The Psychedelic World of Alejandro Jodorowsky

[eNoize]

The Holy Mountain is a thing of metaphysical beauty, and El Topo can be easily summed up as an extreme abstract -- even transcendental -- vision of the Italian western. Nihilism has never looked so despondent yet atmospheric. He makes great use of the real-life grotesque and abnormalities like no other filmmaker.

Santa Sangre is also excellent, but the other two always stood out for me.

[dustdevil]

Now reading that just makes my head hurt - I understood that about as much as the films

I did think they were visually appealing,just the plot/meaning/story made it hard to watch and for the most part just went over my head.

That's not to say they are not worth watching - indeed they should be seen at least once.

Think of them as Marmite - you either love it or not,no middle ground

[domo8585]

El Topo and The Holy Mountain are still two of my favorate films, not only do they look absoultly eye watering but they also hold a werid hypnotic trance over me when I watch them. Has anyone ever read "The Spiritual Journey of Alejandro Jodorowsky" ? I am currently wrapping my brain matter around it at the moment, it is utterly bonkers in the way that Jodorowsky can be.

[the blob]

I've only seen and have the AB Santa Sangre, which was quite stunning and a great package too. Been meaning to pick up the ABUS Jodorowsky set for ages!

[Sam@Cult Labs]

I agree with the above as far as which of the directors movies is the entry level film. The Argento connection with Santa Sangre is probably enough to get many Cult Labs members excited. The film is actually a very clever mix of Italian Horror tropes and Jodorowsky's cinematic obsessions and both elements compliment each other perfectly.

There's also a scene where an Elephant bleeds to death through it's trunk that will burn itself into your synapses forever. I can close my eyes and see the claret flooding out as if the film is running on my eyelids and I haven't watched the film in five years.

I have to argue the toss about Holy Mountain though. It's not a narrative movie so that makes it difficult to follow, but it's more about a mass of crazed concepts assaulting you. I'm struggling to think of a movie that have the same level of visual inventiveness and constant, striking ideas.

It's more a series of episodes built around a central theme rather than a normal story but if you can cope with that, it rewards you time and again.

[Pete]

“SANTA SANGRE� to make U.S. DVD/Blu-ray debut; art and details

[bizarre_eye@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by loops

“SANTA SANGRE� to make U.S. DVD/Blu-ray debut; art and details

Great news loops!

[the blob]

hmm.. now I'm thinking whther to sell my ABUK one while it's still worth something..

anyone looking for a cheap copy btw? me thinks it's a little misprice..

SANTA SANGRE Alejandro Jodorowsky - Anchor Bay 2 x DVD on eBay (end time 20-Oct-10 21:05:15 BST)

[slaghammer]

His films are indeed great. I actually met him briefly after he did a talk in London a few years back, I gave him my "El Topo" book to sign, he took one look and said "I deed not authorize zeess edeetion!!". He still signed it and posed for a picture though!

Fando Y Liz is unjustly overlooked, seems much closer to his theatrical stuff and the Panic theatre. Even Arrabal (who wrote the original play) says he can't make head or tail of it!

Oh and on a related note, Arrabal's two films "Viva La Muerte" and "J'Irai Comme un Cheval Fou" are bloody excellent too, just as crazed as anything Jodo did, but slightly more focused!

Has anyone seen Jodo's other stuff? I've seen the Rainbow Thief, thought it was a load of balls to be honest... I know there's dodgy copies of Tusk here and there, but its reputation is not very good!

[Vippo]

I know this is an old post but i want to add that i love El Topo, i remember buying a VHS from a poundshop in Nottingham and the trailer for El Topo was on it, aswell as a betty page film and a movie called atolladero with Iggy Pop.
I tracked down a copy and loved it, especially the midnight movie stories that followed about screenings and such.

A fantastic Film.