The Films of Alejandro Jodorowsky

During the late 1960s and early ‘70s, the films of Chilean-born writer-director-actor Alejandro Jodorowsky were considered the apex of countercultural cinema—championed by no less an icon than John Lennon, and essentially launching the whole “midnight movie” phenomenon. The three features collected here—celebrated by some for their surrealistic mysticism but dismissed by others as bargain-basement BuZuel—depict hallucinatory journeys in search of enlightenment, marked by encounters with bizarre characters. Fando y Lis (1968) follows a couple traipsing through the wilderness seeking a magical city; El Topo (1970) is a quasi-Spaghetti western full of extraordinary violence and dark comedy; and The Holy Mountain (1973), funded by Lennon and Yoko Ono is a succession of wild images and episodes (many sacrilegious and brutally graphic) that have something to do with a group of initiates travelling to an island. All three films feature audio commentaries by Jodorowsky, with other DVD extras including the 1994 documentary “La Constellation: Jodorowsky,” an interview with the director, Jodorowsky's long-lost 1957 short film “La Cravate” (a mime piece about transplanted heads), original script excerpts, and a photo gallery. The set also includes the CD soundtracks for El Topo and The Holy Mountain. Whether you consider Jodorowsky a visionary or a charlatan, it's nice to see these films available through orthodox channels once again, and ABKCO and Anchor Bay deserve kudos for this sumptuous presentation. A controversial collection of films that still have the power to offend, this notable compilation is still highly recommended. [Note: El Topo and The Holy Mountain are also available separately for $24.98 each.] (F. Swietek)