Jodorowsky’s Dune Review

By.DigitaLoz

“One does not go to the theater to escape from himself, but to reestablish contact with the mystery that we all are.” – Alejandro Jodorowsky

 Some films change the way we look and experience cinema. These flicks transcend the usual conventions of their times and become beacons of inspiration for future filmmakers. Films like Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Bergman’s Persona and Truffaut’s 400 Blows are still among the curriculum in film schools long after their glory days have passed.

Alejandro Jodorowsky is one of these filmmakers. As well as the others, Jodorowsky is a moviemaker who is passionate about his craft. Money and fame are not his goals, only the art of filmmaking is. Jodorowsky is the Chilean director and comic book writer responsible for some of the weirdest and astounding films (El Topo, The Holy Mountain) in the history of cinema. After his initial success, he was asked what his next project would be. It was then that he chose to adapt the critically acclaimed science fiction novel Dune. 

 Hence, Alejandro Jodorowsky embarked on a journey to find his “spiritual warriors” (as he called them) and make a film that would change the world and humanity’s the consciousness forever. Jodorowsky’s Dune tells the story of Alejandro’s quest to make an influential film and the talent he found through the project. Jodorowsky’s teams’ talents didn’t come from their abilities, but from their love of the art. With a cast of unusual actors like Salvador Dalí, Orson Wells and David Carradine, artists like Jean Giraud (Mœbius), Chris Foss, and H.R. Giger making concept art, story boards and designing the aliens and the spaceships, and music by Pink Floyd, it was the dream team to end them all.

 At the helm, there was none other than Jodorowsky leading the team like a general. People seemed to be attracted to him. During the documentary, I could not help but be fascinated by the way Jodorowsky talked about filmmaking and life in general. But as expected, the film was ahead of its time and thus was never embraced by Hollywood. Yet another project rose from the ashes of Jodorowsky’s Dune: Alien.

 After watching this documentary, you will wish you could go back in time in order to have this movie made. It was intended to change the world; however, it’s intriguing to know that a film that never got made still changed sci fi cinema forever.