Carandiru Synopsis & Summary

Synopsis

Brazilian filmmaker Hector Babenco directs the confrontational drama Carandiru, based on the best-selling novel by Dr. Drauzio Varella. The episodic story is set in Sao Paulo's House of Detention (referred to as Carandiru), one of Latin America's largest prison systems. The doctor (Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos) is an oncologist who arrives in the jail to test patients for HIV infection. Seeing the disease, overcrowding, and rampant circulation of drugs, the doctor comes to realize the internal power structure among the prisoners. Several narratives develop, including the attempted murder of Dagger (Milhem Cortaz), the solitary confinement of Chico (Milton Goncalves), and the romance between Lady Di (Rodrigo Santoro) and Too Bad (Gero Camilo). The doctor eventually establishes a routine and sees the prisoners as survivors, leading up to the violent conclusion: a reconstruction of the October 2, 1992, prison riot known as the Carandiru Massacre. - Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Movie Info

Starring:
Luis Carlos Vasconcelos, Milhem Cortaz, Milton Goncalves, Ivan de Almeida, Ailton Graca
Theatrical Release Date:
05/14/2004
DVD Release Date:
09/21/2004
Rating:
R
MPAA Reasons:
for strong bloody violence/carnage, language, sexuality and drug use.
Run Time:
148 min.
Distributor(s):
Sony
Production Co.:
Br Petrobas, Columbia Tristar do Brasil, Globo Filmes, HB Filmes, Sony Pictures Classics
Director(s):
Hector Babenco
Genre(s):
Crime and Mystery, Drama
Themes:
Doctors and Patients, Fighting the System
Tone:
Angry, Biting, Claustrophobic, Disturbing, Forceful, Visceral, Gruesome
Keywords:
HIV, doctor, drugs, murder-attempt, oncology, prison, solitary-confinement
Country of Origin:
Brazil (04-11-2003),USA - Limited (05-14-2004)
Language:
Portuguese
Status:
DVD

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