If you live in Brazil (or neighboring country) as I do, DON'T be surprised when you see a video cover with body parts of three (two girls and a guy) sexy twentyish hunks juxtaposed on a newspaper front page. Its headline is the movie's title: HE KILLED HIS FAMILY AND WENT TO THE MOVIES. Upon closer inspection, don't be further surprised that the threesome is comprised of the late 80's early 90's Brazilian male model-turned-actor Alexandre Frota (often shown on "all five" on a carpet), his then-girlfriend- the vuluptuous former ballet dancer (with a body to prove it) TV star Claudia Raia, and also sexy twentysh comedienne Louise Cardoso. Well, those would be the familiar elements, if somewhat racy, still within the realm of most people's universes. However, rent the movie and watch what's going on. THIS IS NO SOFT PORN. It's mainstream entertainment with some of Brazil's major stars, directed by one of the country's greatest. It never even caused a stir when it was released........Nevertheless, unless you find Pasolini's Salom old hat, you are in for a surprise. What you see on film surpasses even the wildest fantasies of a "debauched" Chilean or Argentine. This film definitely proves why this segment of Brazilian society is so notorious for "debauchery." Now I always thought debauchery was such a Victorian cliche, and still do, though things like this movie remind me it has a vague meaning. It's unbelievable that Brazil is surrounded by traditional societies where in most cases, divorce and sodomy are still criminalized (and recently reaffirmed in the case of divorce and homosexuality in Chile). Scenes in this Brazilian mainstream production couldn't even be imagined by most of its neighboring countries, forget about judging them. They are truly unheard of. First, the basic sexual and hormonal instinct which triggers everything in this film (and in this perhaps mythical segment of the Brazilian population)is shockingly different. Secondly, the normalcy surrounding the antics of two nude (wearing only very high heels) young girl friends, purportedly heterosexual, is chilling. But their fetishes are so outlandish, labels like heterosexual are useless boundaries. Their antics are a hoot. The movie is made up of five vignettes. It's worth renting, even if you speak no Portuguese, for the visuals of two of the vignettes. It is really unusual. And viewing them is essential to understanding that Brazil, morally and sexually, is a country that does not belong in the Americas. Worth a peek.
