The documentary Megalópolis as a vehicle of memory

The American way of life, nationalism and consumption in the modernization of Brazil in the early 1970

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-7714.no.2020.163996

Keywords:

Documentary, Nationalism, Consumption, Modernization, Memory

Abstract

The documentary Megalópolis (Leon Hirszman, 1973) discusses the period in which an accelerated modernization began in Brazilian metropolises, specially in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in the early 1970s. The film reveals how metropolitan growth should happen in the country linked to the US model with didactic and expository characteristics. Based on the discussion of documentary as a vehicle of memory (Waterson, 2007), we seek to reveal the potential of Megalópolis as a document and historiographical source through three aspects that stand out in it: The American way of life, nationalism and consumption. To this end, we discuss how the fast modernization and irrational urbanization imposed by the military regime are portrayed in a documentary directed by a filmmaker of Marxist beliefs, which reveal the potential for broadening the discussions surrounding this documentary.

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Author Biographies

  • Gustavo Souza, Universidade Paulista

    PhD in Communication Sciences at ECA/USP, Master in Communication and Culture at ECO/UFRJ and graduated in Social Communication/Journalism at UFPE. Professor of the Postgraduate Program in Communication at Universidade Paulista. Coordinator of the WG for Cinema, Photography and Audiovisual Studies at Compós. 

  • Fábio Dummer Camargo, Universidade Paulista

    Currently attending Master's degree in Communication at Universidade Paulista (Unip). Assistant researcher at Universidade Federal - ABC (UFABC). Graduated in History at Centro Universitário Anhanguera. Specialist in History and Society at PUC-SP. Specialist in Media and Culture at USP.

References

Published

2020-07-14

Issue

Section

ARTICLES

How to Cite

Souza, G., & Camargo, F. D. (2020). The documentary Megalópolis as a vehicle of memory: The American way of life, nationalism and consumption in the modernization of Brazil in the early 1970. Novos Olhares, 9(1), 218-229. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2238-7714.no.2020.163996