Of the more than 600 entries I've posted, one of my personal favorites is the one about Brazilian soap operas. Today a Brit by the name of Greg Dixon posted a lengthy contrary view in the comment section, and it was interesting enough that I thought I would share it in today's entry. I won't bother to debate it, since I agree with most of what he says, just not his conclusion. I also have to wonder if Greg has ever had the misfortune of viewing an American soap opera.
To EVERYONE!
You are all either mad or Brazilian! Novelas are absolute rubbish!! I'm from the UK and I have lived in Sao Paulo, Brasil for the past 6 months, and daily have to put up with these OVER-melodramatic episodes of cheesy shite!
Novelas are the spoon-fed media to give hope to Brazilians that they may one day live in Rio and have a house that is furnished properly! If there wasn't so much wrong with the Novelas I would be able to stomach it. But what has lead me to this website is an argument with my (brazilian) girlfriend about the Novelas, so that's it!
Where shall I start!?! Well, firstly the acting is so over the top! Yes they may well feature Brasil's finest screen actors, but every litle thing is exagerated to comic proportions! Someone looks at another person - (long still shot)...(pause)..(words said)...(pause for effect)...(pensive look on face)...(pause)...(response)...(cue music)...Oh my God! IT's so painful! And the amount of times I've watched someone cry and really 'milk it' is just too many to mention!
Second the 'dodgy camera-work' with stupid zoom effect shots (to increase the drama), crap editing, more silly effects, Flashback FX with plenty of Echo, strange angles, shots which start on a random ornament, you name it and it's there! Today I watched one which had 5 minutes of two women having a conversation. One is close to looking diagonally towards the camera, the other woman is behind her, and (very) out of focus, with a second camera cutting to her dialogue. I thought why doesn't the first woman turn around and speak to her face? Why? - cos after questioning and laughing at this for 5 mins, the full shot is revealed and the 1st woman was looking at the other in a mirror! Oh NICE ONE!! So well executed HA!
Thirdly, Most Novelas have crappy cheesy incidental music which gets worse in an action or dramatic scene. Which to me is very strange because the UK soaps don't have music during the episodes - why, because they are supposed to be imitating 'real' life with 'real' people! They are not dramas or feature films, and don't pretend to be! Another thing which is a favourite trick of the makers of the Novelas is to have one 'signature' song which plays every time a certain character is on-screen! Man are the audience so dumb they need this! that they need this drilled into there brains! You see, then the song becomes popular here too..ah it's too easy! The creators must be laughing all the way to the bank!
What can I say, most Brazilians are numb to everything from the melodrama to the dodgy FX and music. I think it's because everything is loud, garish, fast or dramatic here so the TV thinks right, bright colours, lots of movement, fast cuts, keep it busy so not to lose the punter for one second! However, there is no telling them that they are watching rubbish!.. My GF won't have any of it! Mainly she argues that all the actors are good, and the shows are exported around the world. Well, not to the UK for one! and maybe places like Spain and Portugal just have shitty TV anyway! And what else are the Portuguese speaking Brazilian actors going to do? Go to Portugal? Ha! I don't think so! They stay where the money is on the main channel - Globo. It 's never changing programming being Novelas, News, Novelas, Novelas, Dubbed Film every day!
The public here are totally under he influence of Globo (the major TV company) and will suck on whatever is fed to them...so another period Novela Senhor? Oh yes please! Well Art imitates Life, and Life imitates Art, because if the Novelas are supposed to be a reproduction of Brazilian life, then it is a highly dramatised one, thus making many people react the same as in a Novela! - honestly the family dramas explode here! There should be a couple of Oscars for over-acting awarded!
But there is no way out, because Novelas rule the TV - they are on almost every evening, all evening! Even in the day there are re-runs! Which, although people have seen, they still watch and cry the same as the first time! No re-run? Well how about the 'making of a Novela'? or, maybe a star or a Novela giving their thoughts on some random topic perhaps! Jesus! there really is no escape!
Don't get me wrong, I have an open mind, and am trying to like the Novelas for the harmony of my relationship! But, they are just TOO BAD! Oh, and before everyone here goes crazy too, I would ike to say that although I don't call myself an expert, I have had 6 months watching experience and I have a degree in 'Sound & Image Design' which included Film Studies and Cultural Theory so I would hope I know a bit about what I'm talking about! However, any responses welcome :) In fact, bring it on!
