JODOROWSKY'S DUNE: WHAT IF...

My guess is that most people have never heard of Alejandro Jodorowsky. The acclaimed director broke into notoriety in 1970 with his film EL TOPO, a movie that didn't play the normal film circuit but became one of the first major midnight movies to play across the country. Not sticking to the usual ways movies were made or told, Jodorowsky's fans grew with each film he made. It's surprising that he only directed 9 films total. But the story of what happened after he made his second major success (THE HOLY MOUNTAIN) and started on his next picture may explain that. The name of the movie he was set to make? DUNE.

Yes, we all know that the movie version of DUNE was made by David Lynch, but the truth of the matter is that Jodorowsky was set to direct it before that was ever considered. This documentary tells the story of what happened from start to finish, how a French investor told Jodorowsky he would finance his next picture and when asked what he wanted to do was told DUNE. It progresses with how he hired this person or that person to help tell this grand epic. And eventually it tells the story of how corporate studios run by businessmen rather than film lovers never gave him the chance to make his movie.

Most of this is pretty well known. Going into this film you already know the beginning and the end. But that's not what makes the film so great or so interesting. What makes it that way is Jodorowsky himself. At 85 years old we're given a glimpse at a man who seems far younger than his years, filled with a zest for life and a love of film that few movie makers have. As he talks about his plans for his version of DUNE, Jodorowsky explains that he felt it was a mission, a spiritual goal that he set for himself and expected those who worked with him on the project to share. Indeed, that commitment he sought prevented several top names in the business from being selected to join him on his crusade.

The choices he did make were relatively new to the business at the time and he chose them because he saw something in their art, in the things they had already done, that he thought he could apply to this film. Along with cartoonist/illustrator Moebius he put together an incredibly huge collection of drawings, shot by shot what he intended to put on the screen. Over 3,000 drawings were done, something few had ever done before. He discovered a German artist named H.R. Giger and thought the things he was creating with his art could be applied to this film. He hired Dan O'Bannon to handle the special effects based on the film he and John Carpenter had done, DARK STAR. And with all this talent on hand the film still didn't get made.

The people he hired did go on to some spectacular things though. Moebius continued to be a noted illustrator and cartoonist. Giger went on to create the now famous alien from the movie of the same name. And O'Bannon went on to write ALIEN, LIFEFORCE and RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD. Many of the others involved moved forward into blossoming careers as well.

All of these tidbits come into play as the movie progresses and Jodorowsky tells the story of how it all went down. In the way he describes things, the passion that he displays while talking about a failed movie production, you wish more and more that he had been allowed to make his film. It truly would have been something unseen before. While many directors these days make movies based solely on the amount of money they'll get paid or with the hope of turning one film into a franchise, Jodorowsky wanted to make art. As he gets exciting in telling his tale you'll find yourself excited as well.

While Jodorowsky's DUNE was never made, this may be as close as we'll ever get to seeing that film. Filled with the illustrations that were done, some animated for this film, hearing him discuss his plans and listening to him talk about who he tried to cast in the film makes for great story telling. In the end what I left with after watching this was a desire to see the earlier films he was noted for. They might not end up being anything I will appreciate but at the same time I will know that there was a man filled with passion when it came to the films he created. It's nice to see that on hand these days.

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