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Bookmark this pageThe Holy Mountain (1973)
Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Having distributed El Topo to cult success in the United States, former Beatles lawyer Allen Klein co-produced Jodorowsky's more lavishly funded follow-up, in which the Chilean maverick unleashes wave after wave of religious symbolism, would-be spiritual gobbledygook and violently surreal imagery (memorably, small birds emerging from gunshot wounds). The connecting narrative, broadly, involves a Christ figure seeking enlightenment under the tutelage of 'The Alchemist' (Jodorowsky himself, in flowing robes and very tall hat), as a group of astrologically significant individuals set out to scale the legendary Holy Mountain and replace the all-powerful beings residing on its peak. With Jodorowsky's meaning somewhat opaque, it's slightly tedious going, but you certainly get plenty to look at, what with costumed frogs and lizards re-enacting the conquest of Mexico, the plucky armless dwarf, and (don't snigger) the scene where the protagonist has his excreta distilled while a naked woman plays cello and a pelican lurks portentously in the background. We will not see its like again.Author: TJ
User reviews of this film
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- mr.mike said...
- Posted on Nov 20 2009 15:42 See "El Topo" and "Santa Sangre" instead. 2 1/2 stars.
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Alejandro Jodorowsky
Producer: Allen Klein, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Robert Taicher, Roberto Viskin
Cast: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Horácio Salinas, Zamira Saunders, Juan Ferrara, Adriana Page, Burt Kleiner, Valerie Jodorowsky, Nicky Nichols, Richard Rutowski, Luis Loveli full cast
Duration: 114 mins
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