DOCSLIB.ORG

Bloody Beautiful Illusions

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Bloody Beautiful Illusions SCREENS Bloody Beautiful Illusions Alejandro Jodorowsky, surrealism’s topo sangre, on Truth, Beauty, and the Internet BY MARC SAV LOV When Chilean filmmaker/writer/artist Alejandro Jodorowsky turns 82 on Feb. 7, he’ll have the distinction of being, insofar as we know, the eldest statesman of surrealist filmmaking. His breakout film, 1970’s visually kaleidoscopic, narratively ambitious El Topo, inverted and evis- cerated the dying spaghetti Western, taking a moribund genre and infusing it with a mystical madness and spiritual longing that Sergio Leone and his followers had only hinted at. (It also garnered enthusiastic praise from John Lennon and a young David Lynch.) Jodorowsky’s follow-up, The Holy Mountain, cemented his name as a cinematic synonym for dreamy metaphysical nightmares and led directly to an ill-fated attempt at creating a 14-hour adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune, which was to feature both Orson Welles and Salvador Dalí. (If only.) But it was Santa Sangre, his 1989 masterpiece of oedipal desire and blood-drenched dis- figurement within and without a freakish, Fellini-esque cirque perdu, that won him the allegiance of a whole new generation of cult film fanatics who recognized it for what it was: art for art’s sake. (The Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz will host a rare 35mm screening of the film on Jan. 19.) Twenty-plus years later, Santa Sangre is finally getting a digitally remastered, Jodorowsky- authorized, double-disc DVD/Blu-ray release from cult boutiquers Severin Films. It’s been a lengthy and labyrinthine crawl into the sunlight for “the mole,” however. Jodorowsky’s filmic curriculum vitae is littered with abandoned or perpetually stalled projects, including his most recent near-miss, the epic “spaghetti gangster” film King Shot. The Austin Chronicle spoke to Jodorowsky from his home in Paris about his circuitous career, Alejandro Jodorowsky the nature of his often puzzling art, and his future filmmaking plans. Austin Chronicle: What exactly happened to novels to your own complex spiritual beliefs [“psy- AJ: Pictures are like food. If someone offers even if the world of traditional distribution is your much-publicized film King Shot? That was choshamanism”]. Now your work is finding and you food, you take it, you eat it. All of my falling apart – announced several years ago as being ready to inspiring an entirely new generation online. Does pictures, my theatrical plays, my books, they AJ: That world is not falling apart. That world go into production – with Nick Nolte, Marilyn your ever-expanding influence surprise you? Or go out into the world and they change people. is still developing and changing. It is easy Manson, Udo Kier, Asia Argento, and Santa was that the plan all along? I do not want to speak too highly of myself, to think that that world is in trouble when Sangre producer Claudio Argento attached – but AJ: Throughout my life I have always made my but my pictures are very mystical, you know? the old things are replaced, but don’t forget it never materialized. pictures without the intention to make money, They are like big bells. Boom … boom … boom. that there are new things that are replacing Alejandro Jodorowsky: That did not hap- that must be very clear. For me, it was never They wake [audiences] up and [audiences] them. Myself, I am working intensely with pen because of the producers. They had my business. It was an extension of my soul. The say, “Why do you do that?” And I say to them, the Internet. Every day I [draw] a picture script, but they wanted a more industrial producers want the money, but myself, I want “Because you were asleep!” and write, in Spanish, on the Internet. I put product, and myself, I am not so industrial. only to work, like the person who does the AC: The opening of El Topo has a wonderful in there poetry, philosophy, art. Because of [The producers] no longer believe in the pic- decor or the electrician. Now I am trying to do line: “The mole digs through the earth seeking that I have an enormous amount of followers tures now, they believe only in the product, my next picture, The Dance of Reality, which the sun, but when he reaches the surface he is now. The Internet was not designed for that, how do you say? A new “mission of movies,” is also the title of my autobiography, with the blinded by the sun.” As a multidiscipline artist, but you can use it, anyone can use it, for art. like a business, only. Then, I goal to lose money! Now they have you ever been blinded by that metaphorical That is why I want to make a picture for the could not raise money after make pictures simply to make sun? Truth and beauty are often at odds with each Internet, because it’s a new way to express that point. But it is not over. money. Five-hundred million other in your films. yourself. It is the new way, not like television, I am always trying to make a dollars! Incredible! I am tired AJ: I will tell you a story. There was a Tibetan not like theatrical movies, not in theatre. It is picture. Always. Until the end of that, and so I will give this master who said, “Nothing is real, everything there, on the Internet. of my life I will do that. You picture for free on Internet. is an illusion.” One day, his disciples come to AC: You’ve invested so much time over the come really near sometimes, I am trying to give an expe- him and tell him that his son, his only son, is course of your career in projects that fell apart and then suddenly something rience that is useful, that will dying, and he begins to scream. The disciples or took very circuitous routes to finding an audi- happens. The politics, the help you to have a more ask: “Master, why are you screaming like ence. Looking back, are you satisfied, artistically world, the crisis. conscious life. That is what that? Your son is an illusion.” And the master or otherwise, with the trajectory of your career AC: Are you still planning to I am searching for in my art, says, “Yes, but he was the most beautiful of thus far? make Son of El Topo? in my images. Pictures are all the illusions.” AJ: Satisfied? I am happy, yes. That takes two AJ: I had Russian investors images, no? At the moment, I think that today we can not know the true things, to be happy. One, to be yourself, what for the Son of El Topo. They I am seeing a lot of old mov- beauty of things, but we continue to search you are, not what the other person wants invested some money, and ies, silent movies, and I have for our own beautiful illusions, the most you to be. Then, realize that there is nothing I worked for three months discovered again the cinema- beautiful thing in our life. Some people call it for you that is not for the others also. That with them making the script, tography and the tricks that the philosopher’s stone; religion calls it god; is important. A life without competition. making everything, and suddenly they disap- they are using because there are no words, just the more elemental person calls it love; the Happiness is the end of competition, the end peared, like the spirits! Until today, it has the beautiful images. political person calls it liberty. But every one of comparing yourself to the other. If some- been six months and I have no news from AC: What silent films, specifically, have you of us has the goal to find our most beautiful body gives something to you, something you them. They disappeared, and I don’t know been watching? illusion. Those illusions that are the movies didn’t ask for, you need to receive it. You give what happened, but they are not there. Maybe AJ: Now I am interested in Murnau. You know you have watched your whole life are worth me questions, I discover answers. By myself, I the extraterrestrials took them to another F.W. Murnau? I’m seeing all the pictures of his the happiness of the most beautiful illusion. have nothing to say. N planet, maybe they were taken by the Mafia, now. Also Tod Browning. They made fantastic Myself, I am blinded to truth. I cannot Severin Films Presents: Santa Sangre screens at I don’t know. movies. And, of course, Buster Keaton. know truth. It’s impossible. It’s too big for the Alamo Drafthouse at the Ritz (320 E. Sixth) on AC: Despite the many obstacles you’ve encoun- AC: I remember a number of walkouts while my mind. Wednesday, Jan. 19, at 6:30pm. Severin Films will release tered throughout your career, you’ve managed to watching Santa Sangre at the Dobie Theatre here AC: Thanks to the Internet and the digital a DVD/Blu-ray remastered version of the film on Jan. 25. create and sustain a stunningly personal body of in Austin during its initial run. Two decades on, revolution, essentially anyone with the inclina- You can read Alejandro Jodorowsky’s blog – en Español – at www.planocreativo.wordpress.com. work that ranges from film to theatre to graphic do you think the reaction will be at all different? tion can make a movie today and get it seen, 38 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 14, 2011 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The 25Th Bath Film Festival
    The 25th Bath Film Festival 3 – 13 Dec 2015 bathfilmfestival.org.uk The F-Rating was launched at Bath Film Festival 2014 to massive international attention. The F stands for feminist and is used to highlight films directed and/or written by women and/or with significant female characters on screen in their own right. This year we are thrilled to welcome Pukka Herbs as the official sponsors of the F-Rating 2015 Expect to see, and possibly sample, Pukka treats at F-Rated screenings - just look for the rating’s logo on the film pages. Do please show your support by coming to see the films and drinking lots of what we believe are the best herbal teas on sale! Hello & Welcome Welcome to the 25th Bath Film Festival, we have got a fantastic programme of previews, F-Rated delights, docs, shorts and awards, so dive in and Find Your Film! Holly Tarquini, Executive Director Contents Find Your Film 4 – 5 About the 25th Bath Film Festival 7 Festival Team Recommends 8 – 9 Find Your F-Rated Film 10 – 11 Find Your Film by Feel 12 – 13 IMDb Awards 15 Anniversary T-Shirts and Hoodies 17 Our Sponsors 18 – 19 Map and Bookings 20 – 21 All the Films 22 - 41 Registered Office: 2nd Floor, Abbey Chambers, Kingston Parade, Bath BA1 1LY 01225 463 458 [email protected] Bath Box Office 01225 463 362 /BathFilmFestival @bathfilm #FindYourFilm Registered in the UK no. 3400371 Registered Charity no. 1080952 /BathFilmFestival @BathFilm 3 Find Your Film EvEnT vEnUE Start PAgE EvEnT vEnUE Start PAgE Thursday 3 December Sunday 6 December Room Odeon 19.00 22 Tocando
    [Show full text]
  • Jodorowsky Rétrospective 30 Septembre – 9 Octobre
    ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY RÉTROSPECTIVE 30 SEPTEMBRE – 9 OCTOBRE La Montagne sacrée 56 CINÉMA SANS FIN Artiste protéiforme et iconoclaste, Jodorowsky aura passé sa vie à transgresser les règles de l’art pour trouver l’illumination. Ses expérimentations poétiques le mènent du théâtre d’avant-garde au cinéma underground et psychédélique, de la bande-dessinée de science-fiction à la cartomancie. Il croise sur sa route aussi bien les surréalistes, que Moebius et le mime Marceau, Topor et Arrabal. Chacun de ses films est une expérience spirituelle et sensorielle unique : western baroque (El Topo), drame psychanalytique (Santa Sangre), SF métaphysique (La Montagne sacrée), fantasy utopique (Dune)... L’œuvre anticonformiste, fascinante et visuellement renversante d’un gourou-cinéaste. À travers ses films mais aussi ses scénarios de bande dessinée (en particulier pour Mœbius) ou sa pratique du tarot, Jodorowsky est considéré comme un mystique, voir un mage. Il est vrai que la majorité de ses films retracent des parcours initiatiques : celui de Fando et Lis vers la cité mythique de Tar à travers un paysage d’apoca- JODOROWSKY ALEJANDRO lypse, celui des neuf élus gravissant la montagne sacrée, celui d’El Topo, le pisto- lero devenu un idiot visionnaire, ou celui de Jaime dans La Danza de la realidad qui traverse les cercles du communisme, du fascisme et du christianisme. L’initiation ne vise cependant qu’à un retour au monde matériel : il faut toujours quitter la grotte, redescendre de la montagne, brûler ses idoles et combattre ses propres rêves de puissance. Pour le cinéaste qui vagabonda entre le Chili, la France et le Mexique, il importe de saisir la vie dans toute sa chair, surtout si elle est crue et sanglante, et c’est dans des espaces à ciel ouvert qu’il fait naître ses visions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Roxie Conjures Four Films from the Foremost Psychomagical Movie-Making Master Surrealist
    To celebrate the release of ENDLESS POETRY... Alejandro Jodorowsky Retro! FriDAY, July 14 & SatURDAY, July 15 the Roxie conjures four films from the foremost psychomagical movie-making master surrealist. Co-presented by MiDNiTES FOR MANiACS & Spoke Art, who will be selling limited-edition posters for EL TOPO & THE HOLY MOUNTAIN! EL TOPO (1970) 35mm FANDO y LIS (1968) DCP Jodorowsky’s legendary, notorious cult hit Considered lost for over 30 years, essentially created the genre of the mid- Jodorowsky’s visionary first feature night movie — a spectacle so stunning and blends blended surreal beauty and sav- bizarre that normal hours couldn’t contain age imagery to fashion this bizarre tale it. Jodorowsky’s aesthetically outrageous of corrupted innocence, sadomasochistic provocation will unspool here a 35mm love, and unattainable paradise. 96 mins. version of a restoration overseen THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (1973) 35mm by the director. 124 Mins. The follow to EL TOPO, Jodorowsky’s 3rd film is a much loved flood of sacrilegious imagery, existential symbolism and outrageous violence. This pristine 35mm restoration, done in collaboration with the filmmaker, returns Jodorowsky’s most visually extravagant film to all it’s trippysplendor. 113 mins. SANTA SANGRE The (1989) DCP This garish Oedipal fantasy, scripted by Jodorowsky & Claudio Psychomagical Argento (brother of Dario), resonates with all the disturbing power of a Series Pass clammy nightmare filtered through may still be available. the hallucinatory lens of 1960s psy- Only $40.00! chedelia., straddling a strange hinter- land between the visually ravishing Buy Now, or suffer forever the art film and highbrow horror movie. negative emotions that we inherit from our parents! 123 mins..
    [Show full text]
  • Licenses Presentation the Incal by A
    Licenses Presentation The Incal by A. Jodorowsky and Moebius The story In a world of cruelty and decadence, John Difool, a measly low class licensed private detective, becomes the unwilling pawn in a cosmic plan to save the universe. From strange encounters to mystical experiences, he has no idea what his adventures have in store for him. 2 Key Points • A masterpiece which has influenced new generations of French comics (The Metabarons, The Technopriests, Megalex). • A cinematic reference (inspired the screenplay for The Fifth Element by Luc Besson) • A science fiction classic created by Moebius, an internationally acclaimed artist of comics (Arzach, Blueberry) and movie (Alien, Abyss) • A jubilant critique of modern-day society’s faults and flaws • Mythical writer Jodorowsky, a prolific film director of EL Topo, the Holy Mountain, The Dance of Reality and Endless Poetry Books Vol. 1 - The Black Incal (1981) Vol. 2 - The Luminous Incal (1982) Vol. 3 - What Lies Beneath (1983) Vol. 4 - What Is Above (1985) Vol. 5 - The Fifth Essence (Part I) (1988) Vol. 6 - The Fifth Essence (Part II) (1988) Deconstructing the Incal (2016) by J. Annestay & C. Quillien More than three million copies sold ! 4 Press The Incal was one of the 6 comic books chosen to be sold along with the French daily newspaper Libération during the summer of 2006 50,000 copies printed 5 Foreign Editions The Incal has been published in 27 foreign languages: English Greek Norwegian German Dutch Russian Spanish (ARG) Hungarian Serbian Spanish (SPA) Islandic Slovenian Catalan Italian Danish Brazilian Croatian Finnish Korean Macedonian Swedish Chinese Polish Czech Japanese Portuguese Turkish More than 500,000 albums and 40,000 omnibuses sold abroad 6 Merchandising • Figurines (Démons et Merveilles) • Mugs • T-shirts (Narrow Escape) • Laminium Lightning (Défense d’Afficher) • Tarot cards (Le Diouris) • Board Games (Why not Animation and Interactive) Spin offs Before the Incal by A.
    [Show full text]
  • Alejandro Jodorowsky
    Alejandro Jodorowsky Filmmaker, writer, mime, master of tarot, psychomagician, Alejandro Jodorowsky is an artist whose robust sense of living is matched only by the exceptional breadth of his creative practice. Author of dozens of books – from philosophy to poetry – and, with the French artist Moebius, the highly praised L’incal series of graphic novels, Jodorowsky’s works are marked by a great generosity as well as a remarkable ability to provoke. His first film, Fando y Lis (1967), shocked its audience into a riot when it premiered at the Acapulco Film Festival and was subsequently banned in Mexico. His following two films, El Topo (1970) and The Holy Mountain (1973) – beloved and supported by John Lennon – became immediate cult classics, initiating in the United States the “midnight movie” phenomenon in which his films would play for years. Jodorowsky’s recent film, The Dance of Reality (2013) – based on his 2001 autobiography – is a surreal exploration of the dream territories and traumas of his childhood. “The story of my life,” he writes, “is a constant effort to expand the imagination and its limitations, to capture its therapeutic and transformative potential.” Alejandro and I met at his apartment in Paris the evening after his 85th birthday. In his office, surrounded by walls of books and esoteric objects, we discussed his films, his influences, chance and intention, gravity and reality. Photography by Interview by Giasco Michael Bertoli Nardone MICHAEL NARDONE — For The Dance of Reality, you returned to your of scissors, another time all cups. Often it was clothes, and, yes, oc- homeland to shoot a deeply autobiographical work, yet it’s one that uses that casionally, women’s underwear.
    [Show full text]
  • ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY // TESZÁR DÁVID Latban? Ilyen Időtávlatból Valószí- Nűleg Ezt Már Soha Nem Tudjuk Meg
    Latin-amerikai legendák Latin-amerikai legendák l atin-amerikai legendák Latin-amerikai legendák is. Mi az igazság az esettel kapcso- ALEJANDRO JODOROWSKY // TESZÁR DÁVID latban? Ilyen időtávlatból valószí- nűleg ezt már soha nem tudjuk meg. Mi az igazság Jodorowsky titokza- tos, szürreális-szimbolikus, nehe- zen megragadható fi lmművészetével kapcsolatban? Ennek megválaszo- lásához nagy segítséget nyújtanak MOZITERÁPIA az elmúlt tíz évben angol nyelven is megjelent önéletrajzi írásai és a saját pszichospirituális rendszereit (pszichomágia, metagenealógia) rész- letesen kifejtő kötetei. JODOROWSKY, AZ EGYKORI BOTRÁNYHŐS ÉS ELLENKULTURÁLIS PROVOKÁTOR EGYÜTTÉRZŐ, BÖLCS TANÍTÓVÁ SZELÍDÜLT. AZ ELME ÚTJA Jodorowsky színházi és mozgásművé- gy amerikai turista meglátott egy gia világában is otthonosan mozgó szeti (pantomim) háttérrel vágott bele kéregető mexikói kisfi út a temp- chilei művész munkásságáról, a ve- a fi lmkészítésbe, debütáló nagyjáték- „Elom kapujánál, odament hozzá, zetőség azonban egy Jodorowskyval fi lmje, aFando és Lis (Fando y Lis, 1968) és a következőt mondta: – Adok neked készült 1972-es interjúra hivatkozva ezeket a forrásokat igyekszik integrálni egy dollárt, ha megmondod, hol van az utolsó pillanatban lemondta az inkább kevesebb, mint több sikerrel. A Isten. – A kisfi ú habozás nélkül így fe- eseménysorozatot. A New York Times szürrealizmus és a Pánik művészeti lelt: – Adok Önnek két dollárt, ha meg- által is közölt hír szerint az interjú- mozgalom (Arrabal, Topor, Jodorowsky) mondja, hol nincs Isten.” (Alejandro ban
    [Show full text]
  • Race in Hollywood: Quantifying the Effect of Race on Movie Performance
    Race in Hollywood: Quantifying the Effect of Race on Movie Performance Kaden Lee Brown University 20 December 2014 Abstract I. Introduction This study investigates the effect of a movie’s racial The underrepresentation of minorities in Hollywood composition on three aspects of its performance: ticket films has long been an issue of social discussion and sales, critical reception, and audience satisfaction. Movies discontent. According to the Census Bureau, minorities featuring minority actors are classified as either composed 37.4% of the U.S. population in 2013, up ‘nonwhite films’ or ‘black films,’ with black films defined from 32.6% in 2004.3 Despite this, a study from USC’s as movies featuring predominantly black actors with Media, Diversity, & Social Change Initiative found that white actors playing peripheral roles. After controlling among 600 popular films, only 25.9% of speaking for various production, distribution, and industry factors, characters were from minority groups (Smith, Choueiti the study finds no statistically significant differences & Pieper 2013). Minorities are even more between films starring white and nonwhite leading actors underrepresented in top roles. Only 15.5% of 1,070 in all three aspects of movie performance. In contrast, movies released from 2004-2013 featured a minority black films outperform in estimated ticket sales by actor in the leading role. almost 40% and earn 5-6 more points on Metacritic’s Directors and production studios have often been 100-point Metascore, a composite score of various movie criticized for ‘whitewashing’ major films. In December critics’ reviews. 1 However, the black film factor reduces 2014, director Ridley Scott faced scrutiny for his movie the film’s Internet Movie Database (IMDb) user rating 2 by 0.6 points out of a scale of 10.
    [Show full text]
  • El Museo Del Barrio Announces Spring Exhibition Lineup
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO ANNOUNCES SPRING EXHIBITION LINEUP: Lucio Fontana: Spatial Environment (1968) January 23 - April 21, 2019 JODOROWSKY February 28 - May 12, 2019 NEW YORK, NY, December 4, 2018 – El Museo del Barrio is pleased to announce its spring exhibition schedule, as it ushers in its 50th anniversary celebration in 2019. From January 23 to April 21, 2019, the lineup begins with Lucio Fontana: Spatial Environment (1968), an environmental installation by the Argentine-born artist, to coincide with The Met Breur exhibition, Lucio Fontana: On the Threshold. This is followed by JODOROWSKY, the first US museum survey dedicated to artist and filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky. Organized by Guest Curator María Inés Rodríguez, JODOROWSKY will be on view from February 28 to May 12, 2019. Lucio Fontana: Spatial Environment (1968) January 23 - April 21, 2019 El Museo del Barrio will display a reconstruction of artist Lucio Fontana’s 1968 Ambiente Spaziale [Spatial Environment]. First created in the late 1940s in relation to the artist’s innovative Spatialism movement, Fontana’s Ambienti Spaziali are labyrinthine, total environments that viewers enter and navigate. Built with the guidance of the Fondazione Lucio Fontana, the all-white Ambiente spaziale (1968) at El Museo will follow the exact specifications of the artist’s final work in the series, originally conceived and presented at Documenta 4 in Kassel, Germany shortly before Fontana’s death. The installation coincides with The Met Breur exhibition, Lucio Fontana: On the Threshold, curated by Metropolitan Museum Estrellita B. Brodsky Curator Iria Candela. About Lucio Fontana Argentine born Lucio Fontana (b.
    [Show full text]
  • CULT CÍNEMA: a CRITICAL SYMPOSIUM Featuring Joe Bob Briggs, J
    CULT CÍNEMA: A CRITICAL SYMPOSIUM Featuring Joe Bob Briggs, J. Hoberman, Damien Love, Tim Lucas, Danny Peary, Jeffrey Sconce and Peter Stanfield As the marginal goes mainstream^ critical connoisseurs debate the frenzied life, near death, and rejuvenation of cult cinema Oit of us know someone who can't get between the cttit ftlm and the marketplace. View- through a day without qiiotiitg from ing the phenomenon of cult film through the lens Joe Bob Briggs M Twin'Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, of the fan elicits questions about what distinguish- 1) Ihe cull film is taken from a pool of Casablanca, Dracula or some other coiiiptihively es cult interest from the more getierat category of movies your mama told you not to watch. So worshipped movie. Other people tire of hearitig cinephilia; differences between the opportunities you start with rebel filmmakers, and then them intone. "Eeelectrkity!," "Routtd up the usual for cult fans now atui cult fans Ixukin tlie day ofpre- within that pool iuspects, " or "I rtcver drink... witte, " but the}' per- home-viewing technologies; and the motives and cul- you have filmmak- severate and we screen them out. At what point, tural roles of the cult fan. ers rebelling against however, does this hid of behavior cease to seem Viewing the cult film in terms of its definition the rebels. A small cpiaintty quasipathotogical and begirt to call to us as an object, our contributors have confronted handful of those are as a sipiiftctmt spectacle? Is it a matter of the questions about cult esthetics: whether they are so quirky and/or ferocity of their ardor? Or their numbers? WoitM distinctly different from the esthetics of main- fetishistlc that they },000 people attending a Star Trek convention stream film; the independence of cult creators; attract a loyal fol- wearing Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Rethinking Spirituality in the Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky Adam Breckenridge New England Institute of Technology, [email protected]
    Journal of Religion & Film Volume 19 Article 2 Issue 2 Fall 2015 10-1-2015 A Path Less Traveled: Rethinking Spirituality in the Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky Adam Breckenridge New England Institute of Technology, [email protected] Recommended Citation Breckenridge, Adam (2015) "A Path Less Traveled: Rethinking Spirituality in the Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky," Journal of Religion & Film: Vol. 19 : Iss. 2 , Article 2. Available at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol19/iss2/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Religion & Film by an authorized editor of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Path Less Traveled: Rethinking Spirituality in the Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky Abstract This essay seeks to add to the scholarship around the films of Alejandro Jodorowsky by looking at how Jodorowsky challenge to mainstream religion and spirituality in two of his major films: El Topo and The Holy Mountain. I situate both these films within their cultural context and, working with Slavoj Zizek’s idea of the sadistic trap, explore how they challenge not only mainstream religious beliefs but countercultural ones as well. By doing so, I hope to cast some light on what makes the subversive nature of his films so valuable and to provide some guidance to two films that can be quite overwhelming to try to understand. Keywords Alejandro Jodorowsky, El Topo, The oH ly Mountain, Slavoj Zizek, Counterculture Author Notes Adam Breckenridge is an assistant professor of technical writing at the New England Institute of Technology, where he specializes in both professional and technical communication and film studies.
    [Show full text]
  • Ana Iribas – Alejandro, You Seem Unwell, How Are You?
    Interview Alejandro Jodorowsky: “I Disappear” Ana E. Iribas Alejandro Jodorowsky (Iquique, Chile, 1929), is not easily pigeon- holed. He started off in puppet theatre, went on doing mime, stage acting and directing. In Paris, he founded the Panic Theater movement with Topor and Arrabal. He took on film direction, in the underground cult movies Fando and Lis (1967), The Mole (1970), The Sacred Mountain (1974), Santa Sangre (1984), and the less renowned Tusk (1980) and The Rainbow Thief (1990). He also projected a screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel, Dune. Jodorowsky is a writer of comic scripts (the best known is The Incal, illustrated by Moebius), poetry, and novels like Donde mejor canta un pájaro (Where a Bird Sings Best) (1994), El niño del jueves negro (The Black Thurs- day Child) (1999), or La danza de la realidad (The Dance of Reality) (2001). Following a major life crisis, he decided to direct his work towards healing. The fruit of this new orientation are his therapeutic techniques,tarology (a Tarot reading, guided by symbolism and mythology, for the insight into the consultant’s psychological and vital problems), psychogenealogy (the study of the effect of ancestors and family members on the individual’s life scripts), psychomagic (an intuitive therapy in which, after diagnosing the problem causing the consultant’s symptoms, Jodorowsky prescribes a psychomagic act that unites poetry, symbol and myth), and psychoshamanism (a shaman- istic ritualization, in which the consultant is symbolically “operated” and liberated of his problems). His latest essays, which condense the core ideas of his therapeutic work, are Psicomagia (Psychomagic) (2004) and La vía del Tarot (The Way of the Tarot) (2004).
    [Show full text]
  • Dance of Realitylh
    The Dance of Reality Contact: A Psychomagical Autobiography Manzanita Carpenter, Publicist [email protected] Alejandro Jodorowsky 802.767.3174 x135 ISBN: 978-1-62055-281-0, June 2014 Also available as an ebook Paperback: $24.95, 456 pages, 6 x 9 Imprint: Park Street Press FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Legendary Director of El Topo Returns with Critically Acclaimed Dance of Reality “…The Dance of Reality, a trippy but big-hearted reimagining of the young Alejandro’s unhappy childhood in a Chilean town…” New York Times Magazine “An autobiographical work by an octogenarian, The Dance of Reality begs to be read as a culminating work…” Los Angeles Times “His films El Topo and The Holy Mountain were trippy, perverse, and blasphemous.” Wall Street Journal Alejandro Jodorowsky, one of the most creative and enigmatic filmmakers of our time, has been worshipped by cult movie goers since the release of his films El Topo and The Holy Mountain in the 1970s. Now at 85, the “father of the midnight movie” is back after a 23-year hiatus with his seventh film, The Dance of Reality, which premiered at both the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and the 2014 SXSW Film Festival. Distributed by Abkco Films, The Dance of Reality opens in select theaters in New York and California on May 23, 2014, with wider distribution this summer. Coordinating with the theatrical release, Inner Traditions of Rochester, Vermont, will publish Dance of Reality in paperback on June 2, 2014. Inner Traditions’ director of sales and marketing John Hays says, “It’s a privilege to publish Dance of Reality for Jodorowsky’s English-speaking fans and an honor to play even a small role in getting Jodorowsky’s story out.” The deeply personal film and book “tie-in” tell the story of Jodorowsky’s alienated childhood in Chile.
    [Show full text]