Alejandro Jodorowsky

Harlem Renaissance Poet Langston Hughes asks in his poem of the same name, what happens to a dream deferred? Film Director Frank Pavich offers one answer in his documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune.

In his film, Pavich uncovers the sheer pleasure and excitement in going for our dreams. His interview with cult filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky who made films such as El Topo in 1970 followed by his irreverent film The Holy Mountain in 1973, brings to relief what we will do to stretch our artistic muscle not for glory nor capital gain but for the sheer wonder in where our imaginations can take us.

Jodorowsky’s Colossal Storyboard Book

Without cinematic restraint Pavich curries patience in his exploration of Jodorowsky’s dream to bring to the big screen Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel Dune in the turbulent times of the 1970s. Oh, it was a grand endeavor! The cast and technicians and illustrators made up a magnificent roster of talent Jodorowsky named “spiritual warriors”: We know them all: David Carradine, Mick Jagger, Orson Welles, and Salvador Dali; screenwriter Dan O’Bannon, sci-fi paperback artist Chris Foss, and the artist genius of the late H.R. Giger of Alien fame. Brontis, Jodorowsky’s son, trained for two years in martial arts to prepare for his role.

Jodorowsky assembled all of his storyboard illustrations and bound them into what became a collossal book of source material! In the film Pavich animates those images to give audiences a glimpse of what could have been. Jodorowsky left no stone unturned to realize his dream.

‘Dune’ The Film that Jodorowsky never made

Jodorowsky, of course is the star of the show, and at 84 years old, he still conveys his intense passion for Dune via a most engaging and entertaining personality. “I wanted to make the most important picture in the history of humanity […] one that would connect to God!” Jodorowsky proclaims! His fervor, even today, still hovers over this most ambitious venture, and he is not alone! Pavich’s interviews with Michel Seydoux, Jodorowsky’s director and producer tapped for Dune; H.R. Giger; Diane, Dan O’Bannon’s widow, among others, all coalesce to reflect on a project that attracted the best talents in Hollywood! Yes, it was a grand endeavor!

… and Hollywood looked at all that he had created and said it was not good. So what happened to the dream deferred? Hmmmm …

Jodorowsky’s Dune plays through May 22 at the Ross Media Arts Center in Lincoln.

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