Jodorowsky’s Dune
It’s time to kill the backlog, because the Berlinale is beginning and I am hoping and praying to be able to see many interesting films. Ever since the PIFF (which took place in October last year, mind you) I primarily watched films on airplanes, because I have mostly been busy traveling or preparing for said travels. It’s a first world problem, but now I’m glad to be done with all that for awhile and “settle” a little bit.
First of all, I must admit that during the PIFF I fell asleep during “Jodorowsky’s Dune”. I was just so tired after the first day, so I think I saw about 30 minutes or so before I dozed off slowly while sitting up, and only woke up when everybody was bursting into laughter about his rape joke. Shortly after I fell back asleep again. So I decided to re-watch the film with Pip, whom I knew would be interested in it. In retrospect it turned out well, because he was really into the film. We are now even considering purchasing the book if Taschen ever releases it.
Needless to say, we all enjoyed the film. Even if you discount that wildly inappropriate rape joke, the film is designed to be entertaining, which is great for a documentary. It also gives a pretty good introduction to both Jodorowsky and Dune (I have never seen a film by Jodorowsky nor did I read Dune), which helps because there isn’t all that much unexplained name-dropping. It is certainly cool to see famous people like Orson Welles randomly appear in it, but for me the best part was the glimpses of the set designs and how the artists talked about it. Perhaps I am just into this goth-y style, but it also came with incredible details and an atmosphere befitting of what I imagined Dune to look like.
Speaking of which, Jodorowsky himself is quite a fascinating character. Sure, he is amazingly weird but his way of roping people into his epic enthusiasm is absolutely beautiful. I love how strongly he believes in his collaborators who then actually produced amazing artwork. With film-making being so dominated by tyrants like Preminger or aforementioned Welles, I am glad to see somebody inspire good art by, well, being inspiring and a decent leader. I think many people would benefit from the guidance of a mentor and a leader like that, especially the young, talented and ambitious, and I found the spirit that goes through this film heartwarming because of that.
Is “Dune” the greatest film never made? Maybe, and actually I think it would have worked marvelously as a Battlestar Galactica-like show some 50 years later, but it history is already written and I am glad that Jodorowsky has gotten this far and produced so much great work in the first place. I just hope it gets published.