Fando and Lis

This film (drama)Also known asFando y Lis，is aMexicoProducerwomen sex，At1968Released in year 。The dialogue language isSpanish，Current Douban rating7.9(For reference only)。

Among all the films we can see by Jodorowsky—except for the later “Tusk” and “The Rainbow Thief”—this early feature film “Fando and Lis” seems quite insignificant compared to his famous works like “El Topo,” “The Holy Mountain,” and “Santa Sangre.” However, this film maintains the consistent eccentricity of Jodorowsky’s films. The opening shot features Lis lying sideways on a table, consuming a flower, and the whole story unfolds as the couple, Fando and his girlfriend Lis, who has a leg disability, set out to find the legendary mysterious “City of Tar.” Along the way, they encounter various strange characters who tempt Fando to abandon the immobile Lis, including Fando's own mother. Yet, it seems they can never leave their original location—a hill reminiscent of a coal mine. Along the way, their illusions often appear (it's been too long for me to recall specific details; viewers will have to watch for themselves). After reaching Tar, Fando ultimately can’t bear Lis any longer and brutally kills her. He later deeply regrets this act, buries her according to her wishes, places a flower on her grave, and lies beside her grave until falling leaves nearly cover him. The film concludes with exceptionally joyful music. Perhaps due to the obscure nature of the religion and different cultural backgrounds, it is said that during its premiere at the Acapulco Film Festival in Mexico, the audience was so frightened by the film’s brutal scenes that they fled. However, after watching this film, I inexplicably felt a wave of sadness wash over me; I wasn't sure what to think. This marked the beginning of Jodorowsky’s exile to make films abroad, but later he created more classic works like “El Topo,” “The Holy Mountain,” and “Santa Sangre,” which became more recognized by viewers for their anti-religious themes compared to “Fando and Lis.” This film might merely represent his initial strange ideas. While its plot is eccentric, it is not entirely incoherent. The “City of Tar” that Fando and Lis seek is an extraordinarily magical place. All cities were destroyed after a great disaster, with only Tar still standing. Therefore, it is said that if one reaches Tar, they can obtain food and fine wine, or even achieve eternity. Only upon reaching Tar can one truly understand life, love, and be loved, and can become enchanted by the future. Moreover, Tar never abandons anyone… Such a perfect place can be seen as a severely idealized realm, and the path toward such an ideal state naturally involves thorns and tribulation, requiring a test of will. Only those who know how to achieve their ideals can ultimately realize them. At the start, Fando and Lis believed that as long as they found Tar, Lis could walk again, and all their problems would be resolved. Thus, one could argue that Fando and Lis ultimately failed; despite finding their goal, they were consumed by their overly idealized visions of Tar. This is part of why I find a certain tragic beauty in this story. The love tragedy of Fando and Lis likely stems from their confusion; even though they have direction in life, they do not know how to achieve their ideals, leading to despair, a dead end, self-destruction, and mutual harm. This somewhat confirms the mental state of youth in that era—although Jodorowsky may not have intended to convey this message. The brilliant score is also a common feature of all Jodorowsky's films. Unfortunately, I could only find the original soundtrack for “El Topo,” while still hunting for the other films’ soundtracks, including this one. I especially love the song sung by Lis, which goes “When I die, bury me in…”—the melody is beautiful, and her voice is rich in texture, even though it’s somewhat melancholic, as if foreseeing the tragic fate of this unfortunate woman. Additionally, about the paintings at the beginning of the film, I do not know if they are religious paintings, nor do I know if my misunderstanding of these artworks affected my interpretation of the film. So, I hope that knowledgeable friends can provide me with some answers. For such a film, I can only introduce it while minimizing my comments.