El Topo.
I’ve never been a big fan of the western genre, but lately I’ve managed to find a couple of them that I can get in to. Albeit, all of those entries are either really violent and fucked up or they’re just down-right weird. This film falls into the later category, but dips into the first as well.
El Topo tells the story of a gun-fighter traveling through the desert on his search for enlightenment. But in order to do so, he must defeat a series of crazed outlaws and four master gun-men. His journey is a weird one, as El Topo is pretty much a surrealist take on the Mexi-Western film. Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, El Topo’s journey has him encountering a strange cast of characters who provide a colorful contrast to the blank endless desert of the film’s setting.
I’m not one for the so-called “classic” cult films, as most of them come carrying far too much hype for me to enjoy. This one however, I had never even heard of before a few weeks ago and the concept was right up my alley, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed.
El Topo is a film that stands right next to its 70’s era film brethren and holds its head up high. The violence is just as good as any of the major heavyweights of the time and the characters the same. That being said, it can be a bit of a rough-watch for anyone not a fan of art-house pictures.
El Topo is full of philosophy spouting villains, chocked full of life lessons, stuffed with ridiculous violence, and doubles as an art-house masturbatory experience to boot!
El Topo is for everyone!
