Alejandro Jodorowsky Prullansky, known as Alejandro Jodorowsky (born 17 February 1929) is a Chilean filmmaker, playwright, composer and writer with a large cult following. Best known for his avant-garde films, he has been "venerated by cult cinema enthusiasts" for his work which "is filled with violently surreal images and a hybrid blend of mysticism and religious provocation." His most notable works include El Topo (1970), The Holy Mountain (1973) and Santa Sangre (1989), all of which have had limited release but achieved popularity amongst various countercultural groups. He has cited the filmmaker Federico Fellini as his primary cinematic influence, and has been described as an influence on such figures as Marilyn Manson and David Lynch. After a failed attempt to return to filmmaking with a film entitled King Shot starring Marilyn Manson and produced by David Lynch, Alejandro is set to return to cinema with the sequel to El Topo entitled Abel Cain sometime in late 2011 or 2012. Jodorowsky is also a playwright and play director, having produced over one hundred plays, primarily in Mexico where he lived for much of his life. Alongside this he is also a writer, particularly of comic books - his The Incal even has been noted as having a claim to be "the best comic book" ever written - as well as books on his own theories about spirituality. Jodorowsky has been involved in the occult and various spiritual and religious groups, including Zen Buddhism and forms of Mexican shamanism, and has formulated his own spiritual system, which he has called "psychomagic" and "psychoshamanism".
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Biography from TMDB.
- February 17, 1929 (97)
- Tocopilla, Chile
- Actor, writer, director and producer, also composer
- 12 on Motif · 36 credits in all
What are Alejandro Jodorowsky's films like?
Across their 13 Motif titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Ideas.
Genres
Their Motif films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 2 · Wry 0 · Earnest 11
A split, not a type: Light 6 · Serious 4 · Dark 3
A split, not a type: Grounded 4 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 7
Gentle 4 · Charged 5 · Intense 4
A split, not a type: Steady 5 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 5
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 7 · Funny 0
Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0
A split, not a type: Casual 3 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 6
A split, not a type: Easy watch 6 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 4
Resolved 4 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 8
Roles they play
Usually the Hero: 2 of 4 analyzed roles.
- Heroas El Topo in El Topo (1970)
- Mentoras The Alchemist in The Holy Mountain (1973)
- Allyas Alejandro Jodorowsky in Moebius Redux: A Life in Pictures (2007)
- Heroas John Lilly in John Lilly and the Earth Coincidence Control Office (2025)
Moods and endings
- Bittersweet7
- Tragic1
- Ambiguous5
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Alejandro Jodorowsky's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 3 of their 12 Motif titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (3).
Subscription and free streaming for Alejandro Jodorowsky's titles on Motif; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
36 credits, 12 with a Motif page; 32 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Fake News (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2021)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Endless Poetry(2016)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
The Voice Thief (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)
The Dance of Reality(2013)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Only God Forgives(2013)
Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films
The Source Family(2012)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Ritual - A Psychomagic Story (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2013)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Drive(2011)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
The Island (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2011)
A Tar (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2010)
Born Without (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2008)
Niente è come sembra (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)
A Conversation with Alejandro Jodorowsky (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2007)
Musikanten (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2006)
Kaena: The Prophecy(2003)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
No Big Deal (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)
Alejandro Jodorowsky: Interview at ICA London December 2002 (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2003)
Cherif (not in the Motif catalog yet)(2002)
Jodorowsky's Phylosophycal Tales (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1997)
The Rainbow Thief (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1994)
Eurotrash (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1993)
Santa Sangre(1989)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Tusk (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1980)
Pubertinaje (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1978)
The Holy Mountain(1973)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Fando and Lis(1968)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Apolinar (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1972)
El Topo(1970)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Anticlimax (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1969)
He! Viva Dada (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)
Melodrama Sacramental (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1965)
The Severed Heads (not in the Motif catalog yet)(1957)
Bouncer (not in the Motif catalog yet)
The Eternal Voice (not in the Motif catalog yet)
Career shape
A full career of 36 titles, 34 of them dated from 1957 to 2021.
Biggest box office
Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
Highest rated
Jodorowsky's Dune (2013)
Most popular right now
Santa Sangre (1989)
Film career
Top draw in 3 Motif titles.
- 1957Screen debut· The Severed Heads
- 1970First top-billed film· El Topo
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on Motif, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.
How do Alejandro Jodorowsky's films land?
Their typical Motif film has a Midcredits score in the 79th percentile, the median of all 12; across their 13 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 79th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up6
- 50th to 74th4
- 25th to 49th2
Shape of the crowd
5 of their 12 titles are Universally Loved.
- Universally Loved5
- Crowd Pleaser4
- Mixed3
Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 66, detractors 38. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on Motif; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their Motif titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Alejandro Jodorowsky's work okay for kids?
Across up to 6 Motif titles with content scores, violence & gore and sex & nudity run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Alejandro Jodorowsky work with?
People who share at least 2 of Alejandro Jodorowsky's Motif titles, grouped by what they did on them; Brontis Jodorowsky shares the most, 4.
Actors
- Brontis JodorowskyShared titles: Endless Poetry (2016), Jodorowsky's Dune (2013), The Dance of Reality (2013), El Topo (1970)See all 4 shared titles with Brontis Jodorowsky
- Adán JodorowskyShared titles: Psychomagic, A Healing Art (2019), Endless Poetry (2016), The Dance of Reality (2013), Santa Sangre (1989)See all 4 shared titles with Adán Jodorowsky
- Bastián BodenhöferShared titles: Endless Poetry (2016), The Dance of Reality (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Bastián Bodenhöfer
- Jeremias HerskovitsShared titles: Endless Poetry (2016), The Dance of Reality (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Jeremias Herskovits
Cinematographers and editors
- Maryline MonthieuxShared titles: Psychomagic, A Healing Art (2019), Endless Poetry (2016), The Dance of Reality (2013)See all 3 shared titles with Maryline Monthieux
- Rafael CorkidiShared titles: The Holy Mountain (1973), El Topo (1970), Fando and Lis (1968)See all 3 shared titles with Rafael Corkidi
- Federico LanderosShared titles: The Holy Mountain (1973), El Topo (1970)See all 2 shared titles with Federico Landeros
Producers
- Xavier Guerrero YamamotoShared titles: Psychomagic, A Healing Art (2019), Endless Poetry (2016), The Dance of Reality (2013)See all 3 shared titles with Xavier Guerrero Yamamoto
- Roberto ViskinShared titles: The Holy Mountain (1973), El Topo (1970), Fando and Lis (1968)See all 3 shared titles with Roberto Viskin
- Fabricio Cevallos FigueroaShared titles: Endless Poetry (2016), The Dance of Reality (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Fabricio Cevallos Figueroa
- Moisés CosíoShared titles: Endless Poetry (2016), The Dance of Reality (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Moisés Cosío