"Melodrama" is a fine and comical short film that presents two movies in just one. It's a strange piece of criticism against itself but done in such a
humored way that it doesn't affect itself in hurtful ways. If you got confused, hear me out: back in the day, when you went to the movies to watch your highly
antecipated film there were always a showing of a Brazilian short film which never appealed to the majority of viewers but it was a political bill destined
to provide encouragement for people to view our own national cinema being made - since people tend to favor our cinema over Hollywood spectacles. So, this short
here plays exactly like those viewers, who complain about being forced to watch the short film before the actual movie.
Jorge Mansur composes two films in one: Ernesto Piccolo and Neuza Caribé play the young couple who go to the theatre to watch a new movie, and when they notice they arrived early jsut when the national short film was being shown, they complain but comply and watch the thing. That's when the movie-within-a-movie begins, called "Melodrama" where a dramatic failed love story is presented with a man (Piccolo) who is rejected by a female voice, the love of his life. He cries out, goes to the streets and tries to kill himself. That's when a girl (Neuza) interrupts his act and convinces to join to do some fun things with her. Then we are returned to the film watchers, who now seem more inclined to enjoy the short film.
Basically the director/writer is trying to show to film viewers of the 1980's that short films have the power to seduce and conquer you despite initially you're not liking it. I don't completely agree with the law but I find it fair that people should have those kind of experiences so they can judge themselves about what our cinema has to show, to be surprised with the quality, the story of our cinema, and in a perfect world we'd see viewers following other film experiences that usually they would never see or heard about if it wasn't for the "forced" experience. I never had that kind of thing when it comes to watching a movie - and I'd love that rather than watching 30 minutes of trailers and warnings about the cinema security and turn over your phone signs. I've become a short film enthusiast over the years thanks to people who suggest it to me, or my inclination in following some favorite director or actor. Now I love them, sometimes a lot more than feature films (not to mention, some shorts actually turn into feature later on).
This short is a small evidence of the importance of supporting your own cinema, your own product rather than diminishing its value over other appealing things. It's cute, fun and nice to see but it doesn't make much wonders about the cause of short films. Just a minor explosion. 7/10.
Jorge Mansur composes two films in one: Ernesto Piccolo and Neuza Caribé play the young couple who go to the theatre to watch a new movie, and when they notice they arrived early jsut when the national short film was being shown, they complain but comply and watch the thing. That's when the movie-within-a-movie begins, called "Melodrama" where a dramatic failed love story is presented with a man (Piccolo) who is rejected by a female voice, the love of his life. He cries out, goes to the streets and tries to kill himself. That's when a girl (Neuza) interrupts his act and convinces to join to do some fun things with her. Then we are returned to the film watchers, who now seem more inclined to enjoy the short film.
Basically the director/writer is trying to show to film viewers of the 1980's that short films have the power to seduce and conquer you despite initially you're not liking it. I don't completely agree with the law but I find it fair that people should have those kind of experiences so they can judge themselves about what our cinema has to show, to be surprised with the quality, the story of our cinema, and in a perfect world we'd see viewers following other film experiences that usually they would never see or heard about if it wasn't for the "forced" experience. I never had that kind of thing when it comes to watching a movie - and I'd love that rather than watching 30 minutes of trailers and warnings about the cinema security and turn over your phone signs. I've become a short film enthusiast over the years thanks to people who suggest it to me, or my inclination in following some favorite director or actor. Now I love them, sometimes a lot more than feature films (not to mention, some shorts actually turn into feature later on).
This short is a small evidence of the importance of supporting your own cinema, your own product rather than diminishing its value over other appealing things. It's cute, fun and nice to see but it doesn't make much wonders about the cause of short films. Just a minor explosion. 7/10.