Alejandro Jodorowsky on contemporary cinema

After a screening of his film Santa Sangre in London, 2002 Chilean director Alejandro Jodorowsky reflects on the impact of (then) contemporay cinema e.g. by the likes of Takashi Miike (Fudoh, Visitor Q) and Kim Ki-Duk's Seom, and how American Cinema makes use of the influences.

[@numb3r5ev3n]

I want to just sit and watch movies with Alejandro Jodorowsky.

[@vladdebrancovan7011]

I watch a Jodorowski double bill (Holy Mountain and Santa Sangre) with him in the audience… he introduced and closed each movie with comments… the most magical time in my life.

[@ChevalierAguila]

You want to know what's crazy? Takashi Miike also considers Starship Troopers his favorite film. If i was Verhoven i would have gone crazy, having two of the most unique directors in the history of cinema praising my movie.

[@janfranszuidema8512]

Paul Verhoeven has made at least two of the top three of most beloved Dutch films of the 20th century. Loads of fruitcakes are loving his films.

[@julesf.meloborges811]

Starship Troopers is the ideal Blockbuster. All Blockbusters should follow that lead. So stupid, yet secretly brilliant.

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

@@julesf.meloborges811 Verhoeven blockbusters are satyrical blockbusters, he's laughing at blockbusters and even at the concept of blockbuster itself ... that's why you're never going to see a commercial big movie like Verhoeven's. They're done mainly by stupid people for even more stupid people

[@acht2849]

Verhoeven is terribly underestimated in The Netherlands. But what can I say, they hate original and uncomprimising art here, especially when it's a mirror for taboo tendencies of the mainstream culture, like militarisation, materialism, sexual repression and dreams made plastic and deform into strange kitsch by the entertainment industry.

[@DeepEye1994]

The man speaks the truth, I will never forget the scenes from the films of his that I saw, Santa Sangre, The Holy Mountain and The Dance of Reality. Amazing pieces of cinema and art.

[@renatocontrerasflores294]

Lost me at dance of reality.

[@FastJohnnyNardGard]

Holy fucking shit, Jodorowsky praising Miike (talking about fudoh and visitor Q)... I can't even imagine what sort of things they could do in collaboration.

[@jacko250]

Well its interesting he says Starship Troopers & Dark City are his Favourite American films as both were directed by non-Americans, Paul Verhoeven who is Dutch & Alex Proyas who is Australian

[@zaullizalde365]

The fact that he likes Starship Troopers is hilarious to me

[@bbrother92]

Because it is Verhoven and he is good

[@monkelmann]

Starship Troopers is indeed one hell of a ride. And so much fun. That movie was banned in germany for ages. Kind of crazy

[@CliffuckingBooth]

Interesting. I know that there is a huge group of cosplayers in Germany that wear the mobile infantry armor. I want one myself ! :) Also from what I know the movie is very popular in Germany.

[@Zergito]

I don’t think he was talking about Tarantino because at the time of this interview he hadn’t made a gangster film in awhile. I think he was referring to Martin Scorcese. Who is also a “businessman” filmmaker. He had a film called Gangs of New York which would’ve came out at the time of this interview and he always makes gangster films lol.

[@dopplegangerdavid]

It took me a few minutes to realize he was talking about Takashi Miike's Fudo (Alejandro pronounced it 'Fugo'. I saw that movie years ago and remember the dart scene.

[@vishnu2407]

He also talks about Visitor Q

[@Ghost_Of_SAS]

Spent a good three minutes wondering who this Mike Takashi was. Then I was like ooooh!

[@n0d0yuna]

Does anybody know any other interviews where he talks about other movies he likes?

[@Alastarsblade]

I wonder if Jorodrowsky is interested or has seen Sion Sono's films?

[@bradleyandrew4378]

I could only imagine and hope so! The Holy Mountain and Love Exposure are tied as my all-time favourite film.

[@aaronshouting588]

@@bradleyandrew4378 Amen 🙌

[@LaHijaDelHombre]

el maestro is an imaginative, spiritual and pragmatic man of Arts. Look closer...zoom back the camera!

[@saiashwin26]

Craziest man alive !!!

[@f.d.3289]

You've never been to the mental ward, I gather

[@BeYourself]

Does anyone have an idea about what South-Korean movie he's talking about? The one where a guys swallows a fisherhook?

[@DanteFiallo]

I forget the name, but it's a Kim Ki Duk Film, google his name and youll find it, brutal scenes in that btw

[@BeYourself]

@@DanteFiallo thanks man

[@tradathegreat3557]

Kim Ki-Duk’s “The Isle” (2000)

[@LaHijaDelHombre]

Unorthodox and Genious!

[@Reprodestruxion]

Me eanwhile Alan Moore never thought of making snuff films

[@tylerdordon99]

Fudoh is such a great film apart from the whole dart thing it's a solid yakuza action film with a brilliant twist.

[@EigaDruid89]

Man needs subtitles

[@IHaveYourSealab]

Indeed. *leering*

[@v.c1134]

It's easy to understand, you just dislike the thick accent lol

[@alexanderdahoola8188]

I take it Jodorowsky wouldn't like say most modern torture porn movies like Saw and works of Eli Roth? And what does he think of made for TV and straight to video action movies say?

[@NorthDallasForty.]

Takashi Miike ~ Lars Von Trier ~ Nicolas Winding Refn I wonder what Jodorowsky thinks of A Serbian Film?

[@FranticAnimations]

Probably thinks it's shit since it is shit.

[@sinfoneura]

Los que copiaron a Jodorowsky pensaban que nadie lo recordaría en el futuro..

[@KatalistProductionsKozzySasha]

Miiiiiiiiike!!!!

[@akihisatakaichi8073]

What is Korean film that he mentioned?

[@esoonmeen]

섬 (Seom) / The Isle (2000) by Kim Ki Duk and other movies of kim he'd also probably like.

[@akihisatakaichi8073]

@@esoonmeen thanks ✌️

[@bobbyleebiggums]

@BeYourself the eye

[@alexanderdahoola8188]

Also, just this, not meaning to rain on Jodorowsky's parade or anything and he is entitled to his opinions, but even if what he says its true, about Tarantino and Rodriguez movies, about the "camera" movements and the fact that he considers the films to be so "business like", does that necessarily ultimately make them failures, though? Why not appreciate them still and consider them forms of entertainment DESPITE those flaws? Or does Alejandro Jodorowsky have extremely high standards when it comes to movies and he considers those aspects so true and unforgivable? I wonder what his thoughts are or would be on TV and straight to video or these days straight to DVD movies, of the kind seen back in late 90s at night on Channel 5 etc? But I am certain Alejandro wouldn't even bother to think about any of them and would consider them massive failures if he doesn't already? P.S. The fact that crowd is laughing in the background, do they just find him funny or...

[@lewiscranston881]

Guy needs to know Blood Simple and Blade Runner are amazing American films.

[@vishnu2407]

The new Blade Runner is amazing, not the old one

[@lewiscranston881]

@@vishnu2407new one is good, but the old one is a masterpiece

[@OmyaBJJ]

nooo stop stop

[@sino2823]

Jackie Brown is a good one but he has a point starship troopers is great with a message

[@tonywords6713]

4:23 parapraxis

[@omgsolikevalleygirl]

cinema is dead, but I think there is a lot of room for freedoms (albeit not on the same "scale") for TV productions now with image/audio quality having taking such leaps.

[@alexanderdahoola8188]

So I take it for the most part, Jodorowsky isn't really into most of Hollywood and he doesn't like Tarantino movies?

[@mikeman4223]

The kind of things he's describing are quite easy. Anyone can think of ridiculous, over-the-top things to put on screen. All it takes is just the will to shoot them and distribute them. What *is* difficult is to make a memorable scene of 3 people just having dinner. I won't mention any of the more "artistic" directors, and I'm going to go with a perfectly "mainstream" one - the dinner scene in Fincher's "Seven".

[@widM_]

Is it not weird for human to like watching the most sick, violent, gruesome things done to eachother and considering this as the only good cinema? I think that filming the most sick gruesome things your mind can imagine is not an art. It's the shock for the sake of shock which is the lowest level of expression.

[@popc5245]

widM you miss the point

[@widM_]

Keyser Soze so where was the point? I get his cinematic language but from this video I didn't catch any more point as I wrote.

[@popc5245]

Is not about shock value, its about the capacite of a film to surprise, to create something that will burn in your eyes forever. Also in the case of Kitano he dont do it just to shock, i mean its obviusly his intention but he have a reason for create that image in the first place, whether is simbolism of something else that is another discution.

[@elizabethh1930]

+widM you are obviously no artist, seeing as you know nothing about artistic expression

[@widM_]

river k Thanks for going on personal level and don't trying to make an argument on the subject.

[@Zaul2410]

sorry jodo but you need to improve you english hoho...

[@loganwarner176]

nah he’s fine, they just need to add subtitles

[@hrishikeshthakur8540]

This is so stupid....