The Holy Mountain (1973)

In a corrupt, greed-fueled world, a powerful alchemist leads a messianic character and seven materialistic figures to the Holy Mountain, where they hope to achieve enlightenment.

Director:

Alejandro Jodorowsky (as Alexandro Jodorowsky)

Writer:

Alejandro Jodorowsky (as Alexandro Jodorowsky)

Stars:

Alejandro Jodorowsky, Horacio Salinas, Zamira Saunders

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alejandro Jodorowsky	...	The Alchemist (as Alexandro Jodorowsky)
Horacio Salinas	...	The Thief
Zamira Saunders	...	The Written Woman (as Ramona Saunders)
Juan Ferrara	...	Fon
Adriana Page	...	Isla
Burt Kleiner	...	Klen
Valerie Jodorowsky	...	Sel
Nicky Nichols	...	Berg
Richard Rutowski	...	Axon (as Richard Rutowsky)
Luis Lomelí	...	Lut
Ana De Sade	...	The Prostitute
Chucho-Chucho	...	The Chimpanzee
Letícia Robles	...	Bald Woman 1 (as Leticia Robles)
Connie De La Mora	...	Bald Woman 2
David Kapralik	...	Tourist

Storyline

A Christlike figure wanders through bizarre, grotesque scenarios filled with religious and sacrilegious imagery. He meets a mystical guide who introduces him to seven wealthy and powerful people, each representing a planet in the Solar system. These seven, along with the protagonist, the guide and the guide's assistant, divest themselves of their worldly goods and form a group of nine who will seek the Holy Mountain, in order to displace the gods who live there and become immortal.

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Plot Keywords:

experimental film | male frontal nudity | holy mountain | alchemist | enlightenment | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The chanting audible during the opening ritual scene includes the lineage of Buddhist teachers. Jodorowsky's name appears exactly as the chant says "Shakyamuni," which refers to Siddhartha Guatama, the historical buddha who reached nirvana while meditating beneath a bodhi tree.

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Quotes

The Written Woman: Our bees make honey, but your flies make shit.

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Connections

Referenced in American Dad! (2005)

User Reviews

Astonishingly beautiful, bloody and strange

Astonishingly beautiful, bloody and strange surrealist film. Roughly, about a spiritual quest for enlightenment, truth and immortality; but that doesn't begin to describe Jodorowsky's Fellini-like flood of imagery and symbolism. Jodorowsky himself plays "The Master", an occult adept who assembles a group of people representing the planets of our solar system (a Christ figure for Earth) to ascend the Holy Mountain and gain the secret of eternal life. The qualities of the individual planetary cultures are both based on, and distorted from, their classic meanings in astrology and alchemy - you really need to have some basic reading in occultism to follow this movie - and the stunning ending shot takes the theme of illusion vs. truth to a completely different plane.

Details

Country:

Mexico

Language:

Spanish English

Release Date:

11 July 1975 (Mexico)

Also Known As:

The Holy Mountain

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Box Office

Budget:

$750,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,143, 21 January 2007

Gross USA:

$61,001

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$104,160

Company Credits

Production Co:

ABKCO Films, Producciones Zohar

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1