Adan Jodorowsky -- actor, musician, and son of renowned cult filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky -- has every intention of making Miami's seedy underbelly the backdrop of his surreal horror odyssey, The Voice Thief.
The film is a collaboration with Borscht and will include other cult cinema heavy hitters like actress Asia Argento, daughter of Dario Argento, who brought audiences supernatural horror thrillers like Suspiria (1977).
Jodorowsky is not following in the footsteps of his legendary father; he's carving his own path through the avant garde for a new generation of cult classics in the making. Despite Tropical Storm Isaac -- which tried to sabotage this reporter's Skype chat with Jodorowsky, who is currently in Paris -- we chatted with the future Miami filmmaker yesterday about having a famous dad, embracing his weirdness, and what the deal is with that gold-dripping vagina.
New Times: Why did you choose to focus on cinema instead of music?
Adan Jodorowsky: I'm never going to leave music, never. The music is my heart -- "me mantiene vivo" -- but I always wanted to be a director. The only problem is that I was afraid. I don't know why, but maybe I was scared to show people my differences, my universe. Maybe I always wanted to be like others, but the reality is that I'm not like the others. I feel like a monster, and for me monsters are beautiful. Today I assume that, so I'm ready to shoot.
You describe your projects as violent and beautiful. What's your interest in violent cinema? Why is it such dark elements have found their way into your film?
We are living in a violent world; we are living in the middle of violence. Today, if you want to be original, you don't need to be decadent anymore, because the world is decadent. We need something else, so you have to be positive and the only positive art is poetry. That's what I want to do, I want to give faith.
You've distinguished yourself as something more than just Alejandro Jodorowsky's son. How do you choose which projects to attach to your name?
I'm not attached to anything. For example, I love some directors, but I don't want to be a copy of them. We are unique. People always try to put a name on your face because they're afraid of novelty. So they say, "He's the new Fellini, he's the new Mickey Mouse, he's the new Mozart, oh!" This is ridiculous. I am me, just me.
Does surrealism and avant garde come easy to you because of your background, or does it make it more difficult because of the pressure you have as your father's son?
Maybe. Well, I grew up watching horror movies, science fiction, porno, avant garde, surrealism. Instead of going to school, my father used to show me samurai movies. Then he'd call the school saying, "He's ill." So imagine why I'm like this today! I'm fucked up. Life is like a samurai movie for me, a battle. But no, I don't have any pressure. People have more pressure than me because they hate their parents. So they are projecting this on me thinking that I'm suffering. I love him. So no pressure.
Why Miami? How did you come to collaborate with Borscht?
They actually called me, and I wanted to do this project for a long time. They are amazing, they are helping me with this crazy movie and giving me freedom. It's difficult to find this today with producers. [Borscht] is working on and thinking about a piece of art and not a product.
You and Cristobal and Asia all come from similar backgrounds. Did that have anything to do with this collaboration?
I met Asia in Paris two months ago, and it was like I knew her for years. I felt that we were from the same family. It's very strange. I wrote her and proposed to do this movie because she is a woman without limits. She is very open and has a vision very similar to mine with art.
Unfortunately, Cristobal can't play in the movie because he has another big project, so I will play his character myself. I'll tell you the truth, I'm sad but at the same time I'm very excited to do it. I will completely change my face for the role. It's a challenge and I'll do it well!
So there's a gold-dripping vagina -- what's going on with that?
Why not? For me, a vagina is sacred.
You made sure there's no shortage of weird in the film. Why the midgets and trannies?
Because I like what is not common. I like what I can't understand. I love what goes further than my mind and I love the difference. For me, a midget is wonderful. When I was a kid, my babysitter was a midget. I grew up with midgets, so for me they are like a childhood souvenir. I love transvestites because they remind me that we are half men and half women. We come from a mother and a father, so men who hate women hate a part of themselves.
The plot of The Voice Thief has a very Guillermo Del Toro feel, from what you've described so far. Would you say differently?
Nothing to do with him. I just listen to my feelings. This film is a sweet perversion of my imagination.
Do you personally identify with the supernatural and magic elements in the project in any way?
Yes, I am passionate with magic, with healers. I always go to the mountains in Mexico to see a healer. He is my therapist.
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Will you as a musician have anything to do with the film's score?
I was thinking about ... a friend of mine and the keyboard player of the band Phoenix [for the score]. I was also thinking about Sebastien Tellier. I have to see the images first, I haven't decided this yet.
Has your father said anything about the project? Do you bounce ideas off each other? I understand you've just completed filming for his most recent film -- why did you want to be a part of it after such a long time since your last collaboration?
My father gave me something in my life: the right to be myself. So he is happy to know that I'm creating without fear. He asked me to be in his movie. It was amazing working with him after 20 years. I won't forget this adventure; working with your family is wonderful. I'm very touched. I know and I'm aware that I'm very lucky to play in such a great movie. But now, it's my turn!
Visit the Kickstarter page for The Voice Thief and contribute to cult cinema in the making in Miami's own creepy backyard.
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