The End of Man
Encyclopedia
The End of Man is a 1971 Brazilian film by director
José Mojica Marins. The unusual and surreal film was made on a low budget, and rather than the often disturbing gothic horror of his previous films, The End of Man conveys a sense of social black humor and tongue in cheek style seen in other Brazilian Mouth of Garbage Cinema
(Boca do Lixo) of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
A sequel to the film was produced in 1972 titled When the Gods Fall Asleep
(Quando os Deuses Adormecem).
An mysterious man (Marins) emerges naked from the ocean and proceeds to affect the lives of townspeople, the country, then the world.
As he wanders through the town unclothed, he helps a woman in a wheelchair to walk by frightening her into running, then rescues a woman and her child from attackers when he startles them with his appearance.
He enters the well-decorated home of a woman with fashionable clothing. Seeing him, she goes to her wardrobe and chooses several pieces of her costumery which he puts on. The outfit includes an ornate turban
, a sash
, and a pointed baton
. He walks through the streets of Santos
dressed in this fashion, attracting increasingly more followers and admirers.
He shows no surprise at people's reaction to him; he regards it all with a deadpan
acceptance.
When he later stops in a church and approaches the altar to fill the chalice with holy water
and drinks it, he is observed by a priest who utters "Finis hominis". The strange man replies, "What"? The priest again states "Finis hominis, the end of man".
When the protagonist is later asked his name by the police after he assaults a photographer, he pauses, then replies: "Finis Hominis".
He saves the life of an adulteress and that of a young girl while gaining more followers all over the country as huge crowds follow him through the streets. He soon gains a messiah
status after appearing to resurrect a dead man who actually was suffering a temporary nervous catalepsy
. Nuns announce that Finis Hominis has come to save the world. Leaders of other countries warn of his dangerous "supernatural powers".
He announces that the time has come for him to leave and eventually gives a farewell speech
from a mountaintop that is watched and listened to from all over the world.
In the final scene, two men in white uniforms see Finis Hominis approaching in the distance, and they seem pleased, saying, "Here he comes. I told you. He always returns." As the camera pulls back, it is revealed that the place Finis Hominis has returned to is an insane asylum
.
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
José Mojica Marins. The unusual and surreal film was made on a low budget, and rather than the often disturbing gothic horror of his previous films, The End of Man conveys a sense of social black humor and tongue in cheek style seen in other Brazilian Mouth of Garbage Cinema
Mouth of Garbage Cinema
Garbage Mouth film is the collective name for a film genre associated with the Boca do Lixo area of São Paulo, Brazil. On par with Italian giallo and American slasher films, films of this genre are exploitational and often considered B movies...
(Boca do Lixo) of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
A sequel to the film was produced in 1972 titled When the Gods Fall Asleep
When the Gods Fall Asleep
When The Gods Fall Asleep is a 1972 Brazilian film by Brazilian film director José Mojica Marins. Marins is best known for the Zé do Caixão film series...
(Quando os Deuses Adormecem).
Plot
As he wanders through the town unclothed, he helps a woman in a wheelchair to walk by frightening her into running, then rescues a woman and her child from attackers when he startles them with his appearance.
He enters the well-decorated home of a woman with fashionable clothing. Seeing him, she goes to her wardrobe and chooses several pieces of her costumery which he puts on. The outfit includes an ornate turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
, a sash
Sash
A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi, serves to hold a kimono or yukata together. Decorative sashes may pass from the shoulder to the hip rather than around the waist...
, and a pointed baton
Baton (symbol)
The ceremonial baton is a short, thick stick, carried by select high-ranking military officers as a uniform article. The baton is distinguished from the swagger stick in being thicker and less functional . Unlike a staff of office, a baton is not rested on the ground...
. He walks through the streets of Santos
Santos (São Paulo)
-Sister cities: Shimonoseki, Japan Nagasaki, Japan Funchal, Portugal Trieste, Italy Coimbra, Portugal Ansião, Portugal Arouca, Portugal Ushuaia, Argentina Havana, Cuba Taizhou. China Ningbo. China Constanţa, Romania Ulsan, South Korea Colón, Panama* Cadiz, Spain...
dressed in this fashion, attracting increasingly more followers and admirers.
He shows no surprise at people's reaction to him; he regards it all with a deadpan
Deadpan
Deadpan is a form of comic delivery in which humor is presented without a change in emotion or body language, usually speaking in a casual, monotone, solemn, blunt, disgusted or matter-of-fact voice and expressing an unflappably calm, archly insincere or artificially grave demeanor...
acceptance.
When he later stops in a church and approaches the altar to fill the chalice with holy water
Holy water
Holy water is water that, in Catholicism, Anglicanism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and some other churches, has been sanctified by a priest for the purpose of baptism, the blessing of persons, places, and objects; or as a means of repelling evil.The use for baptism and...
and drinks it, he is observed by a priest who utters "Finis hominis". The strange man replies, "What"? The priest again states "Finis hominis, the end of man".
When the protagonist is later asked his name by the police after he assaults a photographer, he pauses, then replies: "Finis Hominis".
He saves the life of an adulteress and that of a young girl while gaining more followers all over the country as huge crowds follow him through the streets. He soon gains a messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
status after appearing to resurrect a dead man who actually was suffering a temporary nervous catalepsy
Catalepsy
Catalepsy is also a term used by hypnotists to refer to the state of making a hypnotised subject's arm, leg or back rigid. "Arm catalepsy" is often a pre-hypnotic test performed prior to an induction into a full trance.-Causes:...
. Nuns announce that Finis Hominis has come to save the world. Leaders of other countries warn of his dangerous "supernatural powers".
He announces that the time has come for him to leave and eventually gives a farewell speech
Farewell speech
A Farewell speech or farewell address is a speech given by an individual leaving a position or place. They are often used by public figures such as politicians as a to the preceding career, or as statements delivered by persons relating to reasons for their leaving...
from a mountaintop that is watched and listened to from all over the world.
In the final scene, two men in white uniforms see Finis Hominis approaching in the distance, and they seem pleased, saying, "Here he comes. I told you. He always returns." As the camera pulls back, it is revealed that the place Finis Hominis has returned to is an insane asylum
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
.
Cast
- José Mojica Marins as Finis Hominis
- Teresa Sodré as Madalena
- Roque Rodrigues as Cavalcanti
- Rosângela Maldonado as The schemer
- Mario Lima as The lover
- Andreia Bryanas as Soninha