MovieChat Forums > Zardoz (1974) Discussion > Z A R D O Z

Z A R D O Z

posted 16 years ago by eweland
11 replies | jump to latest

It's the spaces BETWEEN the letters that count.

I've seen it many times. I own the dvd.
I just watched it again. It's still baffling, but, thought-provoking.
I get it. I agree with it.
I also think its hysterical, in certain places.
And with the dvd, you can just show your hater buddies the "penic" scene, and be done with it...

texting is RUINING our ability to communicate

[–] eweland 16 years ago

WHY do all of the "deep, important, films" need to be so long?

example:

2001: A Space Odyssey
Zardoz
Wings Of Desire
The Piano

YOUR TURN: list some more!

Could all of these films be edited down somewhat, and still have resonance?

Hmmmm?

texting is RUINING our ability to communicate

[–] eweland 16 years ago

Well, at least I'm not getting asinine posts like The Dark Knight board is...

That, in itself, is a blessing.

this post is based on actual events

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] eweland 16 years ago

It could definitely be edited somewhat - it takes several viewings to really understand, and then you realize that it could be in a different order, a little easier to follow.

But keep dem read diapers! W O O F !

this postage has been deleted by the messer

[–] rooprect 14 years ago

WHY do all of the "deep, important, films" need to be so long?

That's a really good question. I think by definition a "deep, important film" touches on themes that are so complex that it takes a long time to explain. For example, you could ask the question "Why do all the quantum physics lectures have to be so long" and the answer is that the material is so tricky it takes an hour just to scratch the surface, then another hour to get the audience thinking, etc...

The same holds true of all other art forms. A symphony is usually 30 to 70 minutes long, whereas a pop radio tune is 4 mins. I doubt there is any way a symphony could be edited down to 4 mins (or even 10) and hold anything close to its original impact. Books are the same--sure there have been some important books under 100 pages like Hemingway's stuff, but nothing beats the feeling of making it all the way through 4 books of "War & Peace" ...er so I've been told.

With movies, I feel most comfortable between 2hrs and 3hrs. Anything shorter, and it doesn't have a chance to digest. Anything longer and my eyes get tired. The 209 minute version of "Das Boot" was really stretching it. On the flip side, I really enjoyed "Run Lola Run" (81 mins) but it was over so fast it felt more like eye candy than anything of deep philosophical significance like the films you mentioned.

I personally like the old tradition of having an intermission midway. That gives us a chance to rest our eyes, take a pissbreak and feed the dog while not interrupting the vibe. Do any modern films do that? Last time I saw it was in Fiddler on the Roof (1971).

[–] nephihaha 14 years ago

"WHY do all of the "deep, important, films" need to be so long? "

Well, I'm going to play Devil's Advocate here. I believe that many people now have the attention span of five year olds, and the usual Hollywood tosh panders to that. Hollywood films are often too fast, too trite, too short and too sh... you know...

But on another point, no not all of these "deep important" films are long. There are actually many many short films... which try and tackle deep themes. Some are good, but some are just pretentious. Look up some arty shorts on the net!

[–] youngian67 15 years ago

And let’s hope Zardoz will become a cult film in the 25th century.

[–] Dr_Anton_Phibes 14 years ago

Indeed its a cult film right now.

I was The Old Stalker
"There's nothing wrong in your mind set. You're just a moron"

[–] Etherdave 14 years ago

I think if you find a 'message film' long or boring, it's because you failed to grasp the message. At 106 minutes Zardoz is pretty typical for its time. At 142 minutes 2001 is longer, but only by three-quarters of an hour. Is time that precious? Zardoz is already a cult classic; my hope is that in the future it will become more accepted by the mainstream.

[–] 14 years ago

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