MovieChat Forums > Fando y Lis (1972) Discussion > Just finished it. Mixed impressions.

Just finished it. Mixed impressions.

posted 19 years ago by anak_d
20 replies | jump to latest

I don't know. First of all, this is the first work from Jodorowsky I have seen so far, and I have to say I was really looking foward to it.

The premise is extremely interesting. I have a deep passion for 1960's Latin American Cinema. IEverything about it just seemed great.

But I don't know. I found the movie a tad bit "random". Some of the "sexual subversion" scenes just felt quite uninspired and tiresome. (maybe they weren't in the 60's, I don't know)

I really liked the character of Lis; but Fando is never given any real depth. He just turns into bouts of violence for no apparent reason whatsoever, screams here, goes there, etc.

I think this movie missed the chance of being much more complex in its imagery and suggestion - I am reminded of how "Woman in the Dunes" took a "surreal" concept and twisted it into something great.

Sadly, in "Fando y Lis" the premise is never really explored in real depth. Also the dialogue is also quite uninteresting and dull, and doesn't add layers of meaning to the movie (such as in Godard's work - obviously influential to pratically every film maker in the 60's).

Perhaps this is due to the fact that the crew obviously had an extremely small budget and the film (according to what I read) was almost entirely improvised, but still, this could've been a classic.

7/10

[–] neto916 19 years ago

I'm new to Alejandro Jodorowsky as well, just seen this for the first time and then followed it by Magic Mountain to get a feel for other stuff he's done (plan on watching El Topo soon). I'd agree on the randomness, I guess that's what makes it great though. Really interesting story is hard to follow but it does get a lot of emotions out, it ran a little long which added to some dullness, but it never fully bored me because there'd always be some other random sh** that would pop out of nowhere. Really poetic, no sense its just all about emotions to me. If I'd watch it again I'm sure I woulbe able to make more sense and give a better comment on it but it was still a fun experience especially because I viewed it a week ago at some underground cinema place (which was my first time being there) and the hosts there were very knowledgeable on Jodorowsky and gave me a lot of insight on his life. So it made his films make a lot more sense, really intersting guy. I can't wait to see his future films... whenever he's going to finish them. By the way I strongly recommend Magic Mountain, story is a lot easier to follow and really quite funny. By the way anak_d, I'm just starting to learn about directors and trying to get exposed to a bunch of different types of films, what other Latin Cinema feutures do you like/recommend?

-neto

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] TracesOfLove 19 years ago

I loved it! And that surprised me because I didn't expect to love it. I've been wanting to see Holy Mountain and El Topo for so long I finally settled for Fando and Lis because it was available. And usually when I settle for something I am going into it already disappointed. But I've been dying to know what Jodorowsky was all about! I also rented Viva La Muerte the same weekend without even knowing it was by the author! It was completely by coincidence! And both characters were named Fando! I loved the landscape in black and white. And the actress who plays Lis is enchanting! One of my favorite scenes was the flaming piano playing jazz while the bored bourgeois danced. I also liked the old ladies playing poker. Oh and the painting scene was gorgeous! I could watch it every night before bed. I can't imagine liking El Topo and Holy Mountain better than this! I can't wait until I'll know for sure!

Cousin Cheryl, I don't think the family REALLY knows you.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] akells 19 years ago

The commentary on the out-of-print DVD by Jodorowsky explains what it all means. It makes sense as he's talking about it, but I defy anyone to come to the same meaning just by watching the film!

My problem with Jodorowsky is that although his films are weird and interesting, I find a lot of his symbolism to be heavy-handed and a bit naive. Also, newcomers should be warned that El Topo and Magic Mountain contain scenes of real animal cruelty and slaughter, perhaps to be expected considering his previous involvement in 'extreme theater'.

[–] opoterser 18 years ago

Akells, the heavy-handed, naive symbolism and animal cruelty is what makes Jodorowsky. I will almost go as far as saying Jodorowsky is style over substance, but that's a wonderful thing.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Grethiwha 10 years ago

Surrealism isn't just randomness! It's absurdist humour, inner truths, music-like beauty... Fando y Lis though, just seemed kind of random to me. I dunno, maybe I just wasn't feeling it.

Anyway, I personally feel Jodorowsky's gotten better and better with age, and is making his most interesting films now, in his eighties. :)

--- grethiwha -------- My Favourite Films:
http://www.imdb.com/list/Bw65XZIpkH8/

[–] godme85 18 years ago

All the movies of Alejandro Jodorowsky are full of symbolism and all the elements have a meaning. That's all.

[–] paras-5 18 years ago

surrealism... that's it...

[–] Danep280 18 years ago

I havent seen this but i'm planning on seeing it tonight. i've seen the holy mountain, santa sangre, and el topo and i loved the holy mountain and santa sangre but didn't really like el topo partly because how random it was. hopefully i'll like this more even though everyone's saying how random it is. el topo kind of reminded me of pierrot le fou if anyone here has seen that, because they both kindof seemed to be all over the place. i didnt like that either.

[–] ChuchoQuintero 18 years ago

If you want to watch a more... "normal" film but also with the style and strenght of Jodorowsky's works, go watch "SANTA SANGRE" (holy blood)

SANTA SANGRE has a clear plot and development but keeps the surrealism and wickedness of Jodorowsky. Great movie, even if "Fando & Lis" is also amazing and interesting but not for everyone

*Best of 2006:
Happy Feet
Pan's Labyrinth
Babel
Little Miss Sunshine
Children of men

[–] fcoulombe 18 years ago

ok guys... i just finished watchin this movie.

im new to jodorvsky by 1 week. i watched holy mountain and el topo. (santa sangre is next)

anyway.... here's my interpretation. its a shot in the dark...

lis was teh little girl who got raped by the bunch of clowns at the theatre and thats how she lost her legs

fando had a psycho mother who got him raped by a priest at young age

not surprisingly, they're both a bit screwed in the head... so they take on that journey for Tar (which doesn't really exist) and the signs of all that child hood violence and cruelty takes over

anyway... thats kind of what i made out of it... please correct me if im wrong

[–] dogout43 18 years ago

There's really no right and wrong. Even if there were, there wouldn't be many people to correct you because very few have been able to put together such a cohesive interpretation.

[–] fcoulombe 18 years ago

well the commentaries on the dvd would be right.. i was kind of trying to compare my interpretation with those..

[–] dogout43 18 years ago

You could argue that Jodorowsky's interpretation is 'right,' but it's certainly not wrong to have a different interpretation. David Lynch doesn't know the meaning of his own films. Neither does Herzog.

[–] fcoulombe 18 years ago

"David Lynch doesn't know the meaning of his own films." <-- that actualy make sense

"Neither does Herzog." <-- thx for the new name to look for :)

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Doctor-T- 17 years ago

i agree "random" is misleading. it's like a word association psych test, you're supposed to say the first thing that comes into your head without thinking, and by doing that you often reveal deeper associations than you would if you did think about it. the connections in a surrealist work seem "random" compared to traditional storytelling, but within them you may find more original and deeper ideas.
*
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[–] 17 years ago

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