The Fifth Power (film)
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| The Fifth Power | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Alberto Pieralisi |
| Written by | Carlos Pedregal |
| Produced by | Carlos Pedregal |
| Starring | Eva Wilma, Oswaldo Loureiro |
| Cinematography | Özen Sermet |
| Edited by | Ismar Porto |
| Music by | Remo Usai |
| Distributed by | Pedregal Filmes |
Release date |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | Brazil |
| Language | Portuguese |
The Fifth Power (Portuguese: O 5º Poder) is a 1962 Brazilian science fiction thriller film directed by Alberto Pieralisi, and written and produced by Carlos Pedregal. It tells the story of foreign agents who wish to take control of Brazil's natural resources by transmitting subliminal messages to convince the population to overthrow its government, and it is considered one of the first serious Brazilian science fiction films.[1] The film is notable for coming two years before a military coup.
A team of foreign agents arrive in Brazil and discuss an international plot to take control of the country's natural resources. They begin by installing devices on the country's main radio and TV transmitters. The devices are designed to emit subliminal messages geared towards changing the populace into a pliable and aggressive mob supporting a revolution.
Journalist Carlos, who is out of the country on assignment when the messages begin, and his friend Laura, who does not listen to the radio or watch television, are unaffected by the broadcasts and both soon realize that something has gone wrong in the country. They begin an investigation and uncover the plot by the agents.
Cast
- Eva Wilma - Laura Leal
- Oswaldo Loureiro - Carlos
- Sebastião Vasconcelos - Milton
- Joana Fomm
Production
Carlos Pedregal traveled from Spain to Argentina, his mother's birthplace, and from there received a temporary visa to work in Brazil as a journalist starting in 1947. He then introduced the concept of subliminal advertising in Brazil, and began hosting a program called Revelations of the Subconscious for Rádio Globo in 1951. Later that year, he began hosting a television show dedicated to psychological experiments on Tupi Network; he launched a second television show in 1958. In 1961, Pedregal revealed he was working on the screenplay for what would become The Fifth Power.[2] Seeking to emulate the methods of Companhia Cinematográfica Vera Cruz, which hired foreigners for technical roles in order to produce films of an international quality level,[3] Pedregal hired Italian director Alberto Pieralisi (who had lived in Brazil for a number of years, but had previously worked for Cines and Cinecittà in Italy[1]) and Turkish cinematographer Özen Sermet.
The film, which was set in Rio de Janeiro and featured scenes set on the Sugarloaf Cable Car and at the Christ the Redeemer statue,[4] was at the time the most expensive film made in Brazil.[2] Along with Garrincha: Hero of the Jungle, the film was selected to represent Brazil at the 13th Berlin International Film Festival.
Around the time of the film's release, its negatives and most copies were destroyed in a fire.[2] It was considered lost for decades, until one copy of the negatives was discovered in Berlin.[4] The film was screened at the Festival de Brasília in 2006, with Pedregal in attendance to introduce it.[5]
