The truth about "Zardoz"

[Andrew]

I have to say that Zardoz draws some of the more annoying comments, both on the comments' page and via emails.  Let me share some bits with you:

"These critics are like the "Ugly American" who criticizes anything different in another culture..."

"It is absolutely normal that unevolved basic neanderthal humans dont understand."

"...in my eyes, the impotence to conceive this unique picture which you Americans mostly show testifies a downright historical guilt your depraved mass education and media system has saddled itself with..."

The funny thing about every person who tells me, in effect, that I "did not get" the movie?  They never say themselves.  The snobby people cannot tell me what I am missing in the movie, but it is there because I do not like the movie as they do.

And the awesome kicker is the DVD's commentary track.  Boorman does not seem to get his own film!  I think the most insightful thing he says is reiterating that "Zardoz" comes from "The Wizard of Oz."  He also makes sure to tell the viewer how poor they were budget-wise.

[raj]

I like Zardoz partly because there really isn't anything "to get", or more exactly you can get whatever you want out of it.  You can watch it thinking it is about X or Y or the bankruptcy of sterile intellectualism or the horror of immortality or whatever.  It looks different each time.  Sometimes it's fun just to watch it as an unintelligible mess.

It is too pretentious to take seriously.

[Fearless Freep]

For some reason I lump "Zardoz" into that period of Sci-Fi that took itself very seriously and tried to say something profound or at least insightful, like "Logan's Run", "2001", "The Andromeda Strain", "A Clockwork Orange" and others.

Unfortunately, to say something profound and insightful, you have to have something profound to say. Merely wanting to be important is not enough, you have to be thinking well first in order to express those well thought out ideas.

With Zardoz, I got the impression that the director/writer very much wanted to say something profound, but it was mostly philisophical belly-button gazing and the director was not nearly as clever as he thought he was.

I think there's a bit of 'artisitc inclusionism' that some people want to be part of the in crowd that "get's it", even if there is no 'it' to get.  So they pat themselves on the back for their own smug cleverness and look down at anybody who doesn't 'get it', when in actually they're just fooling themselves trying to feel smart

[Andrew]

That was much what I was thinking Freep.  Arguments with the people who "get" the movie usually go like this:

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Zardoz booster:  "Too bad that you are such a lout as not to understand this deep and amazing film that was not simply made, but crafted.  Oh well, I guess some people just cannot 'get it.'"

Me:  "The only thing this movie says is that humans were not meant to be immortal.  A couple of sub-reasons for that, but the whole message is simple.  Have you listened to the commentary track on the DVD?"

Booster:  "Yes and the message goes so much deeper.  It really is a pity that commoners cannot see the beauty."

Me:  "Okay, fine.  Why don't you lay it all out?  Tell me what it is that I am not 'getting.'"

Booster:  "Throw not pearls before swine."  (Then they run away quickly.)

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The movie is entertaining and full of funky stuff.  But it is a popcorn movie.  There is not a deep message.  There are lots of weird 70's inspired moments and a good deal of imagination.  Not a boring film by any standard.

[Ken Begg]

"It is absolutely normal that unevolved basic neanderthal humans dont understand."

Well, I can't argue with that.  Mostly because I don't know what the hell it means.

The best one-line description of Zazdoz I've read was from one of those digest review books.  "It was made by people who thought ideas were something to look at but not touch."  That sums it up pretty well.  

I also got a bunch of similar comments when I reviewed the atrocious Candy.  Well, guess what, I've seen movies that were over my head and was able to figure that much out.  Zardoz just sucks.  (Great B-Fest movie, though.)

[Ken Begg]

Yeah, the track on the DVD is hilarious.  My favorite moment is at the beginning, when we see the giant floating stone head and Boorman helpfully notes, "That's a model."

[Nathan Shumate]

Oh, that would be a delight to see at B-Fest.  (I can hear the slide whistle now.)

[Flangepart]

Too true, Andrew(And Ken and Nate).
It reminds me of Tom Wolfe's books "The Painted Word" and "From Bauhause to our house", and the wonderful self satisfaction of the talentless poser, who pretends the drek is droll, and Bullstuff is Beaitific Brilliance....and your just suposed to take their word on it!.
As for me...if i could do it, it ain't art.