Brazil is a movie based on the book 1984; however, it would be more appropriate to say that it is a parody of the book. Brazil takes a lighthearted approach to the grim subjects that are dealt with in 1984. In “Brazil” the country is governed by the Ministry of Information which seems to be unkempt and disorganized in every aspect except in the case of distributing punishment. Every detail is controlled with paperwork, which is easily misplaced or contains flawed information. Technology looks broken down and dilapidated, however, this does not deter the use of mobile telescreens to monitor the activities of everyone. In 1984 the state of Oceania is run by a totalitarian government headed by the figure called Big Brother. The governing body includes four ministries, the scariest of which is the Ministry of Truth, similar to the Ministry of Information in Brazil. The difference is that the Ministry of Truth is enforced by the thought police who could be anyone, even family and telescreens, which are everywhere, even in everyone’s homes. The government in 1984 is organized with one intended goal, to keep the people oppressed and in constant fear of even thinking the wrong thought. In Brazil, the enforcers were not as invasive, they were more interested in action or inaction but they were just as brutal in their punishment.

There is a major class gap in Brazil, the poor live in cramped, dumpy apartments, in which nothing worked. While he rich lived lavishly and spent money carelessly. The affluent women in Brazil are perpetrated as being obsessed with youth. They would do whatever it took to achieve this, whether through life threatening surgeries or sleeping with men many years their junior. In 1984 three classes were described, however there weren’t any major differences among them except access to things like real sugar, rather than synthetic saccharine.

Sam Lowry, the main character in Brazil is a smart man who finds himself in a menial job within the Ministry. Due to his spinelessness and lack of initiative he is constantly being manipulated by his mother and his boss. However, he finds courage and the true object of his desire when he meets Jill Leighton, the woman, literally of his dreams. Winston Smith in 1984 bares similarities, his pursuit of the truth amidst a maze of lies and cover-ups by the government, some perpetrated by himself, was kicked into high gear once he discovered that Julia was interested in him. The two ended with the protagonist dreaming of their escape from capture Sam dreaming of being physically rescued by the resistance and Winston dreaming of being killed released from mental domination.