Jodorowsky's Dune may appear at first to appeal only to film geeks and the art-house crowd, however, this is the most delightful and engaging documentary I've seen in years. I think even non-cinephiles will feel the same. If you've never heard of a version of Dune directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky that's because it was never made, but despite that little fact it still managed to influence science-fiction movies for decades and, along with Stanley Kurbick's Napoleon, is referred to as the greatest movie never made.
Alejandro Jodorowsky's most famous films are the confounding, psychedelic western El Topo and the equally confounding, surreal The Holy Mountain. Though neither had a wide theatrical release both films still managed to find an underground fan base. El Topo, released in 1970, found a cult following from midnight screenings, becoming the first "Midnight Movie." With a larger budget and a more psychedelic spiritual vision, Jodorowsky followed up with The Holy Mountain in 1973 which caught the attention of French producer Michel Seydoux. When Seydoux asked Jodorowsky what he wanted make next Jodorowsky said "Dune" even though he had never read the novel.
Jodorowsky's previous films were highly experimental and avant-garde using striking, surreal images, purposely provocative imagery and themes, and a complete lack of explanation for what you are seeing. El Topo and The Holy Mountain are not condescending assaults on the audience (like, in my opinion, the later films of Jean-Luc Godard), rather, they present a challenging journey and invite you to take part. Scenes in these movies are close enough to being understandable to keep you watching, but far away enough to keep you intrigued. The numbers his movies give you don't seem to make sense, but in the end add up to something substantial. Would his big budget adaptation of a well-loved fantasy novel be more traditional? Even mainstream? No, absolutely not.
The team of talent Jodorowsky assembled to visualize Dune is unparalleled. French comic book artist Jean "Moebius" Giraud and the dark surrealistH.R. Giger would draw the world of Dune. Dan O'Bannon, fresh off working on John Carpenter'sDark Star, would create the special effects. Pink Floyd would do the music. Salvador Dali would play the evil emperor of the galaxy and Orson Welles would play the evil baron. To say that the vision for Dune was ambitious is a gross understatement. Today this version of Dune could be easily created with CGI, but in 1975 the special effects technology would more than likely not have lived up to the vision.
Jodorowsky had no problem straying from the plot of the novel. He wanted to make a movie that would give the audience the experience of taking LSD without actually taking the drug. The best part of Jodorowsky's Dune is Jodorowsky himself talking about this unrealized movie and how he assembled his team of artists. He has such passion and enthusiasm that it is easy to understand how he was able convince all these people to drop everything, move to Paris, and work on a movie that did not have studio funding. Dune, directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, was turned down by every Hollywood studio, but the studios did take notice of the artists. 20th Century Fox would produce Dan O'Bannon's screenplay Alienand hire H.R. Giger to create the monster itself, which bore heavy similarities to the work Giger had done for Dune.
We get to see a glimpse of what all of those creative minds produced: a massive book of storyboards that tell the entire story of Dune as dreamed by Jodorowsky and his team. The sketches and drawings are truly a treat to see. They are equally mesmerizing and bizarre. Only two copies of that book exist today. I hope that some publishing house realizes what a wonderful piece of movie history and work of art still awaits to be seen. I know I would buy a copy. I want so bad to experience Jodorowsky's Dune.
by A.J. It begins with images
that are only vaguely familiar: a black circle... a pupil? An eyeball? What we see in
Under the Skin is intriguing, mysterious, and understandable enough. Some
critics have made comparisons between this film and the films of Stanly Kubrick. Bizarre, ethereal imagery, long shots, quiet scenes, and a lack of
explanation usually draw comparisons to Kubrick, but what those people
really mean is that it reminded them of the last half hour of 2001: A Space Odyssey (Kubrick’s movies are thought provoking but actually very comprehensible).
On the spectrum of auteurs, director Jonathan Glazer’sUnder the Skin falls somewhere
between David Lynch and Alejandro Jodorowsky, and in the best way possible
too.
Scarlett Johansson plays a woman with black hair, an English
accent, and a fur coat. She roams rural Scotland in a van picking up men with
the unspoken promise of a sexual encounter. This is not as easy as you might
think, even for an alien (?) that looks like Scarlett Johansson. What does she
really want these men for? What really happens to them? Each encounter shows a
little more, though that doesn’t mean it reveals
more about what is happening.
This very well might be Scarlett Johansson's best performance. She brings curious life to this not quite human creature. Even when using her charm and sex appeal she seems to be operating on autopilot until she has an encounter with a severely deformed man. After that she strays from her routine and becomes curious and confused by her surroundings and her body. Her journey from then on is as unknown to her as it is to us, and the movie comes as close as it ever does to meeting us halfway.
Under the Skin makes no direct statements. There is nothing
resembling traditional exposition. That will frustrate some and excite others. However, this
does not mean it is impossible to follow what is happening on screen; anyone
familiar with science-fiction/horror movie tropes is likely to have a good idea of what’s going on. There is plenty to ponder, but this movie shouldn't cause too much frustration to those intent on solving its mystery since Under the Skin is ultimately a Rubik's cube, not a puzzle with missing pieces.
by Lani Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies schedule for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings orTCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.) 5/8, 4:30 AM - Marat/Sade (1966) In Charenton Asylum, 1808, the Marquis de Sade directs a play, featuring his fellow inmates, which reenacts the events surrounding the death of radical journalist Jean-Paul Marat in 1793. What could go wrong, right? Part of an evening dedicated to 1960s stage-to-screen adaptations, this film is based on a 1965 production by the Royal Shakespeare Company and features Patrick Magee as Sade, Ian Richardson as Marat, and Glenda Jackson as the assassin Charlotte Corday. Fun fact: The full title of the play and film is "The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade." 5/12: Starring Mitzi Gaynor 12:15 AM - The I Don't Care Girl (1953) 1:45 AM - Mitzi: A Tribute to the American Housewife(1974) Tonight's line-up highlights triple-threat Mitzi Gaynor. During her ingenue days at 20th Century Fox, Gaynor was overshadowed by another blonde -- Marilyn Monroe -- despite her formidable singing and dancing talents. Those talents are showcased in the musical biopic The I Don't Care Girl as Gaynor portrays vaudeville superstar Eva Tanguay, featuring lively musical numbers by choreographer Jack Cole. My second pick of the night is one of Gaynor's successful 1970s TV specials adapted from material she performed in her touring stage shows. Though the premise sounds dubious (a tribute to housewives?), director/choreographer Tony Charmoli managed to win an Emmy for choreography, which is enough to get me interested. 5/19: Made by Brooksfilm 10 PM - 84 Charing Cross Road(1987) 12 AM - The Doctor and the Devils (1985) TCM pays tribute to Brooksfilms, the production company founded by Mel Brooks, with six movies on May 19 & 20, four of which feature Brooks' wife Anne Bancroft. I've picked two films which are new to me, but sound worth a look. 84 Charing Cross Road is based on the true story of a 20-year correspondence between New York writer Helene Hanff and antique book dealer Frank Doel in London. While their initial letters were about obscure & out-of-print books, eventually the two began to delve into topics discussed by close friends. They never met face to face, their correspondence ending with Frank's death in 1968. Bancroft and Anthony Hopkins star as Hanff and Doel with Judi Dench appearing in a small role as Doel's wife. There's not much information on TCM.com or IMDB.com about The Doctor and the Devils, but after reading the brief plot description I have to assume the film is based on the true tale of notorious 19th century grave robbers turned murderers Burke and Hare. (Their story was most recently told in the 2010 film Burke and Hare starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis.) Jonathan Pryce and Stephen Rea star as the titular devils Fallon and Brown, while Timothy Dalton plays the doctor who uses the stolen cadavers for medical experiments. Star of the Month: June Allyson 5/21, 12 AM - Good News (1947) 5/28, 8 PM - My Man Godfrey (1957) The films of June Allyson are taking over primetime on Wednesdays this month. To enjoy June Allyson at her charming best, you could do worse than the light and frothy college musical Good News. Peter Lawford co-stars as a football player who needs help from perky tutor Allyson to pass French class. The fact that Lawford's French accent is much better than Allyson's should be politely ignored. I'm also looking forward to seeing the remake of My Man Godfrey co-starring David Niven. The story from the Depression-era screwball classic has been updated here with Niven playing an Austrian WWII refugee in the United States illegally. Allyson plays the daffy heiress who hires Niven's Godfrey to be her family's butler. Since the 1936 version with William Powell and Carole Lombard is one of my favorite movies, I'm interested to see how the later version tried to make the story it's own.
5/29, 10:15 PM -F for Fake (1973) Orson Welles's final masterpiece is ostensibly a documentary about an art forger; however, the film also touches upon the art of filmmaking, magic and trickery, as well as a famous publishing scandal. It's all in service of asking "what is truth in art?" Friday Night Spotlight: Australian Cinema TCM's Friday Night Spotlight has been consistently serving up interesting themes and films. This month the spotlight shines on Australian New Wave cinema of the 1970s and 80s, focusing on several notable auteurs including Bruce Beresford, Peter Weir, Jane Campion, Gillian Armstrong, and Phillip Noyce. Hosted by Oscar-nominated Aussie actress Jacki Weaver, this series offers a lot of intriguing films. If you haven't seen Breaker Morant or Picnic at Hanging Rock, seek them out.
