Gandahar/Light YearsI remember seeing Light Years (also known as Gandahar) when I was a child. We rented it from the public library, and the images and sound, the strangeness and alien quality of it stayed somewhere deep in my subconscious--at least, I thought I saw it. For somewhere upwards of twenty-five years, I was unsure whether I actually saw the movie, or if it was merely an elaborate dream that my mind wanted to believe was a movie I had witnessed; it was that unusual of an experience. The images from the film would surface in my mind, and every so often I would try in vain to seek out this film, to learn if it was real or not. It did exist--and would return to me in the future--much like the prophetic riddle which leads the film.
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Gandahar/Light Years is a story about an alien world which is faced with a terminal invasion by a force of machine men--Men of Metal--that mysteriously invade the arcadian villages of Gandahar, petrifying the denizens and abducting them for purposes unknown. Tasked with discovering the cause and solution to this threat, Sylvain (John Shea) sets out on a quest across the vast landscapes of this lush world, learning more about it--and its inhabitants--than he could have expected. Appointed by the leader of the Gandaharians, Ambisextra (Glenn Close), Sylvain is a well-trained agent in the special forces of their world, though we discover he is the exception. Gandahar--and its capital city of Jasper--is a realm generally free from conflict, where the concept of evil seems to have evaded them for ages. And so this becomes the great peril awaiting the utopia, since they are forced to try to defend themselves against an enemy prepared to destroy them. Gandahar has a long-standing history of scientific development; but as the story unfolds, it is revealed that this propensity for radical research has left them as the architects of their own destruction. The metal men are the creation of a powerful intellect from both the future and the past, one which exists in the present as a neutral observer--and even supports Sylvain in his mission--called "the Metamorphis". Sylvain also learns about another black mark on the history of his people, when he crosses paths with the mutated exiles of Gandahar living in the desert, the Deformed. While the Deformed possess warped bodies, they are cognizant enough to enlighten Sylvain about the prophesy which they all share: "In a thousand years, Gandahar was destroyed, and all its people massacred. A thousand years ago, Gandahar will be saved, and what can't be avoided will be." The Deformed speak in both past and future tense--never present; they claim this is because they are afraid of the present, and that they recall the gift of foresight they once possessed with greater clarity. Their unique perception of the nature of time foreshadows Sylvain's own journey across time and space, and his effort to halt the destruction of his people. The men of metal represent a fundamental threat to the tenets of Western thought, that of an enforced desolation of self, where individuality is quashed under the boot heels of a mandatory unification and adherence to order without expression. Interestingly, the weapon the men of metal use to defeat the people of Gandahar is one which petrifies them, leaving them forever frozen in time.
What Sylvain learns about Gandahar challenges his concepts of civilization, consciousness, and time itself. He is supported in his journey by the lovely Airelle (Jennifer Grey) as they are being abducted to be taken through the Gate of Time within egg-like containers, embryonic preserves for the Metamorphis of the future, driven insane by age and corruption by that time, unlike that of the present, which is merely inscrutable as any "god" might be. Metamorphis understands the events which will unfold, but rightly considers it unfair to sacrifice himself in the present when he has not been guilty of any crimes against the world...yet. Instead, he bargains with Sylvain to assassinate him 1000 years in the future. When Sylvain arrives in the future, he is greeted by the prophetic Deformed, who have learned to cloak themselves in the carcasses of the men of metal. The Deformed prove to be the true warriors of Gandahar; their advantage is that they are undesirable by the men of metal as fuel for the giant brain that is Metamorphis, but also that they adapt to survive and employ the firepower of their enemy against them. The present day inhabitants of Gandahar fight valiantly against their unrelenting enemy, often employing nature to their advantage. But even their best efforts remain akin to grabbing at air as they fight against their inexorable foe. Just like the world of Gandahar and its inhabitants, Light Years is itself a strange beast. Directed by Harvey Weinstein--the original Gandahar was directed by René Laloux--Light Years was translated and adapted for American audiences by none other than author Isaac Asimov, and the fantastic setting and philosophical approach to science fiction feels like a perfect fit. A significant amount of contemporary Hollywood actors and entertainment personalities lend their voice talents to Light Years, including Paul Shaffer (best known from his regular appearances on Late Night/Show with David Letterman) and even Penn & Teller. In this, Light Years reminds me of the American adaptations of Japanese animated films like those of Studio Ghibli, where such a formula would continue to thrive. The pulsing synth musical score and the distinctive design of the world of Gandahar makes the film a standout representation of a particular brand of sci-fi--abundant with imagination and vision, dream-like, and something which you might even question its very existence were you to see it at the right time and place...how fitting.
Recommended for: Fans of a brand of science fiction which feels both timeless and fantastic, a visionary world of strange creatures and vibrant vistas. The film poses questions about long-reaching consequences and inevitability, as well as theorizing about time paradoxes and its cyclical nature--something to get your brain some exercise.
What Sylvain learns about Gandahar challenges his concepts of civilization, consciousness, and time itself. He is supported in his journey by the lovely Airelle (Jennifer Grey) as they are being abducted to be taken through the Gate of Time within egg-like containers, embryonic preserves for the Metamorphis of the future, driven insane by age and corruption by that time, unlike that of the present, which is merely inscrutable as any "god" might be. Metamorphis understands the events which will unfold, but rightly considers it unfair to sacrifice himself in the present when he has not been guilty of any crimes against the world...yet. Instead, he bargains with Sylvain to assassinate him 1000 years in the future. When Sylvain arrives in the future, he is greeted by the prophetic Deformed, who have learned to cloak themselves in the carcasses of the men of metal. The Deformed prove to be the true warriors of Gandahar; their advantage is that they are undesirable by the men of metal as fuel for the giant brain that is Metamorphis, but also that they adapt to survive and employ the firepower of their enemy against them. The present day inhabitants of Gandahar fight valiantly against their unrelenting enemy, often employing nature to their advantage. But even their best efforts remain akin to grabbing at air as they fight against their inexorable foe. Just like the world of Gandahar and its inhabitants, Light Years is itself a strange beast. Directed by Harvey Weinstein--the original Gandahar was directed by René Laloux--Light Years was translated and adapted for American audiences by none other than author Isaac Asimov, and the fantastic setting and philosophical approach to science fiction feels like a perfect fit. A significant amount of contemporary Hollywood actors and entertainment personalities lend their voice talents to Light Years, including Paul Shaffer (best known from his regular appearances on Late Night/Show with David Letterman) and even Penn & Teller. In this, Light Years reminds me of the American adaptations of Japanese animated films like those of Studio Ghibli, where such a formula would continue to thrive. The pulsing synth musical score and the distinctive design of the world of Gandahar makes the film a standout representation of a particular brand of sci-fi--abundant with imagination and vision, dream-like, and something which you might even question its very existence were you to see it at the right time and place...how fitting.
Recommended for: Fans of a brand of science fiction which feels both timeless and fantastic, a visionary world of strange creatures and vibrant vistas. The film poses questions about long-reaching consequences and inevitability, as well as theorizing about time paradoxes and its cyclical nature--something to get your brain some exercise.