Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013)

nJodorowsky’s Dune (2013)

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nDirector: Frank Pavich

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nThere are certain documentaries out there that really diveninto what it means to really make a film, a side of movies we hardly ever see,nthe creative side, the side that struggles to make ideas come to cinematic life.nAll we have to do as an audience is sit, and take in the movie; sometimes wenforget just how grueling an experience making a film can be. I mean, it’s notnjust shooting a film, you have to go through the whole process of writing thenscript, of casting it, of assembling the team that’s going to help you bringnyour dreams come to life. One of my favorite documentaries that explores thisnside of filmmaking is Lost in La Mancha (2002), which chronicles thenrise and fall of what could have been Terry Gilliam’s take on Don Quixote, a film that was to be called ‘The Man Who Killed Quixote’. Unfortunately for Gilliam, the wholenproject collapsed on him through a combination of raging storms that destroyednequipment and a protagonist who fell ill, amongst other catastrophes. Manynmillions were lost and the film never got made, but what an incrediblenspectacle it is to watch it all happen! That documentary is special becausenthey actually filmed the whole disaster as it occurred. I always recommend itnbecause it’s a brilliant peek into the frustrations of a filmmaker whondesperately wants to make a film, yet the universe conspires against him. Gilliamnis still trying to get that film made believe it or not, I hope he finally getsnthere because there’s nothing worse than a director who never got to make thatnone film he or she has always wanted to make. This brings to mind Jodorowskinand his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi, Magnus opus, Dune. A film thatnsadly never got made. This documentary goes into all the pre-production worknthat went into the film, and the reason why it never took off.

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nAlejandro Jodorowski was eighty four years old when theynshot this documentary, but boy, his mind is as clear as if he was 30! I mean atn80, most people are with one foot in the grave, begging for forgiveness, yetnhere is Jodorowski alive and kicking, still a creative force to be reckonednwith. I mean, to this day, Jodorowsky still directs films! His most recent onenis called The Dance of Reality (2013), which I will be seeing and reviewingnhere soon. He writes for a French sci-fi show called ‘Metal Hurlant Chronicles’nand every now and then continues writing incredible comic books and graphicnnovels. I love the guy, I want to be like him when I get old, just writing andncreating cool stuff. Which is why I think it’s such a tragedy that he didn’tnget a chance to make his version of Dune. If his pre-production archives arenany indication, this movie was going to blow everyone’s mind!

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nTo hear Jodorwskintalk is pure delight, he speaks like a genius mad man, a point that thendocumentary makes clear. There cannot be great art without some madness. HearingnJodorowsky say how his Dune was going to change the world, you believe him.nThen you see the story boards for the film, and it becomes evident, this filmnwas going to be something special. But it was not to be, the powers that benshied away from greatness. I mean, here’s a project that has influenced manynothers after it, and it wasn’t even made! Can you imagine how it would have influenced other filmmakers, had it actually gotten made? Jodorowsky planned this movie so wellnthat he had this giant ass storyboard book he printed that included everynscene, shot and camera move. There’s a myth amongst movie buffs that says that manyna Hollywood director/producer copied from this book, George Lucas included. Elementsnfrom Dune have always popped up all over the Star Wars saga and I’ve always noticednthem. Could it be that George Lucas simply loved Frank Herbert’s Dune and wasninfluenced by it? Or did Lucas get a peek at a copy of Jodorowsky’s storyboardnbook? I don’t know the answer to that one my friends, but there are somenblaring similarities between what could have been Jodorowsky’s Dune and GeorgenLucas’s Star Wars.

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nThere’s this moment in the documentary where Jodorowskyntotally looses it and his anger emerges, you can see he is truly upset thatnafter so many plans and after so much time spent, his version of Dune neverntook off. He is so passionate about the film that I’d give him the money if Inhad it! Instead, he offers the film to any other young director out there willingnto take a crack at it, Nicolas Winding Refn the director behind Drive (2011) andnOnly God Forgives (2013) seems to admire Jodorowsky enough, so much so that he dedicated Only God Forgives to him, maybe their kinship will give us Jodorowsky’s Dune someday? Here’s hoping!  Let’s see, manyndirectors have been about to make the new Dune, but as of yet, nothing. It’s sonsad because you can see that what happened to Jodorowsky is the typicalnsituation in which Hollywood detects weirdness and runs away from it like anchild running away from the boogeyman. Movies with strange premises, films thatnthey don’t know how to sell, films that don’t follow a formula or a structure,nauteur directors with a knack for the bizarre, these are just some of thenthings that Hollywood tries its best to run away from. It’s sad seeing truenartistes like David Lynch, Terry Gilliam and Alejandro Jodorowsky struggling tonmake movies. I mean, here’s a bunch of directors who can truly add something toncinema, yet these are the voices that Hollywood silences. Worst part is thatnthey shut the door on Jodorowsky and crew, yet just a few years down the roadnthe project gets done with an even bigger budget and with a similar productionnplan. I’m sure this was a slap in the face to Jodorowsky, getting doors shut innyour face only to see Hollywood copy your idea and do it their way.

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nJodorowsky says he was relieved when he saw Lynch’s filmnbecause according to him it was terrible, which is kind of weird seeing onenateur hit on the work of another like that, but Jodorowsky makes it clear, he knows Dune wasntaken from Lynch and that it was a film done primarily by the producers, he actually aknowledges Lynch as a true creative force. Many film buffs and critics don’tnconsider Lynch’s Dune a true David Lynch film, Lynch himself included. You ask me, I don’tnhate Lynch’s Dune (1984), I in fact love it. Out of all the adaptations ofnHerbert’s work, it’s the biggest and most epic of all, production wise. Andneven with all the bitchin’ and moaning you hear about how supposedly “bad”nLynch’s Dune is, when we get down to it, it’s a pretty close adaptation ofnHerbert’s book. But rest assured my friends, Jodorowsky’s Dune would have beennsomething else entirely different. There’s this line in the documentary thatnhas to be the best line in it where Jodorowsky says that when you adapt a book,nyou cannot do it exactly the same, you have to rape it. And then he says, “that’snwhat I was doing, I was raping Frank Herbert!” Then he pauses and says: “but inna good way…” Jodorowsky’s mind, it really is  brilliant, I hope that when I am 84 I can benas cool and as sharp as he is. This documentary is a testament to his genius.  It lets us see once again how afraid Hollywoodnis of anything different, or anything with the desire to “change the world!” Thisndocumentary is a fascinating peek into Jodorowsky’s mind, anyone whonappreciates art, Frank Herbert’s Dune novels and filmmaking in general willnhave an amazing time watching this, highly recommend it.

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nRating: 5 out of 5  

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