Zed (Sean Connery's character) snuck into the Zardoz head BECAUSE he discovered The Wizard of Oz. That was a flashback scene. The wizard, in fact, selected Zed to discover him, because he observed Zed's uncommon intelligence and curiosity, and thus the plot was born to disrupt the current order. In a metaphysical sense Zed then breaks into a static system and rules as a Wise King, except in this case involving sex and death.
Thanks for this. I was in a bit of a daze when I watched the film, to be honest... So I welcome any corrections needed! I wouldn't even say I was a fan of the film -- I was really just intrigued by how it approached religion. You seem like a true Zardoz fan (Zardhead?) and for that, I commend you.
I was in a daze the first time I saw Zardoz and for a long time didn't trust that I actually saw what I thought. I hadn't eaten or slept and I had drank about 48 ounces of coffee and later when I thought back to it I was sure I must have hallucinated some bits.
Then I rewatched it and confirmed it was not a hallucination, that movie year spews rifles in your face after lecturing you on the evils of the penis.
Anyway I love it. Audacious cinema. So yeah, I've watched it a few times, a few with unsuspecting companions.
I'm not the one to write this but your description makes me think that it definitely seems like a reading of Zardoz as a sort of Gnostic tale is warranted
This made me realize why I like a lot of films that have Christian elements (Signs and Prisoners for example), but find Christian media to be horrible. I think it's the lack of any actual doubt or uncertainty to be grappled with in the films' metaphysics, as if that in itself would be blasphemy, that leaves Christian films feeling saccharine and wholly detached from the actual world we live in.
Zed (Sean Connery's character) snuck into the Zardoz head BECAUSE he discovered The Wizard of Oz. That was a flashback scene. The wizard, in fact, selected Zed to discover him, because he observed Zed's uncommon intelligence and curiosity, and thus the plot was born to disrupt the current order. In a metaphysical sense Zed then breaks into a static system and rules as a Wise King, except in this case involving sex and death.
Thanks for this. I was in a bit of a daze when I watched the film, to be honest... So I welcome any corrections needed! I wouldn't even say I was a fan of the film -- I was really just intrigued by how it approached religion. You seem like a true Zardoz fan (Zardhead?) and for that, I commend you.
I was in a daze the first time I saw Zardoz and for a long time didn't trust that I actually saw what I thought. I hadn't eaten or slept and I had drank about 48 ounces of coffee and later when I thought back to it I was sure I must have hallucinated some bits.
Then I rewatched it and confirmed it was not a hallucination, that movie year spews rifles in your face after lecturing you on the evils of the penis.
Anyway I love it. Audacious cinema. So yeah, I've watched it a few times, a few with unsuspecting companions.
I'm not the one to write this but your description makes me think that it definitely seems like a reading of Zardoz as a sort of Gnostic tale is warranted
This made me realize why I like a lot of films that have Christian elements (Signs and Prisoners for example), but find Christian media to be horrible. I think it's the lack of any actual doubt or uncertainty to be grappled with in the films' metaphysics, as if that in itself would be blasphemy, that leaves Christian films feeling saccharine and wholly detached from the actual world we live in.