★ 7 / 10
A surreal Mexican Western. This movie is a
Luis Ivan M
A surreal Mexican Western. This movie is a trip, an experience meant to be felt rather than fully understood. That said, there are clear themes of devotion and…
A surreal Mexican Western. This movie is a trip, an experience meant to be felt rather than fully understood. That said, there are clear themes of devotion and redemption, supported by symbolic imagery throughout.
For film buffs, it’s an essential experience, but for the average moviegoer, there are a few caveats to consider, primarily the tone. While not overly explicit, the film contains scenes that suggest violence and sexual abuse, which might be disturbing to some viewers. The surreal nature of the story can also make it difficult to engage with or make sense of. Technically, some aspects, particularly the sound and visual effects, feel dated and might take certain audiences out of the experience.
On the other hand, the film stands as a work of art, executed with remarkable creativity by Jodorowsky. The production design is eccentric and over-the-top, yet it successfully immerses us in the dreamlike landscape of the protagonist’s journey. The cinematography offers several striking desert compositions, and the editing maintains a steady rhythm, revealing new information with precision.
It’s a strange, challenging watch that I can’t say I enjoyed at every moment, but I deeply appreciate. It’s a singular vision, and while definitely not for everyone, it’s one that deserves to be seen.
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★ 6 / 10
Not a bad movie at all The camera
Parsa J
Not a bad movie at all The camera works very well, the actors are amazing, they act well The director has managed to make and finish the script, but it is slow…
Not a bad movie at all
The camera works very well, the actors are amazing, they act well
The director has managed to make and finish the script, but it is slow at times
I think this is the best possible score
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★ 2 / 10
El Topo is a western-cowboy themed movie that
Ryan P
El Topo is a western-cowboy themed movie that was first screened in 1970 that was directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who had a reputation for his…
El Topo is a western-cowboy themed movie that was first screened in 1970 that was directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky, who had a reputation for his avant-garde/surrealist style of writing/directing. His style is seen here yet again, as El Topo is filled with lots of scenes that have symbolism through visual imagery, camera work, actions, dialogue, and sound. The director even takes an incentive to act as the main character in the movie. However, as interesting as the production of the movie sounds, it’s not a film worth watching on a Friday night.
As mentioned before, this film features a lot of symbolism that are both spiritual and non spiritual. To understand symbolism in an artwork would typically require one of the three: historical context, understanding of the artist’s intentions/environment, and time for personal observation. All of which is not suited for an audience going to see a movie, as it lacks an opportunity to think back and interpret these symbolic scenes leaving them in frustration and confusion. Pushing aside the movie’s strongest factor, the plot derails itself at some point in the middle. Most of the time, it doesn’t seem to stick with the original plot or attempt to make sense of leading one onto the other. The film may make the lack of continuity as if it were natural but the order of events one after another really don’t add up very well before and after he defeats the gun masters. It’s more artful and spiritual, rather than aiming to be a traditional movie.
I would strongly not recommend watching El Topo. It’s not a movie that is entertaining enough for me to recommend. Art and movies tend to have a different way of communicating to its observers, which is why it causes El Topo to fall short on entertaining anyone. It uses the wrong language for its observers and shouldn’t be reasonable enough to recommend people to watch it. If my argument doesn’t persuade anyone from not watching it then maybe it is the film for you, but don’t watch it with someone you know.
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No need to abuse the uploader, just say it has issues, then STFU!