Maurilio Martins’ film is the story of a first love that plays with the legend of the final chapter of “Dragon’s Cave”
The Last Episodenew feature film Maurílio Martinsco-director of In the Heart of the Worldopens in Brazilian cinemas this Thursday, October 9th. The film talks about what every teenager carries: the butterflies of first love, the desire to appear braver than they really are and the strength of friendship that is born precisely in these small adventures. Find out more about the new feature:
What is the film about?
Before the internet, streaming and next-generation games, there was a ritual that every child of the 80s and 90s knew well: sitting in front of the TV and waiting for their favorite cartoon. Some were thrilled with He-Man’s adventures; others preferred the energy of the Thundercats.
But there was a special cartoon for the majority — one that left an intriguing question hanging in the air to this day: was there really a final episode? We are talking about the Dragon’s Cave cartoon with its young people transported to a magical world of unicorns and dragons. A series that stole the hearts of an entire generation and that has fueled this mystery for decades.
Set in 1991, the film follows Erik, a 13-year-old boy who, to impress the girl he likes, makes sure he has the tape with the legendary ending of Dragon’s Cave at home. With the help of his best friends, he looks for a way out of this mess and, in the process, lives an intense coming-of-age story — in the best spirit of the great coming of ages that marked generations like the classics Count on me and My first love.
Inspired by real experiences
The story mixes with the director’s own life, who was born and raised in Laguna, a neighborhood located on the outskirts of Contagem (MG). “The film takes place in 1991 and I was 13 years old that year. They go to the same school I went to, they live on the same streets where I grew up. There’s a lot of me there, spread across the characters, the photos, the stories“, remember Maurílio. One of his main inspirations was the series Incredible Yearswhich he reviewed while writing the script and in which he sought the relationship with the memory of adolescence. The Last Episode is born in an invented universe, but full of real memories — RoboCop is not there for nothing —, which further reinforces the intimate nature of this account of discoveries.
The film’s trajectory also bears the marks of time: the idea emerged in 2009, became a script in 2010, became a feature film in 2015 and could only be filmed in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic. “Making movies is painful, but it’s also a lot of love”, he states Maurílio. A long journey, crossed by memories, which makes the launch not just the premiere of a film, but the reopening of an emotional treasure stored by an entire generation.
“Suddenly, when you watch, you see that classroom, that magazine in his hands, the newsstand. These places transport you more and more to that time along with the objects, the exquisite art direction and the incredible costumes. And, obviously, with the script based on these memories that I experienced. I believe that all of this puts you into the story, bringing you closer to that reality and making this feeling much more alive.“, explains the director. Check out the trailer:
READ ALSO: Rio 2025 Festival: follow Rolling Stone Brasil’s coverage
Loading…-
coming of age
-
Plastic Films
-
John Ulhoa
-
Matheus Sampaio
-
Maurilio Martins
-
The Last Episode
-
Duck Fu
-
Richard Neves
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
