Few filmmakers have pushed the boundaries of cinema quite like Alejandro Jodorowsky. Visionary, mystic, provocateur — his films are wild, violent, surreal spiritual odysseys designed to shock the senses and expand the mind.

In this series, Cinema Shock dives deep into Jodorowsky’s most infamous and influential works, tracing his journey from the avant-garde theater scene of Mexico City to the midnight movie screens of the 1970s and beyond.

We begin with his feature debut FANDO Y LIS, a banned-in-Mexico provocation that set the tone for his career, and continue through the hallucinogenic Western EL TOPO and the alchemical epic THE HOLY MOUNTAIN — films that made Jodorowsky a legend of underground cinema.

Along the way, we’ll explore his influences (from surrealism to Zen Buddhism), his collaborations with artists like Moebius and Salvador Dalí, and the many ways in which his films have inspired generations of outsiders, rebels, and dreamers.

Whether you’re a long-time devotee of Jodorowsky or stepping into his world for the first time, this is the story behind the filmmaker who made cinema sacred, savage, and strange.