Rating: 
Summary: Gilliam's greatest movie
Review: Universal or Criterion?Supposedly Criterion has the director's cut, but the Universal DVD must also be the director's cut despite the 2hr, 11min time given on the box. It's actually longer than the VHS version, has extra scenes and some changes. One thing that surprised me, though, was the missing "My god, it works!" line.
Rating:
Summary: Great film, best extra feature I've encountered
Review: Despite vague memories of feeling disappointed by the version I saw in the theater years ago, I sprang for the Criterion set in part because I was curious about all the special features. Though I haven't explored everything on these three discs, I am very happy with the set. First, I watched the documentary on the second disc, which details Gilliam's troubles getting his version of the film out. This contains some hilarious attempts at self justification by the man who made the "Love Conquers All" version. (A similarly wonderful documentary appears on the 12 Monkeys DVD.) Then I watched the Gilliam cut with the Gilliam commentary on: he's funny and very intelligent--he stands by his artistic values, yet he's charmingly modest in many ways. Lots of varied insights and info (I now know the spot he still wishes he'd put a cross and how he struggled to get his daughter to come out with the "I won't look at your willie" line). Then I watched the third disc with the commentary on: the commentary is by a harsh critic of the "Love" version and details the poor judgment involved. An amazing demonstration of how the same footage can be used to produce a completely different vision (which got me fretting over the emerging question whether Kubrick intended Eyes Wide Shut to have an entirely different, and much funnier tone than the version we are left with). Finally, I watched the Director's Cut version, which is a truly beautiful, frightening, and hilarious film.
Rating:
Summary: Criterion Edition best way to get this film!
Review: When I first saw Brazil, I was a little mixed about it. I found it visually amazing, yet it's plot and tone were all confused. I thought the movie felt it was more important and more expressive of our society, and overall, more arty than it actually was. I watched it several times and I still felt the same way about it. But I bought this edition and watched the director's cut (about 11 minutes longer) and my attitude has changed completely about it. This movie is absolutely amazing!! It's terrffic. This Final Cut of the film is more humouress, more satrical and a much better commentary on our information hungry times, more so than the regular American release. It's amazing what rearranging scenes, a couple more shots and longer scenes can do to a movie. It's absolutely terrific. When I saw the American version, I understood why Universal wanted to change it, but after seeing this (knowing that this is close to what the suits saw once Gilliam finished it for them back in 1984) I cna't understand what they saw so wrong with it. This DVD (exactly the same as the Criterion laserdisc) has all sorts of neat extras spread out on the 3 discs as well. The most notable is the "Love Conquers All" version with 50 minutes cut from the movie and a completely different ending. After seeing that though (the one Universal wanted released) I'm glad they still released that American version.
Rating: 
Summary: Great effects and story line
Review: I enjoyed the effects of this movie and the different ways the tie the main characters love life to his dreams.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic. A Bargain. A Must-Have.
Review: I received my copy (copies?) of the Criterion edition of "Brazil" yesterday afternoon. I've watched it twice since them, and I must say that it's a fantastic transfer. The video quality is top-notch. (I can't comment too much on the audio, as my audio system far lags my video!) I can't believe that I finally get to see the "Terry Gilliam Cut" of the movie! Regardless, I highly recommend this disc set, and it's a bargain at the price.
Rating:
Summary: The Subtle Death of Freedom
Review: A masterpiece. I've seen hundreds of movies, and this one ranks up there with Citizen Kane or Casablanca. Perhaps too intellectual at times, perhaps too darn obvious in its symbolism, the final message is as complex as they come: isn't "Brazil" already happening? If you can take your movies deep and appreciate re-viewing value, buy it! If you only want to be entertained, and detest blatant intellectualism or just British black humour is not your cup of tea, skip it!
Rating:
Summary: 1984 meets Lewis Carrol
Review: If George Orwell had dropped acid, perhaps this is the type of story 1984 would have been. The comparison is apt, but to say the film is simply a hipper 1984 doesn't do it nearly enough justice. Sam Lowry, a lowly bureaucrat, enjoys his anonymity in a world where getting noticed or promoted can easily lead to getting killed, and would certainly lead to losing your soul. Living in a totalitarian regime that represses all individuality (and seems to ban happiness and light), Sam takes comfort in his dreams of another, more heroic life. When called upon to help his ineffectual boss (the wonderful Ian Holm) fix a clerical error that has led to an innocent man's death, Sam accidentally meets the girl of his dreams, and all hell breaks loose. He's drawn into a world of underground heating engineers, terrorist bombings, and, worst of all, love and compassion. This is the story of how one man's love for both a woman and an ideal cause him to risk everything he's spent a lifetime protecting. His ultimate failure, however, is really a triumph. Sam's final escape allows him to achieve his dreams permanently. This despite the fact that everything he has tried to do has gone horribly wrong. Savagely funny and, alarmingly, more and more realistic as the years go by, Brazil will go down as a landmark of 20th century film. And Jonathan Pryce certainly establishes himself as one of the greatest actors of our time. He's so subtle that you hardly notice how callused an individual Sam is. Visiting the widow of a man accidentally killed early in the film, Sam really feels no compassion, so thoroughly has he buried his true nature in order to maintain sanity in his insane world. But over the course of the film Sam allows all those buried emotions and feelings loose, and, of course, it is this allowing of himself to become fully human that is his downfall. Superficially a downer, Brazil is really a film about the triumph of the human spirit. If you finish the film and do not feel uplifted, you have perhaps missed the point of it all. Old George O. surely would have laughed and laughed and laughed.
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Summary: Gilliam's not your average Python
Review: A good friend recommended this movie to me several months ago, knowing I was already a big fan of Monty Python, and I finally got around to renting it about two weeks ago. Wow. Never mind that I saw the American version with bad sound even for a videotape; this is one of the finest films ever made. Oddly romantic in most places, especially in the last half hour. Never have 2 hours and 12 minutes gone by so fast. All of Gilliam's Python work combined doesn't compare to this. See it, buy it, and if the song sticks in you head after, don't panic. Hum along.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant,witty and more profound with each viewing.
Review: This is one of the finest movies ever and I feel now that MUST purchase a DVD for the sole purpose of seeing this film as it was originally meant to be. Gilliam's vision is fantastic. Even without a DVD, you can enjoy the richness of the performances and story. Everyone should have this film in their library and watch it on a regular basis. With every watching, you will see another nugget or hidden bit of whimsy. Enjoy it!
Rating:
Summary: masterpiece
Review: This Gilliam masterpiece is a unique gem with a real insight on society. Any one who criticizes this film is doing themselves a great disservice and is being argumentative just for the sake of going against the grain. Awesome experience that every one should enjoy!
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