John Lennon discovering "El Topo"!
This is a short story about one of my favorite ''underground'' films ever, directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, originally coming from Chile. This post is about his cult film "El Topo", which was released back in the 1970's, and how it made it's way up to massive worldwide distribution. Strangely enough, it was the musician John Lennon who found out about this movie. He purchased the rights to promote & distribute it, after watching the film himself & becoming very fond of it.
The title El Topo (the mule) is a very descriptive metaphor for the underground cinematography of that period in America. The mule is an animal trying to reach the surface by digging holes in the ground, signifying how these cult films managed to become more popular over time, abandoning the underground states of a limited circle of viewers. The film became a superhit in midnight showings. It has also been said that "El Topo" inspired another famous musician, Peter Gabriel, to start composing the classic Genesis album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway".
I would strongly suggest finding & watching this ultra surrealistic - cult - spaghetti - western, full of strong symbolisms & inherent mysticism. Will you stand lucky if you try to compare the alternative content of "El Topo" to other movie productions of that era? Would you also characterize it as extreme? Bizarre?
The sequel of this film, "The Sons of El Topo", has been put on ice since more funds have to be raised.
"You are seven years old. You are a man. Bury your first toy and your mother's picture.'' - El Topo
The title El Topo (the mule) is a very descriptive metaphor for the underground cinematography of that period in America. The mule is an animal trying to reach the surface by digging holes in the ground, signifying how these cult films managed to become more popular over time, abandoning the underground states of a limited circle of viewers. The film became a superhit in midnight showings. It has also been said that "El Topo" inspired another famous musician, Peter Gabriel, to start composing the classic Genesis album "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway".
I would strongly suggest finding & watching this ultra surrealistic - cult - spaghetti - western, full of strong symbolisms & inherent mysticism. Will you stand lucky if you try to compare the alternative content of "El Topo" to other movie productions of that era? Would you also characterize it as extreme? Bizarre?
The sequel of this film, "The Sons of El Topo", has been put on ice since more funds have to be raised.
"You are seven years old. You are a man. Bury your first toy and your mother's picture.'' - El Topo
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