Alejandro Jodorowsky and cat

I recently posted about a new documentary, about Alejandro Jodorowsky and his attempt at making a feature length film of Dune in the 1970s. That film, simply titled, “Jodorowsky’s Dune,” was an amazing portrait of the filmmaker. Jodorowsky is intensely inspiring, so amazingly full of life and love and light. His passion for filmmaking, especially for making Dune, in the only way he wanted it to be made, shines through in this documentary. Tragically, for financial reasons, the film was never realized (although David Lynch would make a version). This film is an absolute must see!

Feeling the fever of the recent Jodorowsky hype, I was incredibly excited to see his new film, “The Dance of Reality,” this past weekend at the Los Angeles independent theater Cinefamily. Jodorowsky’s first film in thirteen years, “The Dance of Reality,” is clearly made by the same director as El Topo and Holy Mountain, but has a modern look and feel. The analog special effects of El Topo and Holy Mountain were replaced in The Dance of Reality by digital video and digital effects. I have to admit that this was a bit disappointing, but the film was just as juicy in color and costumes as his most famous films of the 1970s. I found myself caught up with the colorful scenes and, beautiful and disturbing characters throughout the two and half hour film. Similar themes of love, religion, spirituality, relationships, were present. By the end of the film I had gone through a whole rainbow of emotions – fear, sadness, happiness, joyfulness… I had laughed, turned my head and closed my eyes, smiled, frowned… I would defiantly recommend seeing this movie in the theater, as it is large and epic, and full of theatrics and color, and sweeping landscapes that will not translate as well on home entertainment systems. You can watch a trailer for “The Dance of Reality” HERE.

Jodorowsky in “The Dance of Reality,” 2014. Credit Le Soleil Films/Camera One/Pathe/ABKCO La Danza LLC