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January 28, 2015
MOVIE | 'Dance of Reality,' Jodorowsky's first film in 23 years.
MOVIE | A Cruel and Beautiful Ode to Humanity, Returning to the Master's Roots
Jodorowsky's First Film in 23 Years, 'Endless Poetry'
Alejandro Jodorowsky, the globally acclaimed master, presents his first new film in 23 years, 'Endless Poetry.' The autobiographical work, returning to the director's origins at the age of 83, is a cruel yet beautiful ode to humanity seen through the eyes of a boy.
Text by YANAKA Tomomi
Reality and Fantasy Intertwine with Youthful Vibrancy, Tracing Jodorowsky's Boyhood
Born in 1929 in Chile to Russian-Jewish parents, Alejandro Jodorowsky's 1970 film 'El Topo' took the world by storm. John Lennon was so captivated that he reportedly bought the distribution rights for 'El Topo' and its follow-up, 'The Holy Mountain,' for $450,000. Jodorowsky is also renowned as a comic book author, with over 30 series published in France, showcasing his multifaceted talent.
This June saw the release of 'Jodorowsky's Dune,' a documentary about his ambitious but unfinished 1975 sci-fi epic. Amidst renewed attention on the director, 'Endless Poetry,' his first new film since 1990's 'The Rainbow Thief' (unreleased in Japan), is now showing in Japan.
Filmed in the rural Chilean town where the director was born, the film traces Jodorowsky's childhood. His own sons appear as the father and a mystic who teaches young Alejandro meditation. The director vividly and fantastically interweaves his memories of childhood and family against the backdrop of Chile's vibrant landscapes.
Conflict with an Authoritarian Father, A Longing for Mother's Love
In the 1920s, a young Alejandro Jodorowsky lived in Chile under military rule with his immigrant parents from Ukraine. With his fair skin and prominent nose, a result of his Russian-Jewish heritage, he was bullied at school, called 'Pinocchio,' and suffered greatly.
He experienced friction with his authoritarian and communist father, and longed for the love of his mother, a former opera singer who believed Alejandro was the reincarnation of her own father. What kind of 'world' did Alejandro witness?—
A young boy's dreams in military-ruled Chile. Jodorowsky says, "This is a film that heals people's souls, and by recreating my family within the film, it was also a film that healed my own soul."
'Endless Poetry'
Opening Saturday, July 12th, at Shinjuku Cinema Qualite, Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho, Shibuya Uplink, and other theaters nationwide.
Directed and Written by | Alejandro Jodorowsky
Starring | Brontis Jodorowsky, Pamela Flores, Cristóbal Jodorowsky, Adan Jodorowsky
Distributed by | Uplink, PARCO
2013 / Chile, France / 130 min
http://www.uplink.co.jp/dance/
© photos Pascale Montandon-Jodorowsky / © “LE SOLEIL FILMS” CHILE・“CAMERA ONE” FRANCE 2013