World of Blue - Archived Forum 2007-2022

I got an email from Amazon.com telling me to come on over and buy more DL stuff, and they included the above director in the bunch. I've never seen any of his things; is he that much like David?

I would say that, for me, he is more in line with the European surrealists of the early 1900's. I find him quite different to DL. They are more spiritual and colourful in a Spanish way. The use of bright colours in his scenes and very bizarre situations and worlds created for his characters, especially in his earlier work - El Topo, The Holy Mountain and Fando y Lis (this one is in black and white), are wow! what an imagination.. His most recent work Santa Sangre is more in the real world, but through the eyes of a man who goes insane from a traumatic childhood.
I think they are fantastic, very different from anything else I know of, but some might find them to surreal. It might be worth renting before buying, try El Topo or the Holy Mountain for his more surreal films or Santa Sangre for an easier, more modern and colourful intro. For those who really like surrealism it is worth it. John Lennon, Dennis Hopper and Marilyn Manson apparently liked and like him, and in the sixties he caused quite a stir and controversy when his films were released, causing a riot in Mexico with Fando y Lis, I believe.

Thanks snikgrif!!! I was just curious since they included him with DL. But he sounds interesting. I may have seen El Topo sometime; it sounds familiar.

Annie wrote:I was just curious since they included him with DL.

They were both part of the Midnight Movie scene (El Topo was arguably the first MM ever, and was followed by Eraserhead) and IIRC DL's executive producer on his new film King Shot.

Jodorowsky is pretty good. Most of his stuff is extremely symbolic. He sort of uses the "kitchen sink" method in that basically anything can happen in one of his films. I wouldn't really say he and Lynch have many similiarities though. I would say someone like Maya Deren is much more akin to Lynch. Meshes of the Afternoon is absolutely brilliant and while not exactly like some of Lynch's work there is some semblance, particularly in Lynch's early short films. If I remember correctly Lynch cited Deren's work and Meshes in particular as a favorite of his.

He is great in my books! I love Holy mountain as a work of art but it is quite something... But I have to say that his best movie in my mind is Santa Sangre. And it is also a mystery so there is little resemblance to Lynch, but it has more to do with italian giallo mysteries...

It is one of the best movies in my opinion. The difference with Lynch is that it is explained and clear in the end but it is so mathematically perfect, so nice. I love it. Great Cinema.

Jodorowsky is little bit grotesque but I don't mind, and now you are warned

Other stuff that reminds me of Lynch is Tarkovsky's Cerkalo (The Mirror), Lars von Trier's Element of Crime and Ingmar Bergman's Persona. And of course Alan Resnais's Last year at Marienbad. And Hitchcock's Vertigo, obviously.

Also Tarkovsky's Nostalghia and Sacrifice are sublime. Well, he is my favourite, so...

EDIT: And from the TV: Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective mini series and Lars von Trier's Kingdom (Riget). With TP they are the best this cathode ray tube can offer! Well, Jimmy McGovern's The Cracker is pretty high up there too, but it's no mystery.

i have a boxed set of Alejandro Jodorowsky films: El Topo; The Holy Mt; and Fando Y Lis. the latter film is my favorite. the scenes in all the films are certainly surreal and remind me of some of my own bizarre dreams, lol.
the 'orgasm machine' in the Holy Mt was very amusing to say the least.
the set also includes sound tracks as well as a short film clip.
i'd recommend the set; it can be had from amazon.com for a low price.

I looooooooove Jodoroswy's work, he's brilliant

But I don't find his work comparable with Lynch, they're both surreal but in a very different way

Jodorowsky is absolutely brilliant! I wouldn't dive into his work without keeping an open mind though. I don't think the two directors are that much similar, however, they both have a certain genius.