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Black God White Devil

Geraldo Del Ray (Actor), Glauber Rocha (Director) Rated:
PG-13
Format: DVD
3.2 3.2 out of 5 stars 12 ratings
IMDb7.2/10.0
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DVD
September 7, 2010 		—
1
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$24.82 $11.39
Playback Region 2 : This will not play on most DVD players sold in the U.S., U.S. Territories, Canada, and Bermuda. See other DVD options under “Other Formats & Versions”. Learn more about DVD region specifications here

Product Description

Product Description

Wanted for killing his boss, Manuel (Geraldo del Rey) flees with his wife Rosa (Yona Magalhaes) to the sertao, the barren landscape of Northern Brazil. Thrust into a primordial violent region, Manuel and Rosa come under the influence and control of a series of frightening figures. Sebastiao (Lidio Silva), a fanatic preacher who promises utopia but practices massacre and a band of bandits called Cangaceiros led by Corisco (Othon Bastos). Shuttled between the 'Black God' and 'White Devil', Manuel and Rosa's struggle for survival escalates when Church authorities hire a hitman named Antonio das Mortes (Mauricio do Valle) to hunt down every combatant in the region.

'An idea in the head and a camera in the hand' was Glauber Rocha's motto, and every shot in this film displays innovation of thought and control over form. In addition to writing and directing the film, Rocha wrote the folk songs scored by Heitor Villa-Lobos and Sergio Ricardo. Black God, White Devil became the banner film of Brazil's Cinema Novo movement. Its artistic achievement, acknowledged by Luis Buñuel and Bernardo Bertolucci, has made it a seminal classic of film history.

Review

The fusion of European and Afro-Brazilian elements -- dialogue, exquisite black-and-white images, and music by Villa-Lobos -- is startlingly original and poetical in conveying the hope and despair of the oppressed --Chicago Reader

The most beautiful thing I have seen in more than a decade, filled with savage poetry --Luis Buñuel

Black God White Devil has been voted the greatest Brazilian film of all time...It is visionary cinema at its rawest --Uncut Magazine

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ Unknown
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.09 x 6.3 x 0.2 inches; 2.72 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ MRBDVD010
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Glauber Rocha
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ Import, PAL
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 2 hours and 5 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ September 7, 2010
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Geraldo Del Ray
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ English
  • Language ‏ : ‎ Portuguese (Dolby Digital 2.0)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ IMPORTS
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B001L2S1WU
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.2 3.2 out of 5 stars 12 ratings

Customer reviews

3.2 out of 5 stars
3.2 out of 5
12 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Tommy Dooley
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece of Brazilian Cinema
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2014
Original title in Portuguese is `Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol'; which translates as, "God and the Devil in the Land of Sun". Seen as the leader in Cinema Novo, director Glauber Rocha was just 25 when he made this in 1964. It uses for its message the plight of Manoel - who is a poor ranch hand. They are literally `dirt poor' so in an attempt for change he goes to market to sell his stock. Once there his boss tries to steal his earnings from him by abuse of his authority. Manoel flies into a rage, after reasoning wont work, and he kills his boss.

Now a wanted man Manoel flees with his wife Rosa. He has heard of a living saint in the shape of Sebastião (Lidio Silva), who advocates a lot of bunkum, but also the use of violence. As most of his venom is directed towards the ruling classes, he gets a fair amount of followers from the local peasantry. However, he is far from being benevolent and blood begets blood.

The story moves along with a selection of bandits, corrupt clergy, corrupt government and mercenaries. The madness is almost comedic in places. But this was all seen as an indictment on the current societal condition in Brazil. It reminded me of `El Topo' in places and is said to have been a great influence on many in the industry including Bernardo Bertolucci and drawing praise from the great Luis Buñuel. It is violent but not a gore fest and it is a challenging watch, Buñuel described it as `savage poetry' and I can not put it better myself. But at two hours it may be a tad long for some.

This is a presentation from Mr Bongo films and the print is not a remastered one, so the picture is not all it could be in places. Also this was made in the day when everything was dubbed, so there is little depth to the soundscape, and it is in monochrome but despite all of the above, this is still a phenomenal cinematic feast. This is one for all true cinema fans.
6 people found this helpful
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Stephen Cason
1.0 out of 5 stars this is a product in the wrong region
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2021
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the disc was in the wrong region
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Kurt Harding
4.0 out of 5 stars Steeped In Mysticism and Violence
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2009
Verified Purchase
Since I like to watch films "outside the box" of what Hollywood offers, I search high and low for interesting films I never had the opportunity to see in a theater. I found Black God, White Devil after a recommendation given me upon my purchase of another film of the Brazilian Cinema Novo genre.
The story takes place in the semi-feudal outback of Brazil's northeast, where the landowner's whim supersedes the law and where life for the peasant or for the gaucho was a grim affair. Manuel is a cowhand full of hope for the future who kills his boss with a machete when his hopes are rudely shattered by the boss's caprice. He is forced to flee with his wife and embarks on a journey to a better life he never finds. What he does find is a series of situations that would drive most people mad with despair. The black god of the title is the self-proclaimed mystic St. Sebastian who is a sort of pied piper for the poor and dispossessed. Manuel himself later becomes the white devil after the bandit Corisco tags him with Satan as his nom de guerre.
Modern audiences used to fast-paced and gratuitous violence may be bored with the slow pace of the movie and the violence which is more suggested than graphic. The black and white film accentuates the bleakness of the landscape and the hopeless position of the protagonist. The patient viewer will be rewarded.
8 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars God and the Devil in the Land of the Sun
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2020
I hate the American title. I bought my copy (the two disc set) from Brazil before Amazon. The picture quality in that was great. But this story seems to be a conflation of the War of Canudos and the outrages of Lampiao with a young couple as the everyman of the poor caught between the rich and violence with no where to run.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Film lover
5.0 out of 5 stars A must-see Brazilian classic!
Reviewed in Canada on March 14, 2017
Verified Purchase
It took a while for this DVD to arrive from Germany, but it was worth the wait, and definitely didn't disappoint.
This strikingly beautiful film is set, and shot, in the parched northern backlands of Brazil known as the sertao.
It boasts stunning compositions, terrific camerawork and editing, and beautiful, high contrast black and white photography.
In addition to it's visual appeal, it features a sensational soundtrack, with music by Villa Lobos and Bach, as well as folk music.
It is slow paced, to be sure, but so well done you won't mind a bit.
One person found this helpful
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Tommy Dooley
5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece of Brazilian Cinema
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2014
Verified Purchase
Original title in Portuguese is `Deus e o Diabo na Terra do Sol'; which translates as, "God and the Devil in the Land of Sun". Seen as the leader in Cinema Novo, director Glauber Rocha was just 25 when he made this in 1964. It uses for its message the plight of Manoel - who is a poor ranch hand. They are literally `dirt poor' so in an attempt for change he goes to market to sell his stock. Once there his boss tries to steal his earnings from him by abuse of his authority. Manoel flies into a rage, after reasoning wont work, and he kills his boss.

Now a wanted man Manoel flees with his wife Rosa. He has heard of a living saint in the shape of Sebastião (Lidio Silva), who advocates a lot of bunkum, but also the use of violence. As most of his venom is directed towards the ruling classes, he gets a fair amount of followers from the local peasantry. However, he is far from being benevolent and blood begets blood.

The story moves along with a selection of bandits, corrupt clergy, corrupt government and mercenaries. The madness is almost comedic in places. But this was all seen as an indictment on the current societal condition in Brazil. It reminded me of `El Topo' in places and is said to have been a great influence on many in the industry including Bernardo Bertolucci and drawing praise from the great Luis Buñuel. It is violent but not a gore fest and it is a challenging watch, Buñuel described it as `savage poetry' and I can not put it better myself. But at two hours it may be a tad long for some.

This is a presentation from Mr Bongo films and the print is not a remastered one, so the picture is not all it could be in places. Also this was made in the day when everything was dubbed, so there is little depth to the soundscape, and it is in monochrome but despite all of the above, this is still a phenomenal cinematic feast. This is one for all true cinema fans.
3 people found this helpful
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Herbert Escher
5.0 out of 5 stars Religiöser Wahnsinn der unter die Haut geht.
Reviewed in Germany on November 25, 2012
Verified Purchase
Kolonialherren plus Religion, Grauenhafte Auswüchse bei beiden, das gibt mir die Idee, man sollte beides verbieten. Ein wirklich sehenswerter Film.
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Nice_Lieutenant
1.0 out of 5 stars Black God White Devil
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2015
Verified Purchase
100% boredom.Poorly directed and poor editing.Wooden acting as well.Oh dear....
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Alina Wachala
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 2, 2015
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Everything in order.
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