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 movements from the opening scene ritual are actual movements of a Japanese tea ceremony. Jodorowsky states that the girls themselves were not actual actresses, merely two people who "wanted to have a spiritual experience. They were searching for their own truth, the naked truth."

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Quotes

Drug Master: The Cross was a mushroom - and the mushroom was also the Tree of Good and Evil.

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Connections

Featured in Into the Night with...: Alejandro Jodorowsky und Daniel Pinchbeck (2009)

User Reviews

Dated, pretentious, astonishing

I don't think this film can be "reviewed" in the normal sense of the word, only experienced as one would a painting or a piece of music. Having only seen it two nights ago, I'm not even sure I've fully processed it. In any case...

To begin, the images, the images. The first 20 minutes contain some of the most astonishing images I've seen, combining Christian iconography, Latin American history, futurism, mysticism, and political commentary. As if Fellini had a sinister twin working with his leftover film and props. As the film progresses I thought the set pieces became a little dated and, frankly, I experienced sensory overload.

I'm sure a lot of viewers would reject this film as pointless or indulgent. Yeah...so? I can't say I understood exactly what Jodoworsky was getting at (if anything), or if it would even make an impact on my view of the world. But if film is to be defined as image over everything else, then Jodoworsky is certainly some sort of master filmmaker. I'd rather watch something like this, filled with ideas (however pretentious), than a plot-driven movie with nothing more on its mind than wrapping up loose ends for the audience.

Now, off to rent Santa Sangre.

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