Brazil(1985) and V for Vendetta (2006), Research Paper Example

Thesis

There are many pieces of literature and movies out there in the world today that are set to show us, the people, what kind of world we could be living in if we keep pretending that nothing is happening around us. Brazil is a movie that depicted this type of dystopian society perfectly. V for Vendetta is another film which has the same type of totalitarian society along with many other similarities that Terry Gilliam’s Brazil also exhibits such as the subject of terrorism and the use of an anti-hero as a main character.

Brazil and V for Vendetta: in perspective

The use of a hero that would serve to embody the element of a terrorist may serve to flip the perception of the ideology that each hero is based on good deeds and their mannerism must be of a good nature. In most cases the hero must exhibit a nature of god will in their activities in any given movie. This is nearly the opposite creating an oxymoron regarding the characters and the heroes of the movie. The two movies provide a general illustration of how good may not necessarily be based on pure good. The general depiction of the movies serves to provide an outlook at how societies are affected and the case of terrorism is portrayed n an indirect manner.

Brazil (1958) is a movie that is based on the search by a man for a woman that appears in his dream, while dealing with the pain-staking elements of a mind-numbing job as well as living in a small apartment. The movie is depicted in a dystopian society, but the director establishes a sense of comical relief in the movie to remove the veil of depression and major gloom in the film. The movie shows the aspects of a dysfunctional world that affects Terry Gilliam, who is the director of the film.

The element of terrorism is evident in the movie based on the element that the ideologies and factors that are evident in the film are a depiction of the aspects of how factors can make it uncomfortable for an individual to exist, which is similar to the notion of terrorism in general society (Matthew, “Dreaming Brazil”). in the case of Sam Lowry, he is constantly terrorized by the aspect of the elements that surround are very unappealing to his existence, and they make it quite demanding for him to continue to live in the parameters that he is constantly trying to come to terms with. This element of not living in his ideal world may torment his mental function, creating the ideology of being terrorized; hence the picture of Lowry living in a terrorist world. (BobMcabe, 55)

This is in contrast to V for Vendetta (2006), which is based on a comic book. The movie is based on the aftermath of a nuclear war, and everything is practically destroyed. In an act of revenge an anarchist referred to as ‘V’, seeks to revenge the actual problems of the society, by riding it of the captors and bringing down the flawed government as well as establishing the ideology that people can rule themselves.

The movie illustrates the element of terrorism from start to finish. N the case of the captors, they are constantly seeking to torment their captives as a sign of power. Their main objective is to exercise their inhumane authority on captives and to make them do as they please, which is tormenting for the captives thus the element of terrorism. (Moore, “V for Vendetta”)

V mannerisms in the movie suggest terrorism and thus serve to illustrate the general depiction of an anti hero. In most cases the hero will carry out ideologies that are based on the aspect of saving people using the right manner of execution. This is quite the opposite in V for Vendetta, as V is all about revenge and his manner of execution is based on the factor of revenge, making his enemies suffer in the same manner that they used to terrorize individuals. (Moore, ‘Behind the painted face’)

V’s manners would serve to suggest that he is a terrorist as he uses some extreme measures in dealing with his enemies. His actions may serve to suggest that he himself is a terrorist. In a manner of speaking this is a perception that is seen by the people that he is seeking to save, who without him would still be trapped in a dystopian society and the general future of the individuals.

In actual theory, they may serve to define or illustrate the future would be a dystopian future without the intervention of V. therefore V intervenes in the altering of the future of the United Kingdom, which in actual fact can be related to a terrorist who seeks to alter the general function and ideology of changing the world into their own personal liking. This intention is evident in V for Vendetta. (Brown, “Headspace: Inside The Mindscape Of Alan Moore”)

In the general seeking of a dystopian society the two films provide the understanding of how society can curbed and pushed to function or operate in a certain manner that may not suite certain individuals. In the two movies there is an illustration of the manner of rule and dominance of a society that is forced to come to terms with the rules and regulations that are served to dominate society a whole and domineer their existence and reduce society to a group to robots who only follow and obey rules.

However, the movies illustrate how a number of individuals rise against the element of ‘oppression’. In the two movies there is an individual that rises to the occasion of trying to change the ideologies of rule; however, each individual has a different perception of how they should go about. While in Brazil the hero is focused on his personal life, in V for Vendetta, the hero is focused on the alteration of society as a whole.

The ideology of hero in both movies is in contradiction of the terminology and as a result they are actually referred to as anti-heroes. They are basically the individuals that are the positive revolution of their respective movies, but the means and manners that are used in revolutionizing the respective societies are radical and in some cases demonstrate masochism. As a result they are considered to be the anti-heroes and terrorists for that matter.

Work Cited

Moore, Alan “Behind the Painted Smile”. Warrior (17). Web. 1983)

Brown, Adrian “Headspace: Inside The Mindscape Of Alan Moore” Ninth Art. Web. 2004

Matthews, Jack “Dreaming Brazil” (essay accompanying The Criterion Collection DVD release). Web. 1996

Bob McCabe “Brazil (The Evolution of the 54th Best British Film Ever Made)”, Orion books Ltd. Print 2001

Moore, Alan, Lloyd, David . “V for Vendetta” V for Vendetta: DC Comics. Print. 1989