Gabriel R
Alejandro Jodorowsky established himself with the film El Topo, creating a film that truly only he could have made. The film essentially created the idea of an acid western. The film features many perplexing characters and events, which could confuse many audience members, or instead make them think for hours about the film’s themes and what Jodorowsky is trying to communicate. The film was one of the first to be big in the midnight movie circuit, bringing audiences back each time to experience the surreal and violent world filled with weird and unsettling imagery not usually seen in many westerns. It can be heavily analyzed due to its themes relating to religion, violence, loss of innocence and legacy. The film features an extremely loose plot line, where El Topo is facing off against 4 different gunslingers to prove himself for a woman. Throughout the film numerous oddities are encountered, some sexual. So it’s understandable that crowds of extremely high people on a Friday night would enjoy this movie. Jodorowsky plays the titular character himself, and while his acting isn’t the greatest, it certainly gets the job done with the tone the movie has. The movie can certainly test your patience, with its long takes and numerous meandering scenes. I think the movie certainly lacks emotion at times, and that can make it difficult to connect with characters and story. However, the story features El Topo’s son, where he finds him looking exactly how he looked before he became a monk. The cinematography is a reason to see this movie alone, due to its unique look and tone.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
12/21/24
Full Review
Kelly A
El Topo is not like your average film, it’s an all encompassing journey into the realm of wild and over dramatic elements of cinema. The film, directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, features strange Western elements of violence, odd nudity, and exaggeration, creating a cinematic experience that genuinely feels like a fever dream that you’re not sure when will end.
Watching El Topo was like taking your friend's advice and going to a night show that looks absolutely sketchy and turns out to be everything and more. The movie is so trippy and extra that it serves almost like eye candy, you just can't look away. The movie makes the viewers question whether or not they even know what the main plot and subplot are about and the film allows the audience to make up a story in their head as the movie progresses. With themes of redemption and spirituality taking place throughout the film, it seems as though the main hero is as confused as the audience is about his next action and step.
The movie was genuinely so weird and chaotic that the ultra-violent themes were so deranged, that I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to like it or deem it terrible from a societal perspective. Don’t get me wrong, the videography element was fantastic but as to deciphering the film, that's a whole other guessing and puzzle game.
I watched this film in my cult film class and let me tell you, when the murder of disabled people took place, the whole crowd almost simultaneously jumped back because of how random and unpredictable that scene was! Again, El Topo as a film is such a fever dream, that it must be seen more than once to have an ounce of clarity as to what is going on.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
12/20/24
Full Review
Kayla M
After watching this film, I couldn’t help but have an unsettling feeling. The film's opening displayed a large mass care of a town, with blood everywhere and people taking their last breaths. In the moment I felt squeamish and did not want to turn my attention to the screen. I also didn’t expect it to have nudity because of the cover it purely seemed to of a man in a Western time setting and possibly facing criminals to defeat alone.Which in some ways it was a western film of a man but he is going through spiritual challenges throughout the entirety of the film “El Topo”. However, when he parted ways with the child that did come as a surprise to me because of the bond established. I thought they set a strong foundation for their relationship, and it was interesting to view that he left him behind for the pursuit of another person. At times some of the battle scenes he faced looked brutal as if I could image the pain of the person on the screen. Another observation I made was about the films tittle it seems to reflect the character's ability to hide, reappear, and face new threats, much like a mole. Even one of the spirits he faced was in cocoon like dome. Although it is not a part of my normal taste of film it was interesting to expose myself to something entirely new even down to the language it was nice to focus my attention on more that what I am seeing on display but also exposing myself to truly listen to the words the characters are saying.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
12/19/24
Full Review
Ethan K
A curious mind explosion from Alejandro Jodorowski depicts the search for enlightenment in a western (eastern?) world full of confusing symbolism and zany one-time warriors protecting some sort of lesson for Jodorowski to overcome. I find this hyper-expressionistic mad-house of a movie slightly annoying, probably because I still don't get it. It may be unfair to directly contribute to the polarizing consensus El Topo has obtained over the years (hence its cult reputation), but I can't quite sway to either axis. Is it fair to call it self indulgent? - Maybe about as fair as calling a child immature. It is clearly within Jodorowski's nature to be compelled by religion, sex, and his interpersonal challenges that drove him to craft this bizarre yet revealing tale of regret, change, and the pursuit of knowledge. It is inherently intriguing, but about as intriguing as a painting of a lonesome sailboat you might find at an art gallery. You wonder what their story is - where they might be going and if they'll make it there. Maybe what I mean to say is, El Topo is simply not captivating. It is consistently difficult to resonate with the his choices, and by the end, I find myself rolling my eyes instead of moved. This should be a powerful story. In fact, I should love everything about this. Unfortunately, it just feels bogged down by too high of a runtime and an overtly frustrated narrative. I actually sort of loathe this movie. But I'm really excited to see it again.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
12/17/24
Full Review
Avery C
El Topo is one of those movies that will definitely keep you on your toes the entire time. It’s a strange mix of a Western, a surrealist film, and a spiritual journey, all wrapped into one. The plot is anything but straightforward, so you’ll need to pay close attention if you want to follow what's going on.
As the film moves forward, it feels like it goes in two completely different directions. The first half is more action-based, with El Topo facing off against the gunfighters. But soon, the movie becomes something completely different, turning into a strange spiritual journey with plenty of shocking, thought-provoking moments. There are scenes that are hard to forget, like imagery of crucifixion, nudity, and surreal, dream-like sequences.
Jodorowsky’s direction is very unique. He uses long shots, eerie music, and powerful visuals that pull you into the world he’s created. It’s not a film where everything is explained to you, so it leaves a lot up to interpretation. The violence you see isn’t just for shock value—it’s meant to reflect the main character’s inner struggle, but it's easy to miss if you're not paying attention.
El Topo is definitely not for everyone. It’s a cult classic, and people either love it or completely don’t get it. The movie can be tough to follow, and the meaning behind its bizarre images isn’t always obvious. If you go into it expecting a traditional Western or action film, you’ll probably be lost. But if you're open to something strange and symbolic, it offers a lot to think about.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
12/03/24
Full Review
Alessandro R
El Topo is unique Avant-grade film created by the legendary Alejandro Jodorowsky and created this movie by blending elements of western and spiritualism and provides a creative cinematic experience. This movie was released in the 1970’s and so far it has been a classic cult movie due to its boundary pushing narrative and graphic scenes. I particularly liked that the main character was played by Alejandro Jodorowsky and how the film portrays him embarking on spiritual journey and through the desert. In the beginning of the film he portrays himself as a god and cannot be stopped as he is determined to defeat four gunfighters as this type of ego comes from western movies. As the story progresses, I noticed a lot of symbolic meanings that makes you really think deep about certain events that happened in the movie. Alejandro Jodorowsky quickly achieves everything he wants as he satisfies his ego ambitions but then is also quickly brought down and is set to undergo a new quest. As he is in a state of dilemma of what is being good and what is being bad, he decides to follow a new path for himself and help others that need it. This was my favorite part of the film because he sees both sides of good and evil and is quickly subdued to helping other for the greater good. Overall this movie carried a lot of symbolism, psychedelic visuals and unsettling scenes.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
12/03/24
Full Review
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