Asphalt sharks
Movie | |
---|---|
German title | Asphalt sharks |
Original title | Pixote: A lei do mais fraco |
Country of production | Brazil |
original language | Portuguese |
Publishing year | 1981 |
length | 128 minutes |
Age rating | FSK 16 |
Rod | |
Director | Hector Babenco |
script | Babenco Durán, Jorge Durán |
production | Hector Babenco, Paulo Francini, Joaquim Pinto |
music | John Neschling |
camera | Rodolfo Sánchez |
cut | Luiz Elias |
occupation | |
|
Asphalt Sharks ( Portuguese : Pixote: A lei do mais fraco ) is a Brazilian film directed by Héctor Babenco . The script was written by Babenco and Jorge Durán; it is based on the book A infância dos mortos ( The Childhood of the Dead ) by José Louzeiro.
The main role of Pixote is played by Fernando Ramos Da Silva; Da Silva was later shot dead by police in São Paulo at the age of 19 . Marília Pêra plays at his side as Sueli.
The plot revolves around the Brazilian street boy Pixote, who grows up in a climate of violence and is abused as a drug courier.
action
After a police raid, the street boy Pixote is admitted to a reformatory for young people. To avoid the horrific experiences of physical and sexual abuse by the guards, he sniffs glue.
It soon becomes clear that the criminal youths are only whipping boys for the likewise criminal and sadistic games of the guards and their superiors.
When one of the boys dies as a result of the abuse, the guards accuse transsexual Lilica (Jorge Julião), a lover of the murder, of murder. Soon afterwards, the guards also kill him.
Soon after, Pixote, Lilica and Dito (Gilberto Moura) have the opportunity to escape. First they move into the apartment of the drug addict Cristal (Tony Tornado), a former lover of Lilica, but go to Rio when conflicts arise with Cristal. In Rio, the three are supposed to close a cocaine deal, but are ripped off by a stripper.
After wandering the city for a while, Pixote and his friends go to a nightclub to sell the rest of the cocaine. There Pixote meets the stripper again and stabs her.
To earn a living, they pimp the aging prostitute Sueli. Together they regularly rob Sueli's suitors. One day, however, this plan goes wrong with an American: Because he doesn't understand Portuguese , he defends himself against the young people and shoots Ditto. The American is then shot by Pixote.
Later, after Pixote was rejected by his self-chosen surrogate mother Sueli, he is seen walking along the tracks in the last shot of the film, away from the camera. He is holding a revolver.
criticism
“The hardship of a huge marginalized group is shown in hard, sometimes shocking images. The film constantly observes from the point of view of those affected, but sometimes gets lost in speculative moments and neglects a deeper discussion of the social reasons for misery. "
background
- Assignment of roles
The film is shot in the style of the documentary and was heavily influenced by Italian neorealism . The actors used were amateurs, whose real life showed strong parallels to their roles.
- Locations
The film was shot in the notorious criminal districts of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro . Some settings show Rio's charming city beaches.
Awards
Prices
- San Sebastián International Film Festival : OCIC Award - Honorable Mention; Hector Babenco; 1981.
- Locarno International Film Festival : Silver Leopard; Hector Babenco; 1981.
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards : LAFCA Award; Best Foreign Film; 1981.
- New York Film Critics Circle Awards : NYFCC Award; Best Foreign Language Film; 1981.
- Boston Society of Film Critics Awards : BSFC Award; Best Actress, Marília Pêra; Best movie; 1982.
- National Society of Film Critics Awards, USA: NSFC Award Best Actress, Marília Pêra; 1982.
Nominations
- Golden Globes : Golden Globe, Best Foreign Film, Brazil; 1982.
Web links
- Asphalt sharks in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Asphalt sharks at rotten tomatoes (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. imdb