Pixote (1981) from Tuna

Pixote (1981) is an acclaimed Brazilian film about street kids, starring actual street kids. The hero is Pixote (peewee), who is 10 years old. Before the film is over, he has escaped from a reformatory, witnessed homosexual rape, beatings, and murders by police; he has robbed, and killed three people. 
Four young people escape from the reformatory: a transvestite, his boyfriend, Pixote, and another friend. They go to Sao Paulo and build a nest egg with purse snatching, then buy a large quantity of coke, and take it to Rio to sell. They end up living with a prostitute, Marília Pęra, and roll her Johns for income. When she seduces the transvestite's boyfriend, the transvestite leaves. Then, when Pixote accidentally kills the boyfriend while shooting a John, Pixote leaves to again live on the streets. 

NUDITY REPORT

see the main commentary

DVD info from Amazon.

no meaningful features

This is not a film for the faint of heart, and, by all accounts, is an accurate portrayal of a segment of Brazilian society. It was not an easy watch, the quality of the transfer left much to be desired, and the subtitles could have been done much better. There is no denying, however, that this is a powerful film. 

Marília Pęra shows public hair with a trick, and a very clear breast when Pixote, devastated by killing his friend, tries to nurse.  

The Critics Vote

  • Maltin 4/4. The film has won several minor international awards. It was directed by the same man who did Kiss of the Spider Woman.

The People Vote ...

  • With their votes ... IMDB summary: IMDb voters score it 8.2, up there with the all-time greats
IMDb guideline: 7.5 usually indicates a level of excellence, about like three and a half stars from the critics. 6.0 usually indicates lukewarm watchability, about like two and a half stars from the critics. The fives are generally not worthwhile unless they are really your kind of material, about like two stars from the critics. Films under five are generally awful even if you like that kind of film, equivalent to about one and a half stars from the critics or less, depending on just how far below five the rating is.

My own guideline: A means the movie is so good it will appeal to you even if you hate the genre. B means the movie is not good enough to win you over if you hate the genre, but is good enough to do so if you have an open mind about this type of film. C means it will only appeal to genre addicts, and has no crossover appeal. D means you'll hate it even if you like the genre. E means that you'll hate it even if you love the genre. F means that the film is not only unappealing across-the-board, but technically inept as well.

Based on this description, this film is a C, in that I don't see ANY crossover appeal. Those who like raw art films will appreciate it, and
others will find little to like.

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