El Topo (1970)
The WTF western.
Presentation:
If you haven’t watched an Alejandro Jodorowsky film before, you should probably start with Holy Mountain first. Then again, if you haven’t watched a Jodorowsky film before you should count yourself lucky because one Jodorowsky film is enough for a lifetime. This is not your typical auteur - the cartoonist/artist/composer/polymath pushes the limits of what is acceptable with provocative imagery after imagery. I would say it’s not as extreme as Holy Mountain, but the arbitrary shock value and randomness under the guise of a neo-western can be just as disturbing. There is a semblance of a story this time, but much of it is still pointless symbolism in order to criticize Christianity.
Conclusion:
It’s hard to place this film because it’s so avant garde that you’re not really supposed to like it. There are some cute satirical references to Sergio Leone’s trilogy, but this is primarily artistic social commentary in the most obscene fashion - think of protesters throwing pig blood on the Sistine Chapel. The effects of Holy Mountain are still lingering so this one didn’t do it for me personally but if it’s your first Jodorowsky film then brace yourself. Even the most jaded cinephiles will be saying WTF to these offensive scenes.
Recommendations
The WTF western.