Pixote: La Ley Del Mas Débil (Dvd) [2009] (Import Movie) (European Format - Zone 2)

A deeply disturbing and heartbreaking neo-realist film, about an abandoned, unwanted 10 year old living first in a reformatory, and then on Brazil's mean streets.The performances Babenco gets from his non-professional cast are amazing, especially his tiny young lead.The film almost totally avoids the twin traps of false sentimentality (although it's got plenty of emotion), or needless flashiness. It occasionally feels aimless, but somehow, in the end,always adds up.Probably the weakest, most problematic moment is the opening, where the `director' (Babenco, or an actor?) tells us that these actors are real people, gives us some facts and figures about them, and tells that their lives are much like those shown in the film.It then took me the first few minutes of the movie to forget about that, and get involved with the characters, and not get all intellectually caught up the artistic complexities of `real people' playing a dramatic variation on their lives.So perhaps I don't consider this terrific, important film a 'perfect' masterpiece as so many do- but I deeply admire it and respect it, would encourage everyone to see it (though you doubtless find the experience upsetting) and look forward to seeing it a third time. You will never be able to look at a poor kid on the street quite the same way again.And I'm thrilled that after years of waiting, a proper 1:85 release is available. Yes, it's DVD-R, which means it may not play on your computer, theoretically will have a shorter shelf life, and has no extras. But after years where this important, influential film was out of print and very difficult to see - and when you could find it it was a terribly transferred 4:3 VHS based version that someone wanted $60 for - this is a big step in the right direction

The profusion of 5-stars awarded to this movie by its reviewers puzzles me. Like many of them, I too saw it when it first appeared and had sufficiently fond memories to purchase this DVD recently. Much of what I saw this time round was unfamiliar and shocking, and I can only presume that in 1981, the censors did an excellent job in protecting the artist (and his public) from his own excesses. The film cannot make up its mind about its own identity: the opening frames suggest that it is a virtual documentary but the incidents portrayed progress into the realm of the incredible and the director weakens his own case by almost turning the whole work into a fantasy. This schizophrenia seems to have touched several of its eminent reviewers; some praise its graphic truth, while others (notably Pauline Kael) were captivated by its "magic realism". All of this would be less contentious if the film-making was of a high artistic and poetic order, but I did not find this to be the case. Ugliness and brutality are emphasized beyond the needs required to explore this deplorable social phenomenon. How many rapes and murders does Babenco need to make his point? The movie goes on far too long and eventually becomes boring and repetitive. It is violence at its crudest, with none of the visual elegance with which Kubrick (Clockwork Orange) or Peckinpah (The Wild Ones) can present this ugly phenomenon. Nor does it possess the lyrical quality that De Sica (Shoeshine) or Bunuel (Los Olvidados) brought to their exposition of street-children. We all know from more recent events how easy it is to turn children into remorseless killers: Charles Taylor (Liberia) and Joseph Koney (Uganda) have taught us that lesson most effectively. If you give Pixote 5-stars, how many more should you give that other Brazilian film focusing on a single street child, where every frame is filled with hope, courage, compassion, and the structural skills of a real camera artist ------ Central Station? As a piece of well-meaning propaganda, Pixote has passed its period of utility. As propaganda, it seems to have had no beneficial effect on the problem to which it was designed to draw attention, and as a work of art it is no more than passable.

Truly a chilling, and vivid account of Brazil's homeless children and teenagers. How they are used by corrupt police and other criminal organizations to commit crimes.This stars Fernando Ramos Da Silva as your main star Pixote who sadly in real life at the age of 19 was killed by Brazilian police in São Paulo. Art sadly came true and ended in a gun shoot out. Sadly Fernando Ramos Da Silva was never able to get out of the slums in real life and seemed to become the part. Although there is a mystery behind his death. Some say he was murdered by the very corrupt police the movie showcases. He often stated that he could never get away from the image of Pixote and that the police could never differentiate his real self from his character or maybe it was him who could not.This deals with the poverty of street children. Children that end up committing crimes because they are exploited by adults. Most once caught are sent to overcrowded dormitories where they struggle to survive.On the outside kidnapped, they struggle to find food and are treated as sexual objects. This is a vivid depiction of the world of innocence’s lost.This holds nothing back. The rape of children, the abuse of children, the lost souls. All seen through the eyes of one young boy named Pixote.You can finish my review here: http://www.abucketofcorn.com/2013/11/pixote-1981.html?m=0

The storyline to this film was fairly complicated to follow even with the English subtitles But on the whole it was very clear for the street boys of Brazil it was a fight for survival what with the risk of sex abuse which the law seem to turn a blind eye to the street robberies and murder by corrupt Police I recall what was known at the clean up as Brazil prepared for the 2014 world cup so much suffering for so many people It was a lawless then and I wont be surprised if little has changed Having watched this film I Think I got a clue where author Marc Finks got the idea for his books Boys for sale and the follow up Redemption watch this film and read these books and then compare

Well filmed, well acted and an effective piece of story telling. This will touch the hearts of anyone who has a heart

May be a good film, but as it was sold in English, and the reviews were all in English, I mistakingly assumed it would have English subtitles. Sadly it only has two subtitle options, both French, only one of which gives subtitles. Don't buy unless you are multi-lingual.

Film takes a long time to start off. Very good acting by the children in the film. Lilica (Jorge Juliao), is striking as a 17 year old travestite. Dito with his gangster appearence and black glasses comes up close behind. Sometimes you sometimes wonder if you're really watching a film or a documentary. A number of scenes (breastfeeding, Pixote gazing at the holy Virgin, soundtrack) are a bit stereotype

The audio was only in Portuguese and there were no English subtitles available so can’t watch this unfortunately