If I had a time machine and could go anywhere into the past, I’d travel to the meeting where John Boorman explained to Sean Connery his wardrobe in Zardoz.
In the far future, a savage trained only to kill finds a way into the community of bored immortals that alone preserves humanity's achievements.
Zardoz is showing in 1 cinema in Los Angeles - next screening Wednesday 18 November at 21:50 at New Beverly Cinema.
Next screenings: Wednesday 18 November.
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If I had a time machine and could go anywhere into the past, I’d travel to the meeting where John Boorman explained to Sean Connery his wardrobe in Zardoz.
Zardoz is one of the greatest films ever, and it has a 3.0 on this site. Even some of the praise it receives seems tinged with a hint of irony. Well, you'll find nothing but sincerity here. None of your big budget sci-fi epics could ever feel half as alien as a single minute of Zardoz. Generally, people have a narrow view of what "good movies" look like, and this style of straight faced absurdity doesn't match. You don't have to love what Zardoz is doing, but I'm puzzled by the suggestions that it is incompetent. I'd argue this film executes what it's going for flawlessly.I turned this on expecting fun cheesy sci-fi nonsense, but despite weird aesthetics, the plot is entirely coherent, creating a unique futuristic world, satisfyingly answering everything set up by opening moments that first look like complete nonsense, and referencing some serious philosophical topics along the way. There's no way to convey it without just describing some, so: the film begins with a giant flying stone head telling worshipers in underwear "THE GUN IS GOOD. THE PENIS IS EVIL" then vomiting shotguns, followed by Sean Connery (looking like this, I might add) climbing into said stone head to murder a wizard and fly to the land of telekinetic immortals. All of this is perfectly reasonable and well-explained within the universe.I feel that part of why I often don't care for fantasy or sci-fi is the fact that they have such established tropes. The genres should exist to allow complete freedom to create worlds unlike anything we've ever seen, with inclusions perhaps even beyond our comprehension. Sometimes that happens, but often sci-fi worlds are about laser guns and generic aliens. Zardoz, on the other hand, is weird enough to truly resemble another world, a future so distant that little is recognizable anymore. The immortals take center stage in the plot; above all else it's a movie exploring the inherent dangers of being incapable of dying, though there is also a strong theme of exploitation. The rich and powerful live off of the suffering of the less fortunate -- all of my reviews are starting to sound the same because this has been such a core part of human civilization for so long now. I didn't come into Zardoz expecting to complain about power imbalances and stripping away human rights and dignity again, but you just can't escape it in art.And above all else, this movie knows how to have fun. It's heavy and light at the same time. While exploring weighty topics and occasionally turning to seriously dark crimes, it still never stops smiling towards the audience. Gorgeous landscapes are shot with Sean Connery's eyesore of an outfit drawing our eyes away from the beauty of nature to his endless forest of body hair. The immortals look like a hippie commune that wandered off the set of The Holy Mountain. There's a scene where zombie-like old people fight to pile on top of Connery's nearly nude body. And the whole movie is casually horny to the point of near-parody. This is what cinema was invented for.THE MOVIE IS GOOD. THE CRITICS ARE EVIL.
Actual IMs sent while watching this movie:7:35 PM omg what is this?! his beard is drawn on with a PEN7:36 PM do I need to be high to understand this??7:37 PM sean connery has a BRAID7:54 PM why is sean connery wearing red nappies?8:09 PM i love how in the future noone wears a bra8:12 PM and now Charlotte Rampling is giving a lecture on what causes erections8:18 PM the vortex men are pretty girly. they all have perms and wear scoop necked tops8:25 PM OH! old people zombie attack omg8:33 PM THE WIZARD OF OZ?! WTF I CAN'T EVEN.8:34 PM THIS MOVIE IS AMAZEBALLS8:40 PM sean totally just punched through some gladwrap and threw flour at everyone8:45 PM aaaaaaaaannnnd connery is wearing a wedding dress. perfection.8:54 PM WAIT! IT'S PEN-BEARD and he totally has a magic sphere LIKE BOWIE IN LABYRINTH9:15 PM oh! a massacre! with boobs9:16 PM ew. consuella is letting that hairy bandito rub up on her9:17 PM wait. wtf?9:18 PM omg, is that the END?!9:20 PM OMG that was amazing. I have no idea what just happened.9:22 PM it's awesome
In a post-apocalyptic future, a barbarian warrior uncovers the secrets of a hidden society of immortals.
John Boorman directed the 1974 science fiction film.
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