This film is not for everyone, but for those who are willing top open their eyes and their minds, may find Lech Majewski’s “Valley of the Gods” to be a rewarding film. If you like surreal films, then definitely give “Valley of the Gods” a try!
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TITLE: Valley of the Gods
FILM RELEASE DATE: 2019
DURATION: 127 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Color, 16:9 widescreen, English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: Well Go USA Entertainment
RELEASED: August 11, 2020
Directed by Lech Majewski
Written by Lech Majewski
Produced by Lech Majewski, Flip Jan Rymsza
Co-Producer: Jan Harlan, Daniel Markowicz, Carla Rosen-Vacher, Alyssa Swanzey, Marek Zydowicz
Music by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
Cinematographer as Lech Majewski, Pawel Tybora
Edited by Eliot Ems, Norbert Rudzik
Casting by Venus Kanani, Mary Vernieu
Art Direction by Ewa Kochanska
Set Decoration by Les Boothe, Scott Ruley
Production Design by Christopher R. DeMuri, Lech Majewski
Costume Design by Ewa Kochanska, Carolyn Leone, Ewa Minge
Starring:
Josh Hartnett as John Ecas
Jaime Ray Newman as Laura Ecas
John Malkovich as Wes Tauros
John Rhys-Davies as Dr. Hermann
Berenice Marlohe as Karen Kitson
Keir Dullea as Ulim
Tokala Black Elk as Navajo Newscaster
Saginaw Grant as Tall Bitter Water
Joseph Runningfox as Third Eye
Steven Skyler as Grey Horse
John A. Lorenz as Bird Face
Starring Josh Hartnett, Bérénice Marlohe, and John Malkovich, Valley of the Gods contrasts abundance and poverty through three separate storylines, featuring a middle-class writer (Harnett), an eccentric trillionaire (Malkovich), and a struggling Navajo community. Post-divorce, copywriter John Ecas undertakes the biography of the richest man on earth, who is dead-set on mining sacred lands for uranium. When modern advance runs afoul of long-dormant guardians from ancient legend, even the most unimaginable wealth may soon meet its match.
From filmmaker Lech Majewski, writer and the director of “Field of Dogs”, “The Garden of Earthly Delights” and “The Mill and the Cross” comes his film “Valley of the Gods”.
Written, directed and produced by Majewski, the film stars Josh Hartnett (“Lucky Number Slevin”, “30 Days of Night”, “The Faculty”), John Malkovich (“Being John Malkovich”, “In the Line of Fire”, “Dangerous Liaisons”), Jaime Ray Newman (“Catch Me if You Can”, “Rumor Has It…”, “Eureka”), John Rhys-Davies (“Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “The Lord of the Rings” films), Berenice Marlohe (“Skyfall”, “5 to 7”, “Kill Switch”) and many more.
And now the film will be released on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA Entertainment on August 11th.
“Valley of the Gods” is a fantasy/drama which Lech Majewski was inspired to create after visiting the Navajo Mythology and spiritual lands. The idea of the film is to present a clash between the ancient civilization of the Navajo and the ultra-modern, high tech world of multi-billionaires.
The film follows three characters.
Josh Hartnett plays the role of John Ecas, a struggling writer who drives to the Navajo lands of Monument Valley Tribal Park to be alone and get away from modern society. He takes his writing desk and sits in the middle of nowhere writing. Meanwhile, we see something of John Ecas’ life revolving his wife Laura (portrayed by Jaime Ray Newman).
After a difficult divorce, he has been hired by a eccentric trillionaire Wes Tauros (portrayed by John Malkovich) to write his biography.
Tauros is a man planning to mine the sacred Navajolands for uranium.
Meanwhile the members of a struggling Navajo community who are protective of their land but they believe in an ancient legend that will protect their land.
Third Eye (portrayed by Joseph Runningfox) is a character who believes that they should own their own land, while Third Eye Grey Horse (portrayed by Steven Skyler), Bird Face (portrayed by John A. Lorenz) and Sweet Water (portrayed by Owee Rae) have grown to see excavations happen in their holy land and are defenseless.
And through numerous chapters, we learn about the struggles that each of these people have faced.
“Valley of the Gods” is perhaps a film that is not easy to write about, it’s a film that clearly needs to be watched and experienced, but it’s also a film that is grounded in Navajo mythology and yet poking fun on the wealthy.
It’s no doubt an ambitious film from filmmaker Lech Majewski of creating a film through Navajo perspective (as Lech worked closely with the Navajo Indians and wanting to create a film with their ancestry in beliefs in mind). And it was no doubt an easy film for Majewski. Even during his research, things happened in the land that the Indians knew was happening but he was not.
There are simply things that many people may find themselves confused.
What is Ecas’ motivation to drive out to Navajo land to write his novel? We are introduced to Karen Kitson, who’s son had a tumor, rescued but her son is taken away from him and now she is willing to be one of Tauros’ “women” but in the process, she runts into John Ecas. What is the connection between these two?
Meanwhile, Third Eye hears a baby crying in the sacred mountains and frees it. Unfortunately, the baby weighs hundreds of pounds and the Navajo villagers believe the baby to be special, but how will they grow to nurture it?
And what is Tauros’ primary reason for wanting the uranium?
There are a lot of questions and each chapter doesn’t really have an answer. It’s about what you as the audience viewer can ponder and figure out what was real and not real. And why it was showcased in the film?
There is no doubt an absurdity to characters such as Tauros, a wealthy man who has all the money in the world, so he plays tennis in his living room and couldn’t care less if the tennis balls hit priceless statues or has his vintage cars catapulted to the cliff to be destroyed without a care in the world.
Personally, I can understand the film as it forces one to think about the world. I see it happening in Hawaii as locals believe the island to have it sacred lands, and construction and other things built on the island on sacred land for the purpose of business. The rich get wealthy, while those who live on the land suffer.
The same can be seen with the “Valley of the Gods”.   There is meaning and there is no doubt filmmaker Lech Majewski wants the audience to open their eyes to the beliefs of the Navajo Indians and creating a film that is not really mean to be understood by everyone. It’s a film to open one’s eyes of how the wealthy are taking away or are doing something to hurt the locals. Not caring about their beliefs.
Again, there are other factors in this film as its spread to multiple chapters but comprehension of a straightforward film is not what “Valley of the Gods” is all about. It’s a film that is entertaining but is not as comprehensive.
As for the Blu-ray, the film looks great in HD and the lossless audio is good during the more action-driven sequences.  The Blu-ray release also comes with a .Making of featurette showcasing the journey which filmmaker Lech Majewski undertook while creating the film.
This film is not for everyone, but for those who are willing top open their eyes and their minds, may find Lech Majewski’s “Valley of the Gods” to be a rewarding film. If you like surreal films, then definitely give “Valley of the Gods” a try!
PURCHASE THIS BLU-RAY ON AMAZON
