A dense, sensual evocation on politics which is as immersive as it's introspective, Glauber Rocha's Entranced Earth details humanities never-ending struggles in the political arena, one in which the corrosive nature of authority and by-proxy power, inevitably stands in the way of personal liberty and freedom for the masses. The conduit for this film's thematic assertions is a poet and political activist, a character driven to to make change through the political arena. He is a man who understands that the state apparatus is a way to elicit change for the better, yet as the film progresses he witnesses the slowly degrading effect political privileges and power have on nearly everyone who wields it, recognizing how the authority bestowed by the state directly conflicts with his empathetic soul. Entranced Earth is a film which wisely and emphatically recognizes that their are no easy solutions, a wholly refreshing concept for a political film. Some may even think the film itself feels confused in its assertions, but this is exactly the point, as Entranced Earth recognizes the intrinsic nature of authority and autocratic intentions, even when the intentions of the individual are pure, in principle. Our main protagonist himself is a character who is effectively tortured from within, a man who seeks change but constantly witnesses the grotesque double-standards which exist morally from those who wield state power and those who don't, as he himself fights his own urge to be autocratic. Entranced Earth rightfully recognizes that while intentions matter, the state apparatus, or any such power structure, enables and empowers those driven by greed and self-interest due to the privileges it grants, being a film which effectively showcases the case for anarchy across its running time. Words like extremist or anarchist are words which empower the status quo; with the former itself having no true meaning, yet it is a word that is given a perjorative context through those whom wish to suppress any widespread change in society. Entranced Earth is raw and visceral, featuring a visual aesthetic that is abrasive by design, adhering to this main character's struggle, evoking the internal struggle of this man who quakes with unease about the injustice and oppression which exists in his world. A bold, important piece of political filmmaking, Entranced Earth is a film which should be seen by everyone, as it showcases a film grappling with complex issues about humanity, and civilization as a whole.
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June 2023
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