Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2014

Frank Pavich’s entertaining, educational and inspiring documentary tells the story of Chilean visionary Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempted mid-’70s efforts to film the classic Frank Herbert fantasy novel (which “Jodo,” by the way, had not even read yet when he pitched the film). This assemblage of fact, imagination and imagery features extensive interviews with the director, at 84 still a handsome, charismatic and clearly quite mad creative genius, gleefully reminiscing, without bitterness, about what might have been. (He is credited with creating the “midnight movie” concept with 1971’s not-to-be-seen-sober El Topo.) The bizarre cast was to include David Carradine, Mick Jagger, Udo Kier and Orson Welles. H. R. Giger was on board, as were French graphic novelist Moebius, Pink Floyd, and even Salvador Dali. But fearing anything so colossally unhinged, the Hollywood money backed out at the last minute, relegating the project to one of the most influential films never made. Upcoming filmmakers obviously inhaled the spice, however, and its DNA lives on in such blockbusters as Alien, Blade Runner, Star Wars, The Fifth Element and Contact. (Not entirely in English; it’s a good idea to read as much as you can about it beforehand.) (87 min)