New banditsa relatively new TV series for Amazon Prime Video, is the perfect example of a show that fits into a certain genre, this time the Brazilian western. The series premiered on August 18, 2023, receiving very positive reviews from both critics and audiences, making it New Bandits an underrated gem in Amazon Prime Video’s catalog of TV shows. The story revolves around a man who tries to fulfill his father’s legacy by becoming the leader of a ruthless band of bandits.
Once one of the most popular genres in cinema history, some of Hollywood’s most iconic films are Westerns. Westerns have also not been limited to just the United States over the years, as many countries have adopted their own version of the Western, adapting the genre’s stylistic embellishments into something that is relevant to their own audiences. One country in particular has thrived on the Western genre throughout its cinematic history; Brazil.
Novos Bandidos falls into the Brazilian Western subgenre “Nordeste”
New bandits stands firmly in the Northeast genre, Brazil’s answer to the iconic Western. Set in the backlands of Northeast Brazil, Nordestens emerged in the 1960s, at the same time as Spaghetti Western, the European version of the genre, whose films were made mainly by Italian directors. The backlands were the perfect setting for Brazilian westerns, sharing many geographic, social and political similarities with the typical settings of the genre, which allowed the emergence of Nodestern.
Situated in that same northeastern desert, New bandits is a fantastic addition and update to the Northeast genre. New bandits continues the legacy of the Cangaceiros, the emergence of groups of bandits in the Northeast region from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century. With the series focusing on a group of bandits in modern Brazil, it is logical that the series takes inspiration from an essential part of the history of the backlands.
Other great films and TV shows from the Northeast
Some true classics of the genre
New bandits obviously it’s not the only Northeast region worth watching, as it has a huge catalog of films and programs that are part of the Brazilian genre. Some of the best films in the Northeast genre are Glauber Rocha Black God, White Devil and Antonio das MortesGuel Arraes’ A dog’s willLima Barreto The Banditand the 2019 film Nighthawkwhich shared the Jury Prize during its premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.
If recent releases like Nighthawk and New bandits are any indication, there is still a lot to be explored within the genre.
Black God, White Devil is one of the most monumental films in the history of Brazil, being voted the second best Brazilian film of all time by the Brazilian Association of Film Critics in 2015, second only to the 1931 masterpiece; Limit. It’s the perfect summary of what makes Nodestern such an important part of the Brazilian film industry, and if recent releases like Nighthawk and New bandits are any indication, there is still a lot to be explored within the genre.