Psychomagic, A Healing Art

Alejandro Jodorowsky!

Not only is the man for all seasons (and then some) still alive, but he's making movies to boot. The filmmaking auteur of one the most divisive pieces of cinematic celluloid is back. 1970's bizarre "El Topo" - is it high art, a masterpiece, self-indulgent pap, overwrought, boring, or just plain silly? - is his calling card, and yet at 91, the eccentric Chilean continues to push the envelope. Might be time to push back.

Not that "Psychomagic" is bad cinema. In it's own quirky way, it has a unique charm: much like those early morning infomercials with wacky characters in stretchy pant suits, peddling variations of snake oil. Clad in various shades of purple, Jodorowsky documents his miraculous miracles, turning sad people into happy souls. Sounds good, no? Trouble is, it often involves body paint, vigorous massage, some groping, public performance, and awkward (except for Europeans) nudity. Comparing his technique to Freud's Psychoanalysis, but using the body instead of the mind, Jodorowsky offers odd solutions to common problems. A man feels unwanted by his family. Well hows about we place their photos on some pumpkins, smash the hell out of 'em, and send the bits to the family? Problem, uh, solved? The gleeful smasher thinks so.

The subjects being filmed get great results, but with a camera in their faces, ya have to wonder how truthful all of this really is. There is a bit of shamanistic spirituality going on here, and hey, if it works, what harm is there? The glean of his ultra white dentured smile is truly hypnotic. Yet there is one unsettling bit involving a woman battling cancer. A theatre full of believers channel feel good energy through their hands. Dealing with depression through some quirky, hands on performance art is one thing, but claiming cancer cure in an evangelical setting is another.

Maybe this broken world is all the better for visionary kooks like Jodorowsky, as long as he sticks to innocuous solutions. His giddy infatuation and hands on, zest for life is certainly undeniable. Voyeurs and curio seekers may enjoy this documentary. Or not.

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