Brazilian Outlaw Cinema, pt. 2 — Rodrigo Aragão
When Rodrigo Aragão was young, he was a fan of horror movies makeup effects, just like most of us. Unlike most of us, he followed his dreams and started working in the business, figuring out how to create the effects he loved, then making movies in which he could showcase them. He has released a number of brilliant rural-based ”eco-terror” horror films over the years – Mangua Negro (Mud Zombies), A Mata Negra (The Black Forest), and A Noite do Chupacabras (The Night of the Chupacabras), to name a few. 2020 saw Aragão release the acclaimed O Cemiterio das Almas Perdidas (Cemetery of Lost Souls), an epic, brutal tale full of the director’s trademark makeup/effect work. This was his biggest film to date, and it’s been wowing the festival circuit and the critics.
Check out the trailer for the new film, O Cemiterio das Almas. Order some of Aragão’s older movies. If you’re in North America, I highly recommend picking up the Darkside Releasing blu-ray of A Mata Negra. And if you’re a fan of behind the scenes and “making of” videos about effects and makeup, this guy’s got a whole channel full of videos for you to check out!
Nervousmaker – Do you feel that Brazilian horror/genre films are heavily influenced by the social/political climate, and if so, in what way?
Rodrigo Aragão – I think that all movies reflect the social fears from their time, and the actual Brazil is full of fears, uncertainty, and hate. And on one hand, we have so much to say, on the other hand, it is every time more difficult to produce art here.
Nervousmaker – Is there a specific "Brazil" style when it comes to horror/genre films, something uniquely Brazilian about your films and those of your peers?
Rodrigo Aragão – Maybe the more peculiar characteristic of the new Brazilian horror or fantasy is just the diversity of styles, passing along of rural and urban fables, to realistic stories of social violence, and musicals with zombies, too. I don't see something similar in other places.
Nervousmaker – What/who are the most important and influential horror/genre films/filmmakers of Brazil?
Rodrigo Aragão – Dennison Ramalho made Morto Nao Fala (The Nightshifter), a really scary ghost movie.
Marco Dutra and Juliana Rojas made Boas Maneiras (Good Manners), a really original view about werewolves.
Gabriela Amaral directed O Animal Cordial about social differences and urban violence.
Nervousmaker – Who are some other current horror/genre filmmakers from Brazil we should keep an eye on?
Rodrigo Aragão – I am a big fan of the short films of Joel Caetano, like Casulos or Encosto, and I am waiting for his feature film. Samuel Galli had his debut with Mal Nosso (Our Evil), a low budget movie of "spirit horror" that’s really admirable, and Guto Parente, director of the great O Clube dos Canibais (The Cannibal Club), a movie with strong political critique, full of violence and humor.
