This is quality TV at its greatest and a rarity ressurected in the best timing ever. "Dibuk, O Demônio" ("Dibuk, the devil") is one of the many
short play adaptations produced by Globo network on a series called "Caso Especial", running from the 1970's to the 1990's. Usually, TV shows and special
programs from the early 70's are either lost, partially existing or if complete the quality is terrible with poor sound and images. This one is far from
that, possible remastered years later and can be easily found in excellent quality.
How did this priceless rarity came to my attention? Blame it on Regina Duarte's final day as a government representative, a pitiful thing that was offered
to her and a real life tragic end of career, of which during a conversation with my aunt I said that this would be a sad final legacy to a good actress of
whom I was fond of and I mentioned that soap opera "Roque Santeiro" and the film "Além da Paixão" were her best projects. As a reply, aunt disagreed and
said "Dibuk" was her best thing ever. I was like "What is that?" She saw it back in 1972 and had vivid moments about it since Regina didn't play the usual
nice girl. A quick search and there I was watching, more and more impressed as things were unfolding.
It's the story of a young woman (Regina) who while visiting her mother's graveyard hours before her wedding gets possessed by the spirit of a man who was
in love with her when he was alive. It all happens on a Jewish community in the late 1800's, maybe years before - hence why the Dibuk name (Hebrew word
for demon), and with the help of the elder religious members they'll try to cast out the spirit, who time and again makes threats using her body to threat
and demand she cannot marry another man. So, here's a horror story that precedes "The Exorcist" by a year and manages to scare audiences even today. In the
actual context and knowing what the genre presented in other times, it's kind of a funny project but there are several spooky sequences.
I talked about the timing and why this became more relevant now than it was decades ago. Why now? A few months ago Brazil's sweetheart Regina Duarte left her career as a veteran acclaimed actress to get a position in
the secretary of culture becoming a prominent character in president Bolsonaro's office. She became the talk of the town, was disowned by the network
who brought her to fame and 40-something days later of not doing anything worthy in the government, she left the job. No prize, no truce and no pity were
given to her at the time and after that. During her tenure in the culture ministry, she made erratic and controversial remarks, stormed out during an
infamous interview after clashing with two TV anchors and with all that she lost plenty of credit among the public to the point of more experienced viewers
saying that she was possessed by the Dibuk all over again. It probably was. The special got a new life after that, so I guess that's her only good thing
during that political time.
Back to the episode in question: not only it's a very entertaining horror but also a quite educational dramatic project, presenting the Jewish culture as
hardly ever presented on future TV projects. Excellent art-direction with detailed characterizations though the black-and-white cinematography doesn't help
us in seeing it much at times. Regina Duarte had her moment here, terrifying and menacing when possessed; and the cast includes Ítalo Rossi on his TV debut
for Globo - he plays the veteran leader who conducts the exorcism; Buza Ferraz, Isaac Bardaavid, Edney Giovenazzi and José Wilker as the spirit (you can't see
much of him, but his unmistakable voice can be heard at times).
A precious TV gem that goes beyond my remarks on the actress (but it's so much fun with that context) and on a higher lever it's a powerful tale about the
supernatual forces coming back to surface and how faith and the support from a whole community can fight against the obscure and the unknown forces of evil.
Deeply interesting. 9/10.