Fando Y Lis
“As you approach the future, you'll find... Ecstasy. It will overwhelm you and never abandon you.”
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s
Cinema of Cruelty, Part I
Before he became the godfather of midnight movies and a psychedelic prophet of cinema, Alejandro Jodorowsky made his directorial debut with a black-and-white surrealist nightmare called FANDO Y LIS.
Based on a play by Fernando Arrabal and made on a shoestring budget in Mexico, FANDO Y LIS caused riots when it premiered and was banned in its home country. But it also marked the beginning of a bold and uncompromising artistic vision—one that would go on to shape cult cinema for decades.
In this episode, we trace Jodorowsky’s journey from avant-garde theater provocateur to first-time filmmaker, explore the chaotic production and reception of FANDO Y LIS, and discuss how this taboo-breaking debut laid the groundwork for the films that would follow.
Show Notes:
📺Watch The Severed Heads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1rhIqZDs2Q
📺Watch scenes from Sacramental Melodrama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-jIkgB76LY
Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.
This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.