Talk:City of God (film)

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[edit] Explanation for High Rating

This film is number 18 on imdb's top films of all time and was nominated for many academy awards.

[edit] Academy Award for Best Director

(from the village pump)

Can somebody explain to me why the movie City of God is credited with two directors, Kátia Lund and Fernando Meirelles, but only Meirelles has been nominated for the Academy Award? RickK 23:13, 8 Feb 2004 (UTC)

  • Lund was brought on solely to work with the amateur kids and help them to understand how to act for the film--apparently she was credited as co-director, but that almost all of the "directorial activity" was performed by Meirelles. I do find it confusing also, but the official explanation is that the direction being recognized is Meirelles's. Jwrosenzweig 17:17, 9 Feb 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Wikipedia title

Is it correct to use the English title as the wikipedia title? I have seen other foreign movies (i.e. Der Untergang where the orginal title is used (with the international English title being mentioned in the first paragraph), and the IMDb also uses the original title. I'm aware that the movie has been distributed as "City of God" in many countries, but I believe that wikipedia with its cultural and language-wise diversity should use the original title (and of course a redirecting page on the "City of God (movie)" page. That's just my opinion. Anyone else who has an opinion about this?

Ummm... You have a point. Perhaps we could rename the article, but still have a redirect from 'City of God (film)' --Pinnecco 02:35, 24 November 2005 (UTC)
Yes, I agree that the original title should be used as the wikipedia title. Is anyone going to rename the article? I could give it a try but being a new editor.. Maybe I should sit this one out? Lathrop1885 00:56, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
If you want to change it, you can go ahead. Yeah I think it needs to be changed as its the title it goes by in Portugese. So no objections here. Lummie 02:19, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
The article cannot be moved by regular users since there is a talk page at Cidade de Deus (film), and you can't properly move an article to another name that already has a talk page. I requested for an administrator to move the article to the correct name. - AKeen 02:56, 22 February 2006 (UTC)
The correct place to request the move would be at Wikipedia:Requested moves. However, per Wikipedia:Naming conventions, articles should have the English language titles, unless the film is known better by its original title in English-language context, and City of God isn't (based on googling "city of god"+film vs. "cidade de deus", and the former getting 3 times as many hits). If you want to reach a consensus about a move, you'll have to list it on WP:RM. - Bobet 19:39, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
Yeah that's what I thought the English title is much better known which is how article names are determined (usually). -- Stbalbach 23:07, 24 February 2006 (UTC)
But by the idea that we can redirect pages to the right one makes me think that using its original title is more with the idea of keeping the facts right. Yes its more known to the film world as City of God but like Der Untergang, many english fans will know it as Downfall yet is listed under its German name. I guess by the fact that IMDB uses its foreign title, then Wikipedia should too. Lummie 06:03, 25 February 2006 (UTC)
Unless there is some other rule I don't know about, it goes against the Wikipedia:Naming conventions. If you still want to pursue it, you can try to establish consensus to move it. One way is to vote, but thats not always the best, your choice. Personally I think it should be it's most commonly known name in en, per the naming conventions-- Stbalbach 07:24, 25 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Info on City of God

Error below: This was actually contributed by User:JodiBeth.--Srleffler 08:33, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

This was incorrectly written on City of God by User:143.109.58.84. I am writing it here to preserve a good faith edit, and to see if there is something that can be merged into the article.

City of God or Cidade de Deus is an epic film that takes place in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from the 1960s through the 80s. Rocket, the narrator, expresses what it was like to grow up in the poverty stricken and gang infested ghetto ironically called City of God. Rocket guides viewers through many tragic events in his life while taking occasional pit stops to illustrate background information about every important character involved. As the stories reveal more about each character, the audience forms a deeper understanding of what living in the slums of Rio was really like and can appreciate the strength it took for Rocket to resist being sucked into the gangs’ vicious killing cycle.
Although Rocket is the official narrator, it isn’t explicitly obvious. All the main events are played out rather than just summarized by the narrator. The reenactment allows the audience to make their own judgments without a narrator’s bias.
The power of money and the desire for power are two other recognizable themes in the movie. Drug lords were money hungry and killed to be able to reign over more territory (be more powerful). Murder seemed to become such a big part of the gangs’ daily routine that the members would search for or try to create reasons to kill people.

JoaoRicardotalk 05:40, 16 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Rockets Camera

What kind of camera does rocket use in the film?

He is shown with three cameras. Chronologically in the film:

1) The one used a the beach. I have no idea.

2) The one given to Benny as payment for drugs and ultimately given to Rocket to take photos of Li'l Ze and his gang. Again, I have no idea.

3) The one given to him by the newspaper. This is is clearly a Nikon F, though it was intentionally disguised (with what appears to be electrical tape on the prism).

[edit] True Story

At the end of the film, it shows evidence that this movie was possibly based on a true story, or at least true events. I recall it stating (and showing a picture of) Li'l Ze being an actual criminal in the favela, along with Knockout Ned and possibly others. BishopTutu 07:03, 4 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Precursors

Not wholly unlike Luis Bunuel's Los Olvidados.

[edit] Is Cidade do Deus a Favela?

The City of God is not a favela, actually quite the opposite. Favela is descriptive of a suburb or quarter developed without planning in some available free space. CdD was planned and built by the government "out there" to accommodate the underclass, then mainly composed by the refugees from the NE of Brazil which then suffered a drought spanning several years impoverishing many.

CdD may have been well intentioned, consisting of many single family dwellings, albeit of low quality. The major problem of CdD however remained the infrastructure, transport to jobs, education facilities, etc.

Still today, CdD is the pits! It is located in the west of Rio, The Formula 1 race course in Jacarepagua is not too far away.

Has God, if it exists, ever been to this City of God? Probably not.

Oalexander-En 16:46, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

CdD is a favela. Nothing can contest that. ♣ Klptyzm Chat wit me § Contributions ♣ 16:58, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

User Klptyzm: Please feel free to enrich your opinion with some facts. Else, it matters not. Oalexander-En 04:33, 5 February 2007 (UTC)

Well, why not go look it up; the article stub itself says its a favela, part of the movie was filmed in CdD, in which 90% of the film involves the setting of a shantytown, so, at some point, some of those shanties had to be from CdD. Also, how about go and checking the favela article for a little extra reading? I really don't have to say a whole lot; you just have to go look it up. ♣ Klptyzm Chat wit' me § Contributions ♣ 05:21, 5 February 2007 (UTC)

And in the Favela article it states, that a favela is not planned, not settled with authorization, etc. Cidade de Deus has been explicitely planned and erected by the state government of then Guanabara to replace favelas. The article stub may still say, that it is a favela, because it is still a stub, for one, and secondly in some of the next days I will rise it from stub status and shall correct existing errors. Oalexander-En 03:09, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

That same article says that CdD doesn't meet the strict definition of a favela, but, at the same time, does have favela characteristics, such as low economic quality, among others. ♣ Klptyzm Chat wit' me § Contributions ♣ 03:26, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

Essentially, some call every sh*hole, not only in Brazil but meanwhile the whole of S. America a favela. Even the term "my rolling favela" for a "bomb" (barely useable car) has been heard. Fact remains what I have stated before. Oalexander-En 12:01, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

Even then, the movie refers to it as a favela, and, in essence, it can still be considered a favela; I'll meet you halfway, however, and ask if it can be noted somehow in one of the articles how it doesn't have a favela-like origin, but is in a favela-like state. ♣ Klptyzm Chat wit' me § Contributions ♣ 18:41, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

I totally agree that the decrepit stae of this bairro (suburb, neighbourhood), this government installed breeding ground of misery, has to find suitable reflection. After all, without this precondition the story were not to happen. Oalexander-En 03:21, 7 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Alal.jpg

Image:Alal.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in Wikipedia articles constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale.

If there is other other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images uploaded after 4 May, 2006, and lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.BetacommandBot 19:13, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] News from a private war

Why is there no mention of this special feature found on the DVD? It's almost more significant than the film!

Why it's not mentioned that this film is forbitten in Belarus.

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:CidadedeDeus.jpg

Image:CidadedeDeus.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 19:53, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:City of god.jpg

Image:City of god.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to ensure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 21:54, 13 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] "However, there has been some criticism from the left"

This has one citation and there is no real way of saying wether something is left wing or right wing, so could this be edited out someway? 211.30.131.4 (talk) 01:26, 27 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] English language poster

Can someone find and substitute the poster that was used in the English-speaking world (the one on the beach)? I believe the one sheet that was predominate in the language of the wiki being used is the proper one for the article. Any others can be used, but further down for example only.24.24.211.239 (talk) 07:00, 15 May 2008 (UTC)