Jodorowsky's Dune is a 2013 documentary film directed by Frank Pavich. The film explores Alejandro Jodorowsky's unsuccessful attempt to adapt the novel Dune by Frank Herbert into a feature film in the mid-1970s. The documentary features interviews with Jodorowsky, who describes his ambitious plans for the film, as well as production designer Dan O'Bannon, special effects artist Douglas Trumbull, and artist H.R. Giger.
Jodorowsky's vision for Dune was to create a "profoundly psychedelic" work of art that would revolutionize the science fiction genre. Jodorowsky assembled an impressive team of artists, including O'Bannon, Giger, and French comic book artist Jean Giraud (Moebius), to collaborate on the project. The team spent two years creating a massive storyboard for the film, which was over 3,000 pages long and incorporated hundreds of sketches and designs.
Jodorowsky also recruited actors for the film, including Orson Welles, Salvador DalÃ, and Mick Jagger. However, the film's budget ballooned to $15 million, and Hollywood studios were hesitant to finance such an ambitious and unconventional project. Eventually, the film was cancelled, and Jodorowsky's Dune became one of the great unmade movies of all time.
Despite the film's failure, many of the artists who worked on Jodorowsky's Dune went on to have successful careers in Hollywood. Dan O'Bannon and H.R. Giger would go on to work on Ridley Scott's Alien, while Douglas Trumbull worked on Blade Runner. The film's influence can also be seen in Star Wars, Total Recall, and other science fiction films of the 1980s and beyond.
Jodorowsky's Dune received critical acclaim upon its release and won several awards, including the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the South by Southwest Film Festival. The film is a fascinating look at one of the most ambitious film projects of all time, and the lasting legacy of its visionary director.
