Jodorowsky's Dune and a Documentary Renaissance

By Chad Hoyle (@chadillacgrilz)

what an amazing film it could have been...

Since the turn of the millennium, the prevalence and respect for the documentary film has grown leaps and bounds. Lend it to an evolution of the narratives within the art form, intriguing subjects, or a new-found ease of accessibility, the films are no longer drawn-out yawns in the style of the History Channel or doc pioneer Ken Burns. Instead, many of the best profile true life characters that are so colorful and engaging, fictional characters from the Hollywood brain trust pale in comparison. Some stories push the envelope of belief so far beyond the limits, it's mind blowing that they're coming from a place of truth. 

Not excluded is the new critically- acclaimed documentary Jodorowsky's Dune, planned for national release in March 2014. The film explores the production of the never-finished Dune, based on the epic sci-fi novel by Frank Hebert and developed by director Alejandro Jodorowski between 1973 and 1983. To assist with his vision, Jodorowsky enlisted the talents of H.R. Giger, Moebius, Salvador Dali, and Orson Welles, resulting in a beautiful yet grossly over budget development phase, and a script that beget a 14-hr film run time. The doc profiles the pitfalls faced, competing visions, and astronomical expenses that doomed the fascinating yet over-ambitious film from completion. 

AFTER THE JUMP: In anticipation of the release of Jodorowsky's Dune, get caught up with some of the past decade's greatest documentary films, many of which are available through Netflix streaming. 

---

Disagree? Did I miss your favorite? Yell at me with a comment below!