Anchor Bay: Alejandro Jodorowsky

[ianungstad]

I actually tried to pry more information out of my friend at Humanoids publishing. All I got was that they INDEED have Fando and Lys as well. So they have all of Jodo's library pretty much ready to go with the exception of the rainbow thief.

I'm still pretty certain that El Topo/Holy Mountain/Santa Sangre are going to be criterion proper, with Fando and Tusk on Eclipse...but who knows how that'll go. I'm sure they want to launch Eclipse with a few high profile titles...not to berrate the forthcoming Richard Gordon box and Equinox as being low profile.

[stroszeck]

I asked JM (or rather begged) if Criterion would do the smart thing and put HOLY MOUNTAIN/SANTA SANGRE/EL TOPO as a BOX SET as either part of the collection or Eclipse.

His simple response: "We have no plans at this time blah blah blah".

So now i have a couple questions: a) When the hell will Eclipse be launched and is there any real NON-FORUM news on it?

b) Will Fando and Lis REALLY be re-released? I ordered the OOP one in early August from Amazon and since then I've gotten 4 e-mails asking for my approval to postpone the shipping date. And I still haven't received it.
So if there's anyone who's got some real evidence CC will take a stab at it, I might as well cancel the order. Thanks.

[DrewReiber]

His simple response: "We have no plans at this time blah blah blah".

Hey, to be fair, he gave the standard "we kinda have the ability to do so but we're not making official comments yet" statement. Or at least that's what he said about a title or two that were announced 6-8 months later.

a) When the hell will Eclipse be launched and is there any real NON-FORUM news on it?

Several sources, on this board or otherwise, have said that El Topo/Holy Mountain AND Eclipse will appear in early 2006. Whether these titles and the label are one and the same, nobody knows, but it's likely more than a coincidence.

So if there's anyone who's got some real evidence CC will take a stab at it, I might as well cancel the order. Thanks.

If I were you, I would cancel the order. Again, speaking from the side of the issue not believing in coincidence, Fando Y Lis went out of print just as development started on these other titles.

I also believe ianungstad because I just don't see anyone needing to make a random rumor about a rare cult title by claiming to have a friend from a comic book publisher few message board posters talk about. Btw, Ian, thank you so much for following that up with your friend.

However, I don't see Criterion/Eclipse releasing El Topo and Holy Mountain seperate from the other titles based on a few things...

1) We have to remember that Criterion *is* the company licensing these properties around the world, whether they release it through another label or not.
2) How in the world would Tusk be profitable in a market where most people don't even know the director's work at all?
3) They know people will want El Topo and Holy Mountain, so why not just represent the majority of Jodorowsky's work in one package? Jodorowsky fans win and Criterion makes a better return on having invested the time, rather than having a small fanbase divide even further over which titles they prioritize.

[ianungstad]

Not really much of an update...

I heard from a friend that..eep...Marilyn Manson may be involved with the El Topo dvd to some extent, that they were talking to him about writing a bit for the booklet about the film, and maybe even including his music video "the man without fear" or something from Universal which is suppose to be inspired by El Topo....so yeah it sounds like it might be an Eclipse release. Was told by my friend at Humanoids that it was an early 06 release...but obviously we are almost on March solicts from Criterion., so I guess whenever they want to launch eclipse...grrr well at least the eclipse website is up even if nothing's on it.

The Mark Morris post to me pretty much verifies that we will see criterion release this in the next year, as he was the one who brokered the deal for the UK release of Santa Sangre, so he obviously has insight into the situation; which is telling.

I also asked my buddy Rich Johnston (for those who read comic books he writes the column Lying in the Gutters) and he pretty much verified what I originally posted back in the summer with his sources that it will be released through Criterion in 06, but he didn't even have the details my friend from Humanoids had...but got it from other inside sources.

Anyways I almost feel bad about posting this so many months ago since there seems to be so little news on it, I just want to say that I'm not lying or anything...and I think it's suppose to be one of those "aren't you surprised to see us solict that dvd" releases from criterion....

Ah well....it's coming

peace, Ian

[dx23]

Marilyn Manson may be involved with the El Topo dvd to some extent, that they were talking to him about writing a bit for the booklet about the film, and maybe even including his music video "the man without fear" or something from Universal which is suppose to be inspired by El Topo

I like Marilyn Manson and his music, but for some reason this could turn out to be something similar as the annoying "rappers talking about Scarface featurette" on the Scarface DVD. The only musician I want to see involved in this is John Lennon, who was a huge fan of the film. There has to be some interviews by Lennon, written or taped, of him talking about the film.

[toiletduck!]

I don't really know much about Manson's history with Jodorowsky, but he's been "signed on" to star in ABELCAIN, Jodorowsky's "forthcoming" film since way back when, so I'm assuming there's some sort of relationship there...

-Toilet Dcuk

[Gordon]

I like Marilyn Manson and his music, but for some reason this could turn out to be something similar as the annoying "rappers talking about Scarface featurette" on the Scarface DVD.

By Christ All-fucking-Mighty, that is the worst extra feature that is part of my collection. Whoever proposed and sanctioned that 'piece' deserves to be kicked to death. The whole marketing of that remastered SE was a lesson in how NOT to present a much-loved film on DVD.

Rock/pop stars should be kept as far away as possible from documentaries on films. There are exception, of course. Kris Kristofferson on Peckinpah, for example.

Criterion will be keeping any Jodorowsky projects under wraps until it is fully completed. In fact, I am suprised that there has been any leakage at all.

[DrewReiber]

I also asked my buddy Rich Johnston (for those who read comic books he writes the column Lying in the Gutters)

Holy crap! Ian... oh man, I'm an idiot for not remembering your name. I think we may have briefly chatted once or twice years ago. I used to write for Jason Brice over at Silver Bullet Comic Books, but it's been some years and I can't recall every person I spoke to around that time. I used to talk to Rich too, back before his move to CBR. Didn't you fill in for him either on that site or for Jason's? Again, sorry for the hazy memory.

Either way, thanks a lot for all the reporting on El Topo, I've been waiting YEEEEEEEARS for this.

[Andre Jurieu]

I'm not a fan of his music or his publicity stunt antics, but Manson's not a complete idiot. He's fairly rational, well-spoken, and well-informed during interviews. Wait till you see the feature and what he has to say before you dismiss his inclusion in the project.

[oldsheperd]

He was a pretty good actor on the Wonder Years.

[pauling]

Manson is very well-spoken (his cameo in Bowling for Columbine was excellent) and it will be interesting to hear his views on Jodorowsky.

[backstreetsbackalright]

...this could turn out to be something similar as the annoying "rappers talking about Scarface featurette" on the Scarface DVD.

Hey now, I'd almost say I enjoyed that feature more than Scarface. I love when Puffy waxes intellectual as he boastfully claims to be part of the first generation to adopt the iconography of DePalma's remake - a point rendered redundant by, um, chronology.

[Gordon]

Yes, Manson is well-spoken and fairly intelligent for a rock/pop star, but so what? Why bother. No-one needs to speak for Jodorowsky, lord knows he has no problem speaking for himself! The documentary on the Anchor Bay Santa Sangre more than testifies to this. He is a formidable dude and although it is nice to have his admirers give their appreciation, nothing is ever going to top listening to the man himself tell you all about his gloriously fucked up universe.

[Andre Jurieu]

Does Manson's inclusion prevent them from allowing Jodorowsky to address his audience or comment upon his film? It's not like they have substituted Jodorowsky with Manson. How do we know they haven't included a long interview with Jodorowsky?

If we followed this reasoning, then Criterion shouldn't include introductions by Gilliam, Scorsese, or Bogdanovich when there are archived interviews from the original filmmakers, and no one should be able to comment of Godard's work since he's still alive, kicking-and-screaming.

[Gordon]

All I am saying is why bother with Manson? Is the best person to 'introduce' a AJ film? Would his 'appreciation' be worthwhile? They might as well get me to do it! Or Alex Cox if he's not busy.

[toiletduck!]

Ahem... *shuffle, shuffle, kick, kick*

I don't really know much about Manson's history with Jodorowsky, but he's been "signed on" to star in ABELCAIN, Jodorowsky's "forthcoming" film since way back when, so I'm assuming there's some sort of relationship there...

-Toilet Dcuk

Jodorowsky also served as a consultant on Manson's own unfinished film project, HOLY WOOD.

Are you fully aware of the relationship between Manson and Jodorowsky? 'Cause I'm sure as hell not -- but it's far deeper than "celebrity fanboy." If nothing else, it's at least on the level of Lennon (unless funding Jodorowsky suddenly shows a more intimate relationship than actually working with him).

-Toilet Dcuk

[ianungstad]

Drew - Yeah I took over the column for Rich when he left...it was badly written and vulgar, but hey I was a 17 year old with an aittitude problem at the time. I'm always trying to find stuff out like the Jodorowsky films ....I'm too nosy. Used to be one of Rich's main spy's in regards to his Wildstorm material in All The Rage....

I DID not write anything about Manson doing a commentary track or whatever....so I think some people seem to think I'm implying something that I'M NOT AT ALL....same goes for the idea of this being a "boxset", I have seen posts on the net referring to this thread as evidence that criterion is doing a Jodorowsky boxset....NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT A BOXSET besides wishful thinking...grrr.


PEACE

[bunuelian]

If a Manson commentary, booklet, cover art, or alternative sountrack will help sell a few more copies so a lavish edition will be released, I have no problem with it. All this tedius complaining that Manson will somehow diminish the presentation misses the point that the films might not otherwise be released at all.

I'm not sure what point lies in worrying about the cultural impact of teenage fans of Manson buying copies of El Topo. I doubt many fans of surrealist cinema would boycott a release simply because Manson is involved. There's absolutely no damage to be done here, other than to leave Jodorowsky represented only by bootlegs on Ebay. I strongly doubt the Moral Majority will embrace Jodorowsky only if Manson isn't involved.

My concern is more that Manson isn't even relevant anymore, and will only inspire indifference.

[solaris72]

i saw alejandro jodorowsky give a speech in nyc last week and at one point he mentioned jokingly that he started the men-painting-fingernails thing long before marilyn manson did, so i feel like there's at least some sort of relationship there.

also, he alluded (often) to a dvd box coming out "sometime early next year" but didn't mention who was putting it out. they showed clips of some his movies but they were all VHS transfers.

Did he say anything about any upcoming movie projects?

[Cinephrenic]

What movies were the clips from? New prints?

[Gordon]

My concern is more that Manson isn't even relevant anymore, and will only inspire indifference.

Good point.

[DrewReiber]

he did mention something about wanting to project a movie for free on the internet, as a "gift to other people." didn't say much about it beyond that. for a man of, what, 78?, he is still in incredibly good spirits and said he's not done with making films yet, "since i will live to be 120 years old."

he also said he really hates peter o'toole.

as for clips, they showed el topo, the holy mountain, and santa sangre, i believe.

I KNEW IT!!! There was just no way Criterion/Eclipse would be releasing the lesser known films, when they could get people to buy it all just to get at El Topo and Holy Mountain. Man oh man oh man, how much longer do we have to wait for an official announcement?

[mikeohhh]

Are the missing spine numbers before Viridiana possibly this Jodorowsky set?

[peerpee]

probably the Malle set

[DrewReiber]

probably the Malle set

Agreed. For all we know, if these are Eclipse titles they may not have CC spine numbers.