Things aren’t easy for Miguel Metralha. Boredom and his affinity for the easy life have made him switch roles, from run-of-the-mill journalist to editor of porno mags. But Metralha quickly discovers that the world of pin-ups and sex bombs brings its own ups and downs. Surrounded by underworld figures, he finds himself dropped into a meta-narrative resembling the American crime films he – and the filmmakers, evidently – admires. Taking as its departure point the nihilistic, Godardian style of The Red Light Bandit, the sole feature by João Callegaro is a traditional genre piece transformed into a carnival of mockery and the grotesque. Attempting to craft a myth for the Brazilian gangster by skillfully inverting film noir tendencies, The Pornographer is an unjustly forgotten landmark from the energetic first period of Boca do Lixo production.
Film details
Country of production
Brazil
Year
1970
Festival edition
IFFR 2012
Length
88'
Medium/Format
35mm
Language
Portuguese
Premiere status
None
Director
João Callegaro
Producer
João Callegaro, Alfredo Palácios, Antonio Galante, Silvio Renoldi
Screenplay
Jairo Ferreira, João Callegaro
Cinematography
Oswaldo de Oliveira
Music
João Callegaro
Production company
Itu Produções Cinematográficas, Servicine Serviços Cinematográficos