!The Film

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Did Mendoza become a Jesuit out of true belief in God, or was he more interested in the Jesuit goals and way of life? We never see him pray or try to spread the word of God among the natives, but we do see him work and live alongside the Guarani many times, learning their culture and becoming close with their chief. He's also quick to give up his vows of obedience, which makes Father Gabriel realize he might have made a mistake in letting [[TragicMonster Mendoza]] become a priest in the first place.
* {{Applicability}}:
** The plot involving priests taking up arms for their flock in what would become Latin America led critics to draw comparisons to [[RealitySubtext then-current events in modern Latin America]].
** Besides/in contrast to the priests who die fighting, Gabriel represents "nonviolent resistance" and is shot while raising the Blessed Sacrament like Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador. (Interestingly, another Oscar contender from 1986, ''Film/{{Salvador}}'', depicts that assassination as part of its action.)
* AwardSnub: Ennio Morricone's score lost the Oscar to Music/HerbieHancock's score for '''Round Midnight''.
* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: While it's tempting to just cry "It's Music/EnnioMorricone, of course it's awesome," the music for this film has become so iconic in its own right that it has far overshadowed the film itself. Some highlights include "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiCX4w1BCVQ Gabriel's Oboe]]", "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSWWLTqNRoU Ave Maria Guarani]]", "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nye62rh7aaQ On Earth As It Is In Heaven]]", "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok_7yxAOeUQ Ascuncion]]", and "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWXeCTW0PmQ The Falls]]". "Gabriel's Oboe" has even had lyrics set to it and become the pop-classical standard "Nella Fantasia".
* CriticalDissonance: A downplayed example, as it was well-received by critics, but most thought {{So Okay Its Average}}; [[Series/SiskelAndEbert Siskel and Ebert]] even gave it two thumbs down and were surprised that it was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. And yet, the movie went on to win the Palme d'Or, the most prestigious award in the Cannes Film Festival.
* SignatureScene:
** The Guarani throwing a priest tied to a cross down the Iguazú Falls. It's even featured in the movie poster.
** Gabriel playing the oboe in the jungle.
* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: It's hard to side with Father Gabriel's passive brand of resistance when the Guarani are at a very real risk of being either massacred or kidnapped from their home to be sold as slaves if they don't fight back. [[spoiler: Even if that doesn't work, they and the other Jesuits at least tried to fight the Portuguese, rather than wait for them to come and make a {{Last Stand}} by conducting mass while the army shoots at the priest and his flock, like Gabriel chose to do]].

!The Band

* AudienceAlienatingEra: What many consider the period from ''Masque'' until their reunion in 1999 to be.
* BrokenBase: Exactly ''when'' they went downhill is a question some fans can't seem to agree on. Whether they ever got good again is another a somewhat smaller number like to debate.
* EpicRiff: Their cover of "Like A Hurricane", the bassline in "Wasteland", "Bridges Burning", the intro to "Stay With Me", the acoustic guitar in "Tower Of Strength", the heavier riffing in "Fabienne"... The list goes on.
* FandomRivalry: To some extent, with Music/TheSistersOfMercy, due to Hussey and Eldritch's rivalry and intense verbal sparring matches in the press back in the day. There are many Goths and AlternativeRock fans who like both well enough, though, and this has died down A LOT since Hussey and Eldritch made up back in the early 2000s.
* FirstInstallmentWins: Some fans believe ''God's Own Medicine'' is their best album. There are also a few who claim that ''The First Chapter'' is the best instead, and it wasn't even an album- it was a collection of pre-album singles.
* WinBackTheCrowd: For the most part, the reunion succeeded in doing this. There are a few holdouts, though.