim with Wellington Amorim, Anderson Clayton and Édino Júnior.

Aviso aos Navegantes (Notice to Mariners)—Ms Media (Mídia) and Mr. Dollar Sign (Cifrão) go to Internet in search of a Brazilian Cabral. Pedro Álvares Cabral was the Portuguese navigator credited with the discovery of Brazil. Written by Brazilian playwright Thomas Bakk, directed by André Paes Leme, with Cláudio Mendes and Márcia do Valle.

As Bodas do Rei (The King's Wedding)—A crazy lady dreams with a lost kingdom. Written by Paulo Marcos de Carvalho, directed by José Sisneiro, with Toninho Ferreira and Adriana Medeiros.

A Roda do Mundo (The World's Wheel)—The struggle of the Brazilian black to survive and integrate into the Brazilian society seen through the eyes of dance and martial art capoeira. Written and directed by Márcio Meirelles, with the ensemble Cia. dos Comuns.

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.

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

Um Pijama para Seis (A Pajama for Six)—A group of friends play a swinging game during a weekend in a country house. Jacqueline loves Robert, her husband's best friend, while Bernardo, the husband, is in love with Marilu. She pretends to be the fiancée of Roberto just to be close to her lover. Written by French playwright Marc Camoletti, directed by Rogério Fabiano, with Luciana Coutinho, Jayme Periard and Élcio Romar.

South American Way—Multi-awarded show on Carmen Miranda comes to São Paulo after being seen by 150,000 spectators in Rio. Nineteen actors play Carmen and interpret, among other songs, "Adeus Batucada," "Taí," and "Tico-Tico no Fubá." Written by Miguel Falabella and Maria Carmen Barbosa and directed by Miguel Falabella and Josimar Carneiro (music)

Jantar Entre Amigos - Pequenos Terremotos—A couple (Karen and Gabe) decide to make an inventory of their own 12-year-old relationship when their best friends (Beth and Tom) tell them they are splitting. With Xuxa Lopes, Otávio Müeller, Renata Sorrah and Mário Shoemberger. Written by Donald Margulies, directed by Felipe Hirsch.

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.
 

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MOVIES

Just-released or re-released American movies:

Ice Age (A Era Do Gelo), The Sum of All Fears (A Soma de Todos os Medos), Gosford Park (Assassinato em Gosford Park), Blade 2 (Blade 2 - O Caçador de Vampiros), Mulholland Drive (Cidade dos Sonhos), E.T. - The Extraterrestrial (E.T. O Extraterrestre), Star Wars: Episode 2 - Attack of The Clones (Guerra nas Estrelas: Episódio 2 - O Ataque dos Clones), Spiderman (Homem-Aranha), Unfaithful (Infidelidade), Kate and Leopold (Kate & Leopold), Lilo & Stitch (Lilo & Stitch), The Count of Monte Cristo (O Conde de Monte Cristo), The Man Who Wasn't There (O Homem Que Não Estava Lá), Long Time Dead (O Jogo dos Espíritos), Dragonfly (O Mistério da Libélula), The Panic Room (O Quarto do Pânico), Some Like It Hot (Quanto Mais Quente Melhor!), Showtime (Showtime), Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (Spirit - O Corcel Indomável), A Beautiful Mind (Uma Mente Brilhante)

Janela da Alma (Window of the Soul)—Brazil/2001—Directed by João Jardim and Walter Carvalho. With interviews with musician Hermeto Pascoal, writer José Camargo and filmmaker Wim Wenders, this documentary probes how blind people and those with sight problems deal with the world.

Viva São João (Long Live St John)—Brazil/2002—Documentary. A journey throughout the Brazilian Northeast's country side showing songs, traditions and behaviors of the Nordestinos. Directed by Andrucha Waddington.

Timor Lorosae - O Massacre Que o Mundo Não Viu (Timor Lorosae _ The Massacre the World Didn't See)—Brazil/2001—Documentary. The story of East Timor tragedy at the hand of Indonesians, before getting its independence. Directed by Lucélia Santos.

Abril Despedaçado (Broken April, Behind the Sun in the English Version)—Brazil-Switzerland-France/2001—Based on Albanian author Ismail Kadaré's book Broken April. In the Brazilian Northeast, following a family tradition, a young man is compelled to avenge his brother's murder. The youngster, however, decides to question this blood code. Directed by Walter Salles, with Rodrigo Santoro, José Dumont, and Rita Assemany.

Latitude Zero (Latitude Zero)—Brazil/1999—Lena, who is pregnant and lives in a tavern by the road, gets involved with a former policeman after being dumped by her boyfriend. Directed by Toni Ventura, with Débora Duboc and Cláudio Jaborandy.

O Invasor (The Invader)—Brazil/2001—A 15-year-old friendship and partnership goes sour and generate a war of words and physical violence when one partner wants out. Directed by Beto Brant, with Marco Ricca, Paulo Miklos, Alexandre Borges, and Malu Mader.

Sonhos Tropicais (Tropical Dreams)—Brazil/2002—Two parallel stories. The first centered in the so-called Vaccine Revolt, which involved Oswaldo Cruz (1872-1917), the sanitarist physician credited with the yellow fever eradication in Rio. The second story deals with a young Polish-Jewish lady who becomes a prostitute after giving up on a Brazilian romance. Directed by André Sturm, with Carolina Kasting, Bruno Giordano, Lu Grimaldi, Flávio Galvão, Ingra Liberato, and Celso Frateschi.

Dias de Nietzsche em Turim (Days of Nietzsche in Turin)—Brazil/2001—The passage of German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) through the Italian town of Turin. Based in the last writings by that pioneer existentialist. Directed by Julio Bressane, with Fernando Eiras, Paulo José, Tina Novelli, Leandra Leal, and Mariana Xiemenes.
 

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BEST-SELLER BOOKS

FICTION

1. Harry Potter e o Cálice de Fogo, J.K. ROWLING, R$39,50

2. Sexo na Cabeça, LUIS FERNANDO VERISSIMO, R$11,90

3. Harry Potter e a Câmara Secreta, J.K. ROWLING, R$18,10

4. Diário do Farol: Romance, JOÃO UBALDO RIBEIRO, R$19,90

5. As Mentiras que os Homens Contam, LUIS FERNANDO VERÍSSIMO, R$11,90

6. O Senhor dos Anéis: Edição Completa, J.R.R. TOLKIEN, R$54,90

7. O Fim do Verão, ROSAMUNDE PILCHER, R$18,20

8. Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban, J.K. ROWLING, R$20,10

9. Os Cem Melhores Contos Brasileiros do Século, ÍTALO MORICONI, R$49,90

10. Os Cem Melhores Contos de Humor da Literatura Universal, FLAVIO MOREIRA DA COSTA, R$28,00

NONFICTION

1. Estação Carandiru, DRAUZIO VARELLA, R$ 29,50

2. O Livro de Ouro do Futebol, CELSO UNZELTE, R$28,90

3. O Universo Numa Casca de Noz, STEPHEN W. HAWKING, R$23,90 4. A Vida dos Doze Césares, SUETÔNIO, R$36,50

5. O Livro de Ouro da Mitologia: História de Deuses e Heróis, THOMAS BULFINCH, R$23,70

6. Uma Mente Brilhante, SYLVIA NASAR, R$29,80

7. Mais Pesado que o Céu: uma Biografia de Kurt Cobain, R$34,40

8. A Vida Sexual de Catherine M., CATHERINE MILLET, R$11,90

9. Mar de Dentro, LYA LUFT, R$15,90

10. Vinho e Guerra, PETIE KLADSTRUP and DON KLADSTRUP, R$19,90

ESOTERICISM AND SELF HELP

1. Quem Mexeu no Meu Queijo?, SPENCER N. JOHNSON, R$ 19,00

2. Eu Te Amo!, GABRIELA NASCIMENTO SPADA E SOUZA, R$15,50 3. Um Dia `Daqueles': uma Lição de Vida para Levantar o Seu Astral, BRADLEY TREVOR GREIVE, R$11,90

4. A Semente da Vitória, NUNO COBRA, R$19,90

5. Um Dia de Cão, JIM DRATFIELD, R$14,90

6. Você é Insubstituível, AUGUSTO CURY, R$7,20

7. Os 100 Segredos das Pessoas Felizes, DAVID NIVEN, R$14,90

8. Viva Feliz!, DIVERSOS, R$14,30

9. A Arte da Felicidade: um Manual para a Vida, A HOWARD C. CUTLER and DALAI LAMA R$20,70

10. O que Vale a Pena..., WENDY LUSTBASTER, R$28,00

According to Veja, www.veja.com.br