Just watched El Topo (Jodorowsky, 1970). Posted the following in the El Topo thread:
What in shitting crikey was all that about? I’ve never been one for symbolism or subtext so if it was “clearly” saying one thing in showing me another, it lost me. Was it even a western, or was it just taking the piss?
Some powerful imagery was on display, for sure. As El Topo moved through the village of slaughtered people and animals right at the start I thought I was onto what was about to become a huge favourite. Then that sort of degenerated into a lot of rolling around in the desert - which had its moments, finding the strange gunmasters - but it was a bit of a yawn, really. Then: odd-bods in a cave and a LOT of religious jiggery-pokery, and then I thought the film was about to pick back up for the final act with the town full of illuminati symbols and it kind-of did pick up, but with a lot of nakedness and unfunny “hilarity” going on.
My immediate reaction is that I’m not especially keen on it but it definitely has something about it, and in parts has something really powerful about it. I’m kind-of annoyed that I’ve wasted a couple of hours on it and yet, at the same time, I’m well aware that it could wind up being a bit of a favourite, somewhere down the line.
If that’s what he said about it then he’s talking out of his cock-end (unless he was larking about when he said it, which I hope was the case), which is a shame because I’m still thinking about that movie, still chewing it over, still unsure as to whether I like it or not, and to what degree I like/dislike it, and I don’t want a ridiculous comment like that to cloud my feelings. Some of El Topo is as strong and as excellent as anything I’ve seen in any film, ever; some of it I found to be fucking rubbish, simple as that. “You’re great if you liked it, you’re not if you didn’t”… A really snobbish (not to mention gormless) thing to say, that. I wonder how many hapless movie snobs have convinced themselves that that’s the case, and have decided to find El Topo “great” just so’s they can sit on the “enlightened” side of the fence? No one in human history was EVER designated “better” than anyone else because of a fucking small-beer acid western, and anyone thinking that they were need to take a good look at themselves. I would LOVE someone to come up to me and tell me they’re “great” and I’m “limited” because they like El fucking Topo more than I do.
Don’t worry last.caress, you’re not alone. Although I liked the film, it’s not that great a film in my book. TBH, I found the second part far more inspiring and original than the first one which was narratively desultory and shapeless. That’s what I remember. At any rate, I prefer The Holy Mountain. I’d have to re-watch both films to give a more detailed opinion though. I only viewed both films once.
I guess what Jodorowsky means by the statement in question is that the more interpretations regarding the film you come up with, the more spiritual you are. Or he is just a cocky wanker.
I enjoyed watching El Topo, appreciated for what it was, a weird experience, but don’t think it’s a masterpiece or anything. So far I never went back to it.
Well I obviously like the film, although I’ve chosen my SW alter ego more to avoid the already Django jam in the forum. Actually my favourite Jodorowsky film is Santa Sangre.
Anyway to understand a film like El Topo we have to understand the man behind the camera. Jodorowsky started as a Circus clown a mime performer, he was an Anarchist and his God of election was Pan, the celebrations of his Pan ”church” in the Parisian bas-fond still have legendary status, as his sixties stage performances and happening do have the same status.
El Topo is Jodorowsky own personal trip, redemption to him was a long and fantastic trip, in form of a western.
I just wonder how his Dune project would had been if he did managed to direct the film, like he almost did, with names like Orson Welles, Salvador Dali or Pink Floyd being involved.
Still, regardless of taste, one thing is certain like it or not, you will never forget it.
It’s a trip, yes. A psychedelic western, and as such it’s enjoyable. As said I only saw it once and experienced it as a psychedelic movie. I never felt the urge to watch it again, so I can’t say if there’s another way to look at it (and enjoy it).
Must admit I do like El Topo. It’s whacky of course but then that’s what it sets out to be and is its strength I think. There’s some terrific visual images there too which make it an unforgettable experience whether it’s your cup of tea or not.
I think I had similar experiences, I remember that i thought it was overlong (therefore I never went back to it, I guess).
I often have the idea that these experimental movies work better on a shorter format.
[quote=“scherpschutter, post:11679, topic:141”] RETURN OF THE GUNFIGHTER (1967, James Neilson)
Robert Taylor’s last appearance as a lead actor in a western movie. Originally made for TV but released theatrically in several countries. Taylor is an aging gunfighter who has been in jail (for a crime he did not commit of course) for five years; when he‘s asked for help by a Mexican friend who’s in danger of being chased from his property, he reluctantly travels South, but arrives too late on the spot; determined to avenge his friend, he teams up with a young gunman (who’s falsely accused of murder) and starts looking for the killers.
The film is nothing special but surprisingly entertaining and has an interesting plot twist that will remind those interested in spaghetti westerns of Giulia Petroni’s Death Rides a Horse (starring Lee van Cleef and John-Philip Law). The young gunfighter is played by Chad Everett, probably best known as as “Dr. Joe Gannon” in the television series Medical Center. His love interest (the daughter of the murdered Mexican farmer) is played by Ana Martin, Miss Mexico 1963.[/quote]
Saw this one today. Nice performance by Taylor and very watchable as a whole. The plot twist in the end adds to the drama (in a good sense). Good, solid entertainment.
Wow, it’s difficult talking to you about El Topo, El Topo, because I get confused as to whether I’m talking to you, El Topo, or just generally about El Topo - not you El Topo, but TO you, about the film El Topo, El Topo. Christ! ;D
Anyway, that’s quite helpful to look at it in the context of having been made by a circus clown/mime act. I didn’t know that about him (I don’t know anything about Jodorowsky tbh, beyond that-guy-who-nearly-made-Dune). I wouldn’t go as far as saying that it makes sense of the entire thing but it definitely adds at least a degree of… clarity? Understanding? Something. Cheers El Topo (you, not the film), I might have a brief look into the man; nothing too heavy, just a quick nose at his Wikipedia entry, see if it’ll give me any further sense of what he’s about.
An inalienable truth, for sure. Still thinking about what I’ve seen, some days later.
Anyway: Last western I watched - my Koch Media Mögen sie in Frieden ruhen (Requiescant) showed up on Saturday so I watched that yesterday afternoon, and mrs.caress liked it so much (she usually hates westerns, Italian or otherwise, ever since her father played Westworld to her when she was about five and Yul Brynner scared the shit out of her) that we watched it again last night. Double-Requiescant! Yes!
But is it the most boring DVD cover in the history of the western genre? I think it might be.
) is a weird one for sure. Bit of a mixed bag for me. Some things work and some do not.
