Movie: Zardoz

[amedia]

This was a *seriously* weird movie. I found it more enjoyable than I expected, though; it was fun in a really-bad-cult-flick kind of way.

I didn't realize there would be a Wizard of Oz tie-in, so that was cool. The theme seemed to be about how death and violence are a necessary part of sex and a meaningful life. Lots of bare breasts. Lots of Sean Connery in a red speedo-type thingy and matching red bandoliers. Big ideas. Goofy execution. Reminded me of nothing so much as that Planet of the Apes movie where the people worship the bomb. Oh, and "The Mark of Gideon" (a super-awful episode of Classic Trek).

Comments

[chorale.livejournal.com]

Aah, you've discovered Zardoz! I remember it fondly. It's such a cult film! I haven't seen it in over twenty years, however, so could you kindly refresh my memory and tell me about the Wizard of Oz tie-in?

The sight of Connery in next to nothing is a treat.

[amedia.livejournal.com]

could you kindly refresh my memory and tell me about the Wizard of Oz tie-in?

It's such a big moment in the movie that I'm gonna hide it - just select the following area with your mouse to read about it. :-)

[chorale.livejournal.com]

I'm going to have to rent it and re-watch it now.

[chorale.livejournal.com]

Oh, every time I see your icon I grin!

[amedia.livejournal.com]

Hee hee! Thank you!

[bulleteyes.livejournal.com]

Oh, we saw this one when it was in the theatres :) Wild film and I loved the Wizard of Oz tie-in.

To me, it was about a long evolutionary plan by one of the immortals to breed the wild, barely human creatures who lived outside their enclave. The sole purpose of this was selective breeding with a definite agenda. When the creatures became more human, then a "god" was given to them who directed their paths further. Each step of the process was directed towards producing a "superman" who would eventually have an intellect superior to the builders of the "prison enclave" of the immortals. The one immortal who hatched this plan had all the time in the world to wait for his plan to work. In time the plan did work. The product of this relentless selective breeding produced the Connery character. He had no formal learning. He did not need it to prevail. He was a superior being in every way to those in the enclave. So he breached the enclave.

Connery's presence upset the balance of those in the enclave who were close to all perishing from ennui. They were impotent, inert and beyond desperation. Only one of them had the will and the skill to play "wizard". He had asked for the "outsiders" for his own while making it clear to his fellow "prisoners" he wanted the outsiders only as playthings. All along he worked his plan of selective breeding with the sole intent of having one of them finally becoming intelligent enough to destroy the eternal enclave prison.

Connery did just that. His life brought the ones who had become inert back to life. He watched and learned as he played at being a prisoner. In time he found their library, having previously learned how to read with astonishing speed, and found the book "The Wizard of Oz. He then knew that the "god" he had been worshiping was the "man behind the curtain" and the intent of the entire plot came clear to him. He became furious at realizing his existence was solely for the purpose of setting the ones in the enclave free.

Fortunately he fell in lust with one of them or he probably would have killed them all at that point.

He was a violent, brilliant being full of life and not willing to be put upon by these idiots any further. The women realized this. They downloaded all of their learning into him, and being such an amazing being he was able to take it all in and not be destroyed. His clear superiority (along with ability to breed) was why all the women wanted to breed with him. As they finally were set free from their eternal, boring immortality they wanted to take with them the seeds of his genius that would allow them to begin life anew. The women fervently desired to finally be able to bear children. Their men went with them but they could not help them flourish for the men were impotent.

Time passed as those who left the enclave lived and died and in time, the ancient bones of Connery and his woman were found by one of the very generation which he began.

He was an adam who had many eves :)

[amedia.livejournal.com]

He was a violent, brilliant being full of life

I thought Connery did an excellent job presenting himself as a force of nature, testosterone personified, standing out from the languid degenerate dystopians as if he was in color and they were in black-and-white. It was obvious why the women wanted him and the one man who desperately wanted to rebel and just didn't have the oomph was fascinated by him. He reminded me a bit of The Savage in Brave New World.