Name: A Noite das Taras I
Genre: Drama
Duration: 1 h 21 min
Rating: 5.1
Cast: Arlindo Barreto, Patrícia Scalvi, Vandi Zachias

Three sailors land in the Santos port after four months at sea and head to São Paulo.

(1) "A Carta de Érico" ("The Letter from Érico") The first sailor (Arlindo Barreto) brings a letter from a man named Érico that he had stumbled on an alley in Porto Alegre. He arrives at the address in São Paulo and knocks on the door but nobody answers. He recalls that Érico had told him to insist since it would be very important to see the person. Meanwhile in the apartment, the depressed Ms. Cibele Marcondes (Patrícia Scalvi) is ready to commit suicide. The sailor opens the door, has sex with the disconsolate woman and saves her. When she opens the envelope, there is only a blank piece of paper. What they do not know is the Érico is probably a guard angel that has protected Cibele.

Directed by John Doo, this stylish episode shows a great dramatic performance of Patrícia Scalvi and a classy location. Arlindo Barreto is weaker but does not compromise the episode. My vote is seven.

(2) "Peixe Fora d'Água" ("Fish out of Water") The second sailor (Pericles Campos) cruises in a gay bar and two men beat up on him. He meets the sexy Susana (Matilde Mastrangi) that invites him to go to her place to have sex. When he is waiting for Susana in her room, the criminal Cesar (Marthus Mathias) arrives with a revolver but leaves him with Susana. They have sex and Susana proposes a deal to the sailor: Susana and her three partners would go to the house of her ex-husband to steal her jewelry and they need a new face to help them. The naive sailor accepts to team up with the gang with tragic consequences.

Directed by David Cardoso, this predictable episode has very hot and almost explicit sex scenes, exposing the naked body of Matilde Mastrangi in every possible angle. My vote is six.

(3) "Júlio e o Paraíso" ("Júlio and the Paradise") The third and older sailor, Júlio, meets five starving hippie young women completely broken on the street and he invites them to have lunch with him. Then they go to their house, and they find that Júlio has a large amount with him. They decide to kill him by having excessive sex with them. 

Directed by Ody Fraga, the funny story is a sort of "La Grande Bouffe" of 1973 but with the man killed by too much sex. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Noite das Taras" ("The Night of the Perversions")

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

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The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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Three sailors arrive in Brazil and split up in São Paulo. Their separate adventures - involving a secret letter, bar trouble, and hippie connections - spiral into transformative experiences.

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