A BITTER FANTASY: THE FANTASTIC IN THE PLAGUE OF THE RUMINANTS, FROM LITERATURE TO CINEMA

Abstract

This article discusses the problem of the fantastic within the literary work The plague of the ruminants (1966) by José J. Veiga, as well as its adaptation for cinema, conceived in 1967 by filmmaker Luiz Sergio Person and by critic and screenwriter Jean-Claude de Bernardet – an adaptation that will never be filmed. We focus on the problem of the opposition between the real and the fantastic, and we make reference to some literary genres with which Veiga's work dialogues, such as fantastic literature and magical realism. Then, we deal with Person and Bernardet’s adaptation for cinema of Veiga's work. We discuss the adaptation's relationship with some film genres such as science fiction, horror and fantasy. We detail the original use that Person and Bernardet intended to make of Veiga's fantastic element, transforming it into a cinematographic spectacle, and using it as a political allegory to communicate a message of resistance to the brazilian Military Dictatorship. We conclude by discussing, based on the case of The plague of the ruminants, the implications of transposing the fantastic element from literature to cinema, and the possible aesthetic paths that the film could have opened.