The invitation is for viewers to exorcise their demons through “jokes with the cursed”
By Fabio Rubira
The Cinema of USP (Cinusp Paulo Emílio) is showcasing until December 3 a selection of films in the style known as “terrir,” which blends comedy and horror, finding humor in the macabre, in a subversion of what would normally be frightening. The curation of the Morrendo de Rir (Dying of Laughter) exhibition explains that “although it may seem contradictory, it is in the encounter between these two opposing genres that the surprise happens, mobilizing strong emotions from the audience—be it scares or laughter.”
“Unlike trash films, whose humor is more accidental than intentional, ‘terrir’ is fully aware of cinema conventions, seeking humor in themes and figures that populate the horror imaginary or precisely in what frightens us, finding a kind of catharsis in facing fears as a reason for laughter.”
The selection of 15 films includes the classic “Panic,” the first production of the 1996 franchise, featuring a masked killer terrorizing teenagers in a US town with a deadly game. The mask used in the film, inspired by the expressionist painting “The Scream” by Edvard Munch, has become an icon of the series.
In “Young Frankenstein,” the grandson of the famous scientist embarks on a journey to Transylvania in search of an inheritance, offering filmmaker Mel Brooks’ new perspective on one of cinema’s classic monsters.
Another highlight is “The Secret of the Mummy,” the first feature film by director Ivan Cardoso, considered a pioneer in Brazil in creating “terrir” films. The story of a failed scientist who decides to use a mummy’s body as a guinea pig for an elixir of life has explicit references to horror tales.
There is also the musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” by Frank Oz, featuring a submissive florist assistant finding the opportunity to attract customers with the discovery of a mysterious carnivorous plant. The screening on November 23 will be accompanied by a debate with Eduardo Carniel, a USP doctoral student and specialist in terror studies.
Service
Morrendo de Rir sessions are free and open to the general public.
Screenings are held from Monday to Friday at 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM in the new room at the Centro Cultural Camargo Guarnieri, on the Butantã campus of USP in the western zone. On Saturdays and Sundays, at 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM, at Centro Maria Antonia, in Vila Buarque, the central region of the capital.
The complete daily schedule can be found at www.usp.br/cinusp.