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Fogo-fátuo
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The films of João Pedro Rodrigues (such as The Ornithologist, 2016) sometimes present themselves as fairy tales – magical, dreamy and childlike, but at the same time militantly queer, political and provocative. Fogo-fátuo, which jumps between different historical time frames (including the future), is a fairy tale squarely aimed at our COVID-affected world. Even the minimalism of its elements (characters and décors) reflects the pandemic conditions of its production. But what skill, wit, vivacity and richness Rodrigues and his regular collaborators (including João Rui Guerra da Mata) bring to this project! It begins as the portrait of an imaginary Portuguese Royal Family – repressed, eccentric, histrionic – in the vein of Luis Buñuel’s surrealist satire. However, the desire of the eldest son, Alfredo (Mauro Costa), to be a firefighter among the working people swiftly leads to a hot gay romance with Afonso (André Cabral). The film is full of wonderful singing and dancing: highlights include a fire station choreography that pays homage to both Howard Hawks’ Gentleman Prefer Blondes (1953) and Jean-Luc Godard’s Armide (1987, an episode of Aria); and a cameo by celebrated fado performer Paulo Bragança. Mixing musical and presentational styles with merry abandon, Fogo-fátuo – that translates as will-o’-the-wisp (which, by the way, is also an accurate rendition of the novel & film title Le Feu follet) – conjures a veritable Utopia of erotic passions and anarchistic impulses. And – you guessed it, if you’ve ever read much of this website – it qualifies as a genuine mutant musical. © Adrian Martin 16 October 2022 |
