In the far future, a savage trained only to kill finds a way into the community of bored immortals that alone preserves humanity's achievements.
Production
Giant floating stone head that vomits guns and declares 'The penis is evil!'
Costume
Connery's red thigh-high boots and bandolier diaper — cinema history.
Direction
Boorman's hallucinogenic visual language after Deliverance.
Director
John Boorman
Sean Connery
Zed
Charlotte Rampling
Consuella
Sara Kestelman
May
John Alderton
Friend
Sally Anne Newton
Avalow
Niall Buggy
Arthur Frayn / Zardoz
Bosco Hogan
George Saden
Bairbre Dowling
Star
Christopher Casson
Old Scientist
John Boorman
Farming Brutal Shot by Zed (uncredited)
Katrine Boorman
Young Eternal (uncredited)
David de Keyser
Tabernacle (voice) (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Boorman wrote this immediately after being denied the right to adapt Lord of the Rings — Zardoz contains his leftover fantasy concepts.
The film bombed spectacularly but became a midnight movie cult classic; Connery allegedly called it one of his worst career decisions.
GB
