Episode 145: COBRA VERDE (1987)

Klaus Kinski again appears as That Freaky Guy Who Insists On Going To The Jungle, this time portraying Francisco Manoel da Silva (better known by his outlaw codename, “Cobra Verde”), who’s chased there by his plantation owner boss who has no interest in being his father-in-law after Francisco impregnates the baron’s three teenage daughters. Oops! Cobra Verde’s attempts to kickstart the cold engine of the slave trade on the West African coast, and everything that derail them, make up the rest of an inscrutable plot. In this episode, we discuss our confusion over how the titular character is built, where the movie’s satirical lens is pointed, its fairly misguided attempts at ‘authentic’ portrayal of African cultures, and how the surly, perfectly pitched magic of AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD (1972) and NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE (1979) don’t seem to have rubbed off on this one. Also check out: - “Picturesque savagery: Primitivism and authenticity in Cobra Verde” by Sam Storey https://www.academia.edu/30156985/Picturesque_savagery_Primitivism_and_authenticity_in_Cobra_Verde Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trylovepodcast and email us at [email protected] to get in touch! Buy tickets and support the Trylon at https://www.trylon.org/. Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. Choir performance from COBRA VERDE. 0:00 - Episode 145: COBRA VERDE (1987) 2:37 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary 4:43 - Jason’s thoughts 7:57 - Cody’s thoughts 12:04 - Harry’s thoughts 16:42 - Aaron’s thoughts 22:41 - Where the film’s sardonic lens is pointed 28:44 - The line between ‘adding authenticity’ and ‘exoticizing’ 36:06 - Who is Cobra Verde?: A discussion 47:06 - Da animals D: 48:40 - A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971) and the systems that grind us all 53:51 - Cody’s Noteys: Snakelove (snake-themed trivia)