El Topo (D-) Last Christmas I had caught the beginning of this and had tuned out. I recall it had made a splash when it was released in the early 70's, going from underground film festivals to becoming a staple of the midnight movie circuit. (Thanks in part to John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who financed its American distribution.) Well, I had finally decided to rent it out, mainly to see what all the fuss was about. For what it's worth, I'm not giving it a 'F' simply for the merit of it being Jodrowsky's personal vision. (As opposed to, say, some New World/ Roger Corman exploitation gore-sex fest, which it superficially resembles...)
There are films from a specific time that could have only come from that time, and when we look back on them several decades later, we think, "Well, yeah. There's a reason El Topo came from roughly the same era as say, Easy Rider and Billy Jack." All three are intensely personal visions that came about from the collapse of the Hollywood studio system, when the industry was flailing around for a new paradigm. Interesting side note: all three films have a 'Western' landscape as a backdrop.
My real beef with 'El Topo' is that because it's so tied in with Jodrowsky's personal vision, I find if you see Jodorosky's self-aggrandizing spiritual pop philosophising long-winded and tedious, (as I do) you're not likely to enjoy "El Topo" much. His movie is, in the end, a bunch of pop-culture name dropping under the guise of being deep and insightful. Personally, I'd take John Boorman's 'Zardoz' as having more depth than 'El Topo'. Imagine yourself at a
party with Jodrowsky and discussing "El Topo" with him...
"Maestro! (You'd kiss his ass in this format so's he'd acknowledge your presence...) Clearly 'El Topo' is about your personal struggle with organized religion! As well as your struggle with women's sexuality!" Jodrowsky would smile beatifically, nod, and perhaps clasp your shoulder in a paternal gesture.
"Mmm.. Perhaps, my child... Perhaps...", he'd smile enigmatically. Then he'd go off and boink your girlfriend...
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