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The Fifth Monkey

Name: The Fifth Monkey
Director: Éric Rochat
Released: 1990
Duration: 95 min

Representation Score

7.6/10

Good

1990

PG-13

Director

Éric Rochat

Runtime

95 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Fifth Monkey is a surrealist drama that delves into the blurred lines between hallucination and reality. By focusing on Cunda’s altered state of perception after a snake bite, the film challenges the expectation of a stable, objective protagonist. The transition from the Brazilian rainforest to an urban environment underscores a structural critique of how extraordinary or 'othered' elements are commodified by capitalist systems. This movement sets the stage for exploring cultural friction and the exploitation of the natural world. Though the film lacks explicit multi-layered identity politics, its emphasis on subjective experience and the disruption of the natural order aligns it with a non-traditional narrative structure.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Fifth Monkey have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or themes. It maintains a neutral stance since there is no evidence of queer identities or derogatory stereotypes.

How does The Fifth Monkey portray gender?

Fair

The story revolves around a single male protagonist, Cunda. There is no information about female characters or the subversion of gendered power structures.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Fifth Monkey?

Good

Set in the Brazilian rainforest, the film highlights a non-Western context. The shift from a local environment to an urban space suggests potential themes of cultural displacement.

How does The Fifth Monkey represent religion and culture?

Good

The premise hints at a critique of commercialism and non-traditional moralities. The protagonist's attempt to sell his hallucinations indicates a move away from singular, traditional moral frameworks.

Does The Fifth Monkey include disability representation?

Fair

The plot centers on a neurological event causing hallucinations. This offers a potential depiction of altered consciousness or neurodivergence through the protagonist's unique perception.

Present on Screen

The narrative explores neurodivergence and altered consciousness through the protagonist's hallucinations.
The setting offers a non-Western perspective by featuring the Brazilian rainforest as a primary location.
The plot critiques how urban, capitalist systems commodify the extraordinary.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks visible representation of female characters or gendered power dynamics.
There is no evidence of LGBTQ+ characters or queer themes within the narrative.
The focus on a singular male protagonist limits the scope of diverse representation.

Official Synopsis

When Cunda, a man living deep in the Brazilian rainforest, is bitten by a snake, he has a hallucination of four chimpanzees. Once he recovers, he is shocked to find the four chimpanzees waiting for him at home, and, believing them to be special, decides to take them to the city in order to sell them.

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