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Derek
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« on: March 18, 2008, 03:00:00 PM » |
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Last night, while I worked, I watched El Topo, which was kindly lent to me by cactus. Wow, what a movie! I can see why both cactus and John Lennon (true) said it was their favorite movie of all time! It's a stark, crazy, violent, twisted, and surreal art-film about a cold-blooded gunfighter wandering the desert. Highly recommended if you like weird, thoughtful shit. This is like if you crossed a Sergio Leone movie with the Cremaster Cycle, only, unlike Cremaster, it's actually entertaining.
After watching the movie, I also realized that Jodorowsky is the creator of L'Incal and also The Metabarons, which is one of my favorite comic book series of all time. Another strange story... this one is epic and spans generations of a line of incredibly powerful superhumans (the Metabarons). A single Metabaron has the power to destroy entire worlds. Like in El Topo: the themes of power, love, politics, religion, and transformation (often as disfigurement) are strong throughout (okay, now I have to go back and see if I can find more parallels). It's similarly violent.
The Metabarons | |
El Topo
(By the way, Suda51 revealed that "El Topo" was a big inspiration for No More Heroes. If you're into that sort of thing.)
So yeah, I'm quite interested in this dude now! So I had to share. I also wanted to test out my l33t post-editing skillz. How does it look?
I encourage you all to make similar posts about something strange and wonderful you're into.
<3 <3 <3 |
I ask of cinema what most North Americans ask of psychedelic drugs.
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« Last Edit: March 18, 2008, 03:03:34 PM by Derek »
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Ivan
Owl Country
Level 10
alright, let's see what we can see
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« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2008, 07:28:38 PM » |
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I heard El Topo was really good, though I watched The Holy Mountain a few months ago and, while visually completely stunning, I ended up being very disappointed by it. For something that John Lennon so highly endorsed, it felt completely pointless and full of cliches in places where i expected profundity that would match the amazing visual style. Sort of like an amazing acid trip that you can never quite share with someone else I guess.
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moi
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« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2008, 07:45:05 PM » |
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Yeah holy mountain is less coherent and more difficult to watch than el topo which has an immediate aesthetic quality and an easier story.
When I saw el Topo, the story reminded me of hokuto no ken somehow.
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Blueskied
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« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2008, 09:32:10 AM » |
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Yes, El Topo rocks. It's one of my 2 favorite movies. Haven't seen Holy Mountain yet. Santa Sangre was rather boring. My other favorite movie is Suspiria, the horror master piece by Dario Argento. Might be the most beautifully shot movie ever.  |
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Ivan
Owl Country
Level 10
alright, let's see what we can see
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« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2008, 10:46:09 AM » |
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In that vein, Emir Kusturica is my favorite director. If you haven't seen any of his stuff, I highly advise it.
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jstckr
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« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2008, 11:57:39 AM » |
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El Topo is totally awesome, but I don't think I'd survive watching it a second time.
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Blueskied
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« Reply #6 on: March 19, 2008, 12:05:09 PM » |
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El Topo is totally awesome, but I don't think I'd survive watching it a second time.
Why so? |
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moi
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« Reply #7 on: March 19, 2008, 12:32:51 PM » |
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Yes, El Topo rocks. It's one of my 2 favorite movies.
Haven't seen Holy Mountain yet. Santa Sangre was rather boring.
My other favorite movie is Suspiria, the horror master piece by Dario Argento.
Might be the most beautifully shot movie ever.
If you like giallos you should also check Profundo rosso from Argento too, actually my favorite from this director, great ambiance and awesome cinematography (movies of the 70s have the best cinematography, if it was filmed today it would have been ruined with cheap effects and CGI)  |
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Blueskied
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« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2008, 01:15:52 PM » |
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Yes, Profondo Rosso is good. I think it's the movie where Argento found his style. Argento is my favorite director so i am trying to see all his movies, even the bad ones. Always hoping to spot a glance of his old mastership in a scene.
Here's a list of my personal favorites:
1. Suspiria (beautiful)
2. Tenebre (beautiful)
3. Inferno (similar aesthetics as in Suspiria but a little bit lengthy)
4. Opera (some great scenes, some not so great things like the heavy metal soundtrack)
5. Phenomena * (mostly mediocre but a few brilliant scenes like the opening)
6. Profondo Rosso (Argento's talent for surreal,expressionistic scenes blossoming, laying the groundwork for his masterpiece Suspiria)
* the opening of Phenomena. Love the music and the seemingly agravic camera.
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cactus
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« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2008, 02:31:09 PM » |
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I thought both El Topo and Holy Mountain were completely amazing. I was expecting Holy Mountain to be a plotless art-flick, but I actually enjoyed the thin storyline that it had. Mostly, I really liked the environments and the creepy atmosphere. Santa Sangre on the other hand was not so interesting, and I haven't tried reading any of his comics. I've also heard Jodorowsky is looking to make a sequel to El Topo, and that Marilyn Manson and Nick Nolte are funding his latest project (called "King Shot"). As for Argento; I've seen a lot of his movies but never really understood what the hell that guy is up to. I like the surreal shots that seem to occur every now and then (usually when someone dies), but the plotlines are so weird and pointless and the characters always lack common sense. They are often pretty entertaining, though. Tenebre and Stendhal Syndrome are probably the ones I liked best out of the dozen movies I've seen (my brother is really into obscure horror movies). And you gotta love Goblin's great soundtracks  Speaking of obscure italian horror flicks, I was really surprised by how good Cannibal Holocaust was when I saw it a few years ago. A very powerful experience, as I was expecting a typical gorefest. About 50% of the movie is actually pretty bad, but the documentary footage was really something. And the movie even has a message and everything. Plus the score was beautiful. Definitely recommended, although I should warn you that a few jungle animals actually gets killed on camera, and the movie has very brutal and realistic violence at times. |
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Blueskied
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« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2008, 03:24:30 PM » |
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As for Argento; I've seen a lot of his movies but never really understood what the hell that guy is up to. I like the surreal shots that seem to occur every now and then (usually when someone dies), but the plotlines are so weird and pointless and the characters always lack common sense. Correct. The plots are really bad. Strange enough I read an Argento interview where he said that he liked writing plots the most. But he has no talent for it, sad but true. He's no Hitchcock (his movies have great plots i think) although he'd like to be one. Suspiria and Tenebre are pure eye candy to me. Speaking of obscure italian horror flicks, I was really surprised by how good Cannibal Holocaust was when I saw it a few years ago.] Liked this one,too. It's the original Blair Witch Project, only much better. Blair Witch was insanely dull. Speaking of plots - do you understand what El Topo is about story-wise? I have no idea. There might be some great ideas, might as well be complete spiritual BS. I like the movie anyway. Jodorowsky's comment: "„If you’re great, ‚El Topo’ is a great picture. If you’re limited, ‘El Topo’ is limited…”". True or pretentious artist's blabber? |
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« Last Edit: March 19, 2008, 03:29:58 PM by Blueskied »
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Lazer
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« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2008, 11:50:53 PM » |
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The Korean import movie Oldboy made me shit my pants several times in a row. A very weird but well thought out movie.  |
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Derek
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« Reply #12 on: March 20, 2008, 01:21:46 AM » |
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Dude, check out "I'm a Cyborg, But That's Okay," also by Chan-Wook Park.  Violent, strange (can you tell I like violence and strangeness?) and very sweet. I have to admit, it made me  |
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jstckr
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« Reply #13 on: March 20, 2008, 03:38:19 AM » |
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Oh my gosh, I'm in movie taste paradise. I'm a Cyborg really is awesome.  | ナイスの森 (Naisu No Mori): The First Contact / Funky Forest: The First Contact [imdb]
It's an episodic movie loosely connected, storywise. Trying to paraphrase the movie is a bit hard, so I'll just quote the All Movie Guide: "Dance numbers, pillow fights, animation, comedy, and science fiction all combine to create a unique and disorienting viewing experience". Dance numbers, yes. Don't think Bollywood, think awesome.
If you don't mind spoilering yourself a scene from the movie, watch this as an example.
It features an episodic scene from the end of the movie about a forest being played like a huge music instrument.
Small font size for spoiler-safe reading, hooray.
Whoops, still so much space left next to this giant movie poster. I prefer not to talk much about movies since every bit you know before watching it will take away from/alter the experience, so I'll leave it as it is. o.q
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« Last Edit: March 20, 2008, 03:45:03 AM by jstckr »
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ChevyRay
Guest
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« Reply #14 on: March 20, 2008, 08:45:55 PM » |
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(By the way, Suda51 revealed that "El Topo" was a big inspiration for No More Heroes. If you're into that sort of thing.) Hell ya I'm into that! I love No More Heroes, and everything Suda51. I'll have to watch this just because of that. Sorry, I think this is stranger and more wonderful than any of the things I'm into. I'm no good at finding gems like this. I do recommend checking out David Lynch, though, if you're into that sort of thing  |
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Lazer
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« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2008, 01:21:47 AM » |
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Dude, check out "I'm a Cyborg, But That's Okay," also by Chan-Wook Park.
Been trying to see that for a while now, but I must admit copies of estranged foreign films are hard to find when you're smack in the middle of South Eastern Ohio. >:( |
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