Emma G's thoughts on Brazil

Gilliam uses an arresting and original cinematic style to "demonstrate the demoralizing and oppressive nature of social modernity".  This is especially true for his movie, Brazil.  It is clear that while producing this film he took advantage of his choices as director and solidified his themes through setting, colors, dialogue etc.  Gilliam successfully bags on modernity throughout the movie, however, some specific examples include; a) when Sam Lowry wakes up late because his alarm clock is broken, then his breakfast is ruined from all of the modern technology that was initially invented to make his life easier--it clearly only made things more difficult in Sam's case, b) when a tiny insect created a huge flaw in the system and had catastrophic results for many many people, and c) when Sam's mother dies because of her plastic surgery addiction. 

I liked how Gilliam parallels Lowry's daydreams to his real life;  the contrast between Lowry's paradise and his reality clarify Gilliam's message tremendously.  

I also liked how Gilliam used different versions of the song "Brazil" to set the tone for each scene, playing it slower, faster etc... 

I am a little confused about his subtitle in the beginning "Somewhere in the 20th century" because it sounds to me like he was pretty insistent on the title 1984 and 1/2 for his movie. This is obviously a play on George Orwell's 1984 and not specifically a reference to the date, but it's still confusing.  If they wanted the date to be unspecified, why did they have to mention the 20th century at all?  Did Gilliam want the audience to think this movie is of the past, present or future? I personally prefer to believe the movie is of the present/future because then you can make connections to our own government/society and hear the sad truths of our time.  But who knows?  As Lavender mentioned, he does say "Somewhere" not "Sometime" so maybe the beginning subtitle has nothing to do with the date but only with the place...  The ending subtitle does indeed say "Sometime soon", this subtitle to me epitomizes post-modernism.  I say this because the movie was created in 1985, about the future, but still in the 20th century (which is now in the past).  This is JUST like 1984, a futuristic novel written in the 50's, but is now in the past.  I'm not entirely sure, but those subtitles definitely sent me for a spin. 

OVERALL- I was very very impressed by this film.