Lionsgate: The Boys from Brazil

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Jeff
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Lionsgate: The Boys from Brazil

#1 Post by Jeff » Thu Jan 29, 2009 11:21 pm

The Boys from Brazil

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Alive and hiding in South America, the fiendish Nazi Dr. Josef Mengele (Peck) gathers a group of former colleagues for a horrifying project- he wants to clone Hitler. Barry Kohler (Steve Guttenberg) gets wind of the project and informs famed Nazi hunter Ezra Lieberman (Olivier), but before he can relay the evidence, Kohler is killed. Mengele continues his murderous plot, creating 94 young Hitlers and killing their fathers to simulate the madman's own boyhood. As Mengele moves closer to producing global terror, Lieberman alone must discover the terrifying extent of his plan and stop it.

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dx23
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#2 Post by dx23 » Mon Feb 02, 2009 5:22 pm

Is this just a re-issue of the Artisan DVD or is a new transfer? The old disc is mediocre at best. By the way, I'm wondering why a Blu-ray disc is not being released on the same day. I know other regions have the film on BD already.

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Jean-Luc Garbo
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#3 Post by Jean-Luc Garbo » Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:14 pm

Wow - now that is a plot. :roll: Is this film actually any good?

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cdnchris
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#4 Post by cdnchris » Tue Feb 03, 2009 4:34 pm

Jean-Luc Garbo wrote:Wow - now that is a plot. :roll: Is this film actually any good?
I like it. A lot actually. It's based on an Ira Levin novel and I remember hearing the plot and thinking what you're probably thinking, but I checked out the film and found it to be an incredibly entertaining thriller. I haven't seen it in years but I remember liking the performances (I was used to Peck playing more heroic characters at that point so seeing him play such an evil villain was fresh for me) and loving the score. In the end, it's the best thing Steve Guttenberg has ever been in.


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Person
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#6 Post by Person » Tue Feb 03, 2009 6:20 pm

Jean-Luc Garbo wrote:Wow - now that is a plot. :roll: Is this film actually any good?
I don't like it. Olivier's performance is terrible, I feel and I say that as a huge fan of the man. He seems tired or jaded throughout the film and his accent is ropey at times. Peck's dyed hair, moutache and similarly ropey German accent are all pure camp, surely? Maybe not. Again, I greatly admire Peck but this one is phoned in on an Alex Bell prototype model. The tone of the film is really erratic, swinging from tight, serious, suspenseful thriller into seemingly unintentional absurdity. The production values are a bit out of tune at times, too, where early on you have what seems to be a glossy epic shot in astounding locations, ending up in bland working class housholds and Herchell Gordon Lewis quality fake blood everywhere. But it's an entertaining piece of shit, no doubt about it, but don't look at the cast be impressed a priori, as these three titans of drama all show themselves up a fair bit. Recall Olivier in John Badham's Dracula where he looks more like death than Langella, who looks positively radiant. The best performance comes from the child actor, Jeremy Black who plays multiple roles as the Hitler clones!

It's an odd film, with far too silly a premise considering the real history of Hitler and the Nazis. The Producers aside, I'm not to keen on the Nazis being associated with silliness or sci-fi/horror. I think that with a bit of work, a better screenwriter could have made the whole story far more sinister and other directors would have reigned in Peck and Olivier towards better performances. Schaffner really seems to have lost his touch after Papillon, which I think is a fine film with excellent performances. I'm a big fan of Nicholas and Alexandra, too.

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tavernier
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#7 Post by tavernier » Tue Feb 03, 2009 7:18 pm

cdnchris wrote:In the end, it's the best thing Steve Guttenberg has ever been in.
Pull quote of the year!

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Gary Tooze
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#8 Post by Gary Tooze » Tue Feb 03, 2009 9:53 pm

Like Chris, I'm a fan. It's a typical 'Sir Lew Grade' hoaxy film and broaching the 'cloning' subject years before, say, Jurassic Park. It is very entertaining. I can't imagine though that this upcoming DVD will hold a candle to the region FREE Blu-ray that is already out.

G

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cdnchris
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#9 Post by cdnchris » Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:05 am

This thread calls for a Simpson quote:

Homer: Don't you know the boys from Brazil are little Hitlers? I saw it in a movie whose name I can't remember.

I actually agree with Person on a lot of things he states, though I can't recall Olivier's performance which probably does suggest he's not very good, but I loved Peck's performance, despite the fact that it is his most over the top (based on the films of his I've seen) And yes, the premise is beyond silly, but while the movie is playing I buy it, even its out-there climax. I actually forgot the Blu-ray. I'm going to have to pick that up.

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domino harvey
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#10 Post by domino harvey » Wed Feb 04, 2009 12:35 am

This was one of the twenty-three films Olivier was Oscar-nominated for, by the way

DrBanan
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#11 Post by DrBanan » Wed Feb 04, 2009 5:28 am

tavernier wrote:
cdnchris wrote:In the end, it's the best thing Steve Guttenberg has ever been in.
Pull quote of the year!
No. That is of course Diner (Barry Levinson, 1982) 8-)

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tojoed
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#12 Post by tojoed » Wed Feb 04, 2009 9:22 am

DrBanan wrote:
tavernier wrote:
cdnchris wrote:In the end, it's the best thing Steve Guttenberg has ever been in.
Pull quote of the year!
No. That is of course Diner (Barry Levinson, 1982) 8-)
Exactly what I was going to say. Hear hear.

Props55
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#13 Post by Props55 » Wed Feb 04, 2009 1:43 pm

Don't know whether it was age, fatigue or just working to keep up his health coverage but all of Olivier's post MARATHON MAN work suffers from the "Professor Lil' ole' man" syndrome. His performances in BOYS, A LITTLE ROMANCE and DRACULA are virtually interchangable both vocally and physically.

And (oh my God!) I've forgotten that awful remake of THE JAZZ SINGER where he plays Neal Diamond's father!

HarryLong
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#14 Post by HarryLong » Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:08 pm

And you had to remind us as well, didn't you? Gosh. Thanks!
This was one of the twenty-three films Olivier was Oscar-nominated for, by the way
I believe the thinking behind this was "Can't we find some excuse to get him an Oscar before he croaks!?"

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dx23
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Re: The Boys from Brazil

#15 Post by dx23 » Wed Feb 04, 2009 4:26 pm

DrBanan wrote:
tavernier wrote:
cdnchris wrote:In the end, it's the best thing Steve Guttenberg has ever been in.
Pull quote of the year!
No. That is of course Diner (Barry Levinson, 1982) 8-)
No love for Short Circuit here! :cry: :x

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