The Holy Mountain (1973)
June 29, 2015 11:47 AM - Subscribe
In a corrupt, greed-fueled world, a powerful alchemist leads a Christ-like character and seven materialistic figures to the Holy Mountain, where they hope to achieve enlightenment.
Not available on Netflix, but it is available to rent on Amazon.
I think this movie is essential. The blue-ray restore they did is utterly amazing. (There's even some deleted scenes! This movie, deleted scenes!)
The thing I love most about this film, above all else is the sense of joy you can feel they had making it. The blood as fx is just a part of it. There's a very real sense that a large group of freaks and artists just went all out on this film. To dismiss Jodorowsky with his whole mystic warrior thing is to ignore that there's clearly a large party full of creative energy happening all around him.
It's a movie you have to let wash over you. I think it's best in one sitting, but that can be hard. It's an Art film with a capital A that's probably the least stuffy Art film ever made.
posted by Catblack at 2:38 PM on June 29, 2015 [9 favorites]
The thing I love most about this film, above all else is the sense of joy you can feel they had making it. The blood as fx is just a part of it. There's a very real sense that a large group of freaks and artists just went all out on this film. To dismiss Jodorowsky with his whole mystic warrior thing is to ignore that there's clearly a large party full of creative energy happening all around him.
It's a movie you have to let wash over you. I think it's best in one sitting, but that can be hard. It's an Art film with a capital A that's probably the least stuffy Art film ever made.
posted by Catblack at 2:38 PM on June 29, 2015 [9 favorites]
This movie is indescribably dear to me and Uncle Ira. It is also in a rare echelon of films (like what Metropolis does with sci fi and Purple Rain does for musical biopics) in that it embodies the very quintessence of its genre: it is the ultimate art expression of its auteur and the times by which he was influenced and the inspiration of his creative contemporaries. Giger and Jodorowsky seemed to vibe really well together. I love the candor and unflinching realism surrounded by excess in this film.
I see its visual influence and meta commentary influence everywhere in contemporary media.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 8:22 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I see its visual influence and meta commentary influence everywhere in contemporary media.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 8:22 PM on June 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
One time, I was at a big dance party with multiple DJs, lighting effects, and video installations projected on the walls, one of which was Holy Mountain. At one point, I was standing next to a group of about five women in their twenties. Four of them were having a typical night out on the town conversation, but one of them had discovered the madness on the screen and was completely fixated. She had zero context for what she was seeing. She stood there, mouth agape, while Jesus turned his poo into gold. She saw me watching her watch it, and asked what the hell was going on.
"It's a movie!" I told her. "John Lennon put up a bunch of money for it. It was a huge hit in Italy."
She didn't believe me.
posted by vibrotronica at 10:38 AM on June 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
"It's a movie!" I told her. "John Lennon put up a bunch of money for it. It was a huge hit in Italy."
She didn't believe me.
posted by vibrotronica at 10:38 AM on June 30, 2015 [2 favorites]
The toads versus the lizards scene gets me every single time.
posted by Gucky at 6:18 PM on August 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Gucky at 6:18 PM on August 23, 2015 [1 favorite]
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Oh! And the alternatives to blood as FX.
posted by ian1977 at 1:39 PM on June 29, 2015