ISMN: The Brazilian Star Wars (1978) - Saturday March 12th @ 8:00 PM
This week’s feature: The Brazilian Star Wars aka "Os Trapalhoes na Guerra dos Planetas" aka “The Tramps in the Planet War” (1978)
DVDR/98 Mins/Portuguese with English Subtitles/Not Rated
My friend Meredith reminded me that I had this film in the archive, and hey I was desperate for another film starting with “O”.
(Above: The Brazilian Chewbacca)
If you’re a fan of Turkish Star Wars, prepare to see a version that stoops even lower.
I wont say The Brazilian Star Wars is necessarily a “good” film, though it’s definitely watchable in an embarrassing “someone just got their pants pulled down” sort of way. Bets are you’ll dig it, especially if you like cultural mutated ripoffs as much as we do!
Most of it reminds me of the comedy you often see when you’re in a Mexican restaurant and their TV is on in the corner where you see sped up action of people running around bumping into things and falling down.
Most of this is due to the comedy team “Os Trapalhoes” aka “The Tamps” or “The Bunglers” who made several films during the day goofing on popular culture. Much like the films of Abbott and Costello with the humor of the Bowery Boys.
The result is the cartoonish and complete childish lunacy of a bunch of guys trying to make a quick buck off the Lucas fad. I can see many hard Star Wars fans being angry at this parody and possibly wanting to leave the room because it’s like giving the Holy Grail of sci-fi a deliberate kick in the crotch.
The Story is simple: The Brazilian Luke Skywalker “Prince Flick” comes to earth to employ the world’s dumbest humans, who by the way are camping in the desert in hiding from committing some sort of unexplained crime (one had just caught his bum bum on fire), to save the Empire from the “Brazilian Darth Vader”, fight the war of the sand people and rescue the kidnapped princess. In desperate need of money the men agree.
(Above: Prince Flik the “Brazilian Luke Skywalker”.
That’s pretty much it. The “Tramps” are flown to space and along the way the guys clown around with everything they see, touch buttons they shouldn’t, dance at a cantina disco, find odd weapons, run away from a giant spider, have an encounter with bird people and hang out with a bunch of feathered hair white chicks. etc.
(Above: The classy blue screen special effects :)
Possibly the most memorable parts are the ludicrous attacks by invisible people after the men find mixed fruit trees in the desert (my personal favorite scene), and when Darth Vader gets shot with a freeze ray giving us the scene where a guy messes around with Vader’s helmet and does everything possible to make him look stupid.
If you like your sci-fi on the banal mixed with the 3 Stooges, this just might be your cup of tea.
Sheer absurdity aside, you should see this film regardless! It’s yet another interesting study of cultural domino effects, odd media archeology, and bizarre international anthropology. My applause for whoever decided to translate this film and give it subtitles.
In conclusion - Not as bizarre as Turkish Star Wars but more entertaining than the Italian and Japanese Star Wars Ripoffs (in my opinion).
See it this week only! It may be your only chance.
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Bonus Short Film: TBA - check back later.
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Time: Thursday March 10th @ 8:00 PM
Place: Chatham Town #33, Provo, UT
Parking: BYU ROTC bld across the street. Do it or get “the boot”.
Free as always. Treats, Friends and Costumes Welcome!
See you there!
Much Love,
BCSTERRETT
