Alejandro Jodorowsky (*1929)

Alejandro Jodorowsky in the 1990s

Alejandro Jodorowsky (sometimes credited as Alexandro Jodorowsky) is a controversial filmmaker, whose movies have shocked and/or delighted audiences all over the world. His directorial debut THE SEVERED HEAD was shot in Paris in the 1950s and is now believed lost. His masterpiece is ge

nerally considered to be EL TOPO. In 1989, he returned to filmmaking after a break of ten years, with the stunning SANTA SANGRE, which was produced by Claudio Argento (Dario's brother). Jodorowsky is said to have directed a sequel to EL TOPO in 1999, but this film, titled ABELCAIN, has not been released yet.
Apart from being a filmmaker, Jodorowsky is also a writer and philosopher. His 1993 semi-autobiographical novel Donde Mejor Canta un Pàjaro is highly recommended, as it gives the reader insight into Jodorowsky's personality and explains many of the themes in his films. In 1994, he was interviewed and followed by Louis Mouchet, resulting in the interesting documentary LA CONSTELLATION JODOROWSKY (see screenshot).

EL TOPO MONTAGNA SACRA SANTA SANGRE SANTA SANGRE (alternative video cover) THE RAINBOW THIEF

Filmography:

La Cravate (1957; dir, act, coprod)
Fando y Lis (1967; dir, coscr; based on a play by Fernando Arrabal; aka Tar Babies)
El Topo (1969; dir, scr, act, prod, mus, art dir, costumes)
Pubertinaje (1971; coprod)
The Last Movie (1971; edit)
Apolinar (1972; coprod)
Anticlimax (1973; act)
Montagna Sacra (1973; dir, scr, edit, prod, act, mus, costumes; aka Holy Mountain)
Tusk (1979; dir; based on a novel by Reginald Campbell)
Santa Sangre (1989; dir, coscr)
The Rainbow Thief (1990; dir)
La Constellation Jodorowsky (1994; documentary about Alejandro Jodorowsky)
Abelcain (1999; dir?; aka THE SONS OF EL TOPO/TORO; never released/never made?)
Pas Si Grave (2003; act)
Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream (2005; int)
Musikanten (2006; act)
King Shot (2007; dir, coscr?; announced/in pre-production)

© Ron Altman (last update 05/20/2007)