Carandiru Movie Review 2003

Hellish fact-based prison drama based on events leading up to the 1992 San Paolo massacre in which 111 inmates died. A nameless doctor (Vasconcelos) arrives at the city's infamous House of Detention because of an AIDS epidemic. As he tests and treats the inmates of the severely overcrowded facility, he learns about their lives on the outside (shown in flashbacks) and about the prison's codes, which are enforced by the inmates and not the guards or warden. Viewers are lulled into a false sense of normalcy before the horror begins. Based on "Carandiru Station," the fictionalized account of Dr. Drauzio Varella's experiences. Portuguese with subtitles.

Distribution

Sony Pictures Home Video, Sony Pictures Plz., 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232, Phone: (310)244-7306, Fax: (310)280-2485, URL: http://www.spe.sony.com, Remarks: Formerly Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment

Available on DVD
Running time 148 minutes.
Originally from Brazilian.

Cast and Crew

Genres

True Stories, Men in Prison, South America, Gays

Screenplay

Hector Babenco, Victor Nava, Fernando Bonassi

Cast

Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos, Milhem Cortaz, Milton Goncalves, Ivan de Almeida, Ailton Graca, Maria Luisa Mendonca, Aida Lerner, Rodrigo Santoro, Gero Camilo, Caio Blat, Wagner Moura

Cinematography

Walter Carvalho

Director

Hector Babenco

Music

Andre Abujarrura

Other

Romeu Quinto, Mauro Alice, Cristina Camargo, Clovis Bueno

Producer

Hector Babenco, Sony Pictures Classics