The Holy Mountain

The Holy Mountain poster Available DVDs Press Kit File:HoMo5.JPG

Also Known As

• La Montaña sagrada (Mexico)

• La Montagne sacrée (France)

• La Montagna sacra (Italy)

• Montana Sacra - Der heilige Berg (West Germany)

Main Details

• Released in 1973

• Color

• Runtime: 114 min

• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

• Rating: USA/Unrated, UK/18, France/-16, Australia/MA, West Germany/18,

• Production Co: Producciones Zohar/Allen & Betty Klein and Company (ABKCO)

• Distribution Co: Allen & Betty Klein and Company (ABKCO)

Cast and Crew

• Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky

• Produced Alejandro Jodorowsky, Allen Klein, Roberto Viskin

• Cinematography by Rafael Corkidi

• Music by Don Cherry, Ronald Frangipane, Alejandro Jodorowsky

• Editing by Federico Landeros

• Costume Design by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Nicky Nichols

• Sound Effects by Gonzalo Gavira

• Starring Horácio Salinas and Alejandro Jodorowsky

Film Review

In case you didn't know, Alejandro Jodorowsky often makes religious films. But not the type of religious films you might expect. What he does is throw in the likes of Zen, Astrology, Catholicism, Taoism, Judaism, Buddhism, and various mystic beliefs into a blender and the result is an unforgettable motion picture like this.

The film begins showing the time of "The Thief" (Horácio Salinas) and his experiences on earth. And since he resembles Jesus Christ, perhaps it's just a metaphor of the life and times of the son of God (Afterall, we see him "Crucified, destroying a temple, and gaining followers") Soon, The Theif is baited (Literally) after his lust for gold and taken into the realm of Morpheu...I mean, The Alchemist! Here, The Alchemist (Played by Jodorowsky) re-awakens The Thief and grants him new life to take place in gaining immortality. The Alchemist's plan is to recruit members from the 9 planets and overthrow the immortals who reside in "The Holy Mountain". Among the recruits:

VENUS-Producer of beauty products

URANUS-Computer Technician (And this was 30 years before the internet)

MARS-Lesbian who's a creator of religious weaponry

MERCURY-Mute Nubian who only wears nothing but the tattooed symbols of Earth's religions (The symbol of Mercury on her earrings could be the giveaway)

JUPITER-Millionaire artist

SATURN-Inhabitor (Or perhaps, deciever?) of better places for children and the elderly

NEPTUNE-Mohawked Warlord Fascist

PLUTO-Architect (And possible pedophile)

In order for his plan to be successful, The Alchemist must unite all the participants and undergo inner and physical testing to become one collective being and one step closer to immortality. Will it work?

As with Jodorowsky's movies, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN succeeds in becoming another astonishing visual treat. The voiceover on his trailers often say that you'll be both revolted and enchanted by the imagery of what's put on display in his movies and this manages to be another great example. Many of the "Testing" scenes towards the final act can't help but to grab your attention since sequences like this just aren't seen in hundreds of other movies you'll come across. And even though some might consider the "Twist ending" to be a cheat, In my eyes, Jodorowsky managed to "awaken" me both in a spiritual way and for the love of artistic cinema.

Reviewed by Laydback - 9/22/07