So people who are crazy about this film, are fun to be around, but probably just plain crazy. People who hold this film in contempt, are not going to be much fun.
I've seen "Fando and Lis" but not yet "El Topo." I'm happily surprised to see that a sequel to "El Topo" is evidently in the offing per IMDB. Or maybe that has been the case for the past 20 years...
If you typically like "experimental" film (and I mean stuff like what the Ann Arbor Film Festival showcases not say Cronenburg's "Spider"), then you should be able to sift enough gold out of this film. But there is plenty of gold's alchemical opposite as well.
Imagination erupts out of this film like birds out of bullet holes. The plot with its quasi-mystical, anti-corporate kaleidoscope of world religions is there just to connect the dots between artistic film. As such, you could call this a fantastic film, but a horrible movie. In fact, the more seeming contradictions you can utter and pretend to understand, the more you will enjoy the spare dialog throughout this.
The fact is you will be lucky to find it, at least for now. The japanese version I came across did have genitalia replaced by white splotches...it did sort of dampen the hippie heresy vibe, but the Don Cherry assisted soundtrack more than made up for that.
A lot of the set design, especially when then set spinning was visually inviting for me. It would be fascinating to know more about this film, what did the extras think as Jodorowsky was guiding them on his very obscure personal vision? How much did this film cost him to make...despite its off-the-cuff vitality, it clearly was not made with spare hubcaps and rubber bands.
The mingling of myth is fun, and while some folks may use this to slake their spiritual thirst, or satisfy their supernatural hunger, I'm not yet ready to buy into the chakra and awe. Who are we? Why are we here?
For me, I just wondered, how did Jodorowsky make this film?
And yes I am glad that he did...
6/10
I've seen "Fando and Lis" but not yet "El Topo." I'm happily surprised to see that a sequel to "El Topo" is evidently in the offing per IMDB. Or maybe that has been the case for the past 20 years...
If you typically like "experimental" film (and I mean stuff like what the Ann Arbor Film Festival showcases not say Cronenburg's "Spider"), then you should be able to sift enough gold out of this film. But there is plenty of gold's alchemical opposite as well.
Imagination erupts out of this film like birds out of bullet holes. The plot with its quasi-mystical, anti-corporate kaleidoscope of world religions is there just to connect the dots between artistic film. As such, you could call this a fantastic film, but a horrible movie. In fact, the more seeming contradictions you can utter and pretend to understand, the more you will enjoy the spare dialog throughout this.
The fact is you will be lucky to find it, at least for now. The japanese version I came across did have genitalia replaced by white splotches...it did sort of dampen the hippie heresy vibe, but the Don Cherry assisted soundtrack more than made up for that.
A lot of the set design, especially when then set spinning was visually inviting for me. It would be fascinating to know more about this film, what did the extras think as Jodorowsky was guiding them on his very obscure personal vision? How much did this film cost him to make...despite its off-the-cuff vitality, it clearly was not made with spare hubcaps and rubber bands.
The mingling of myth is fun, and while some folks may use this to slake their spiritual thirst, or satisfy their supernatural hunger, I'm not yet ready to buy into the chakra and awe. Who are we? Why are we here?
For me, I just wondered, how did Jodorowsky make this film?
And yes I am glad that he did...
6/10