Jodorowsky's El Topo...A multiple choice quiz
Surrealist
218 Posts
I came up with this quiz for my friends who have seen Alejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo...I'm just reposting it here for the Soul Strut fam...enjoy...1. The opening scene in the desert looks like a surrealist painting rendered by the cinematographer in the style of which painter? A) Giorgio DeChirico B) Man Ray C) Salvador Dali D) Rene Magritte 2. In the third act of the movie, the protagonist makes love to and marries a A) hermaphrodite B) hippie from California C) Black woman from Brazil D) midget3. In the second act does the color of the water in the pond change? If you answered yes, proceed. If you answered no, move to the next question. What color does the water turn into? A) Purple B) Red C) Blue D) Green4) How does the second act end? A) When night falls B) When the protagonist kisses his lady goodbye C) When he is shot D) When he wakes up during the epiphany phase of self discovery with brightly colored hair5) Which rock icon praised El Topo as a masterpiece and later financed Jodorowsky's "Holy Mountain"? A) Mick Jagger B) David Bowie C) Arthur Lee D) Robert Plant E) John Lennon6) The man who was assaulted by a group of elderly sex-starved women was A) a magician from Las Vegas B) A Black man of unknown origin C) A Peruvian watch salesman D) The same man who shot at the protagonist in the second act7) What were the two women doing in the water? A) Swimming B) Fishing C) Washing their clothes D) Taking drugs and kissing8) In the third act, what happens the last time the gun is fired in the church? A) Nothing B) It backfires C) The whole church blows up D) A bullet strikes a baby in the face9) El Topo can be classified as A) A surrealist western B) A psychedelic masterpiece C) An allegorical tale D) A desert road movie E) All of the Above F) None of the above G) A, B and C10) Alejandro Jodorowsky was scheduled to work with Pink Floyd, Salvador Dali, Moebius, HR Giger and Orson Welles on which failed project (amazing list isn't it???) A) A huge answer to Woodstock in Mexico B) Dune C) A film adaptation of Brave New World D) A film starring all past and present members of Pink Floyd
Comments
- spidey
1)Chirico
2)Midget
3)yes, red
4)C, shot
5)not sure but id be interested to know
6)D?
7)D?
8)A
9)G?
10)B?
#6 is B (Guessing here.)
For a couple of years, whenever I got involved with a new girl, I watched one of these two movies with her. If she didn't like it, I knew I was wasting my time.
I'll never forget when I first saw El Topo as a teenager, mind blowing. Holy Mountain though kinda annoyed me after the first half hour. I was very excited about seeing it and then it turned out being some sort of hippie commedy. It's been some 15 years though and I might want to give it another try.
Santa Sangre is the most self revealing/autobiographical.
Holy mountain is definitely the young naive hippie rebellion stage of Jodorowskys career. Though it is clearly the most visually psychedelic.
El Topo has the layers, and psuedoscience that Jodorowsky still teaches.
Fando y Lis is probably the most heartbreaking. That shows cruelty and love go hand in hand.
- spidey
I would say De Chirico because his paintings to me are more about the desert and shadows, and travel, which of my vague memory of watching the film the scene evoked, I also remember there being some simple white buildings which are prevalent in many of his works, I also remember a random, more classical sculpture appearing in the movie, as oppose to the more abstract surreal constructions in the other aforementioned painters. The geometric creations of one of th masters might remind me of some of Dali's work, but you said opening scene. Tanguy probably not, although the sand in his paintings seem similar to some of the scenes, his figures kind of steal the show, and his marble colors aren't really present in the movie. Dali, too dark, magritte wasnt really known for his deserts, man ray would be my second guess but I think more of photography with him, not so much painting.
Was De Chirico correct in his influence or is this just what I think? Judging by your name you probably know more about this than me.
I own a copy of the soundtrack and its definitely one of my favorite records!
If I saw someone moving like that at a club I either call an ambulance and let them know someone's having a seizure or get da f*ck outta there...
I know right? That dude should leanr how to nod his head and hold a Coors light, because dancing for/with cute girls is totally unthug.
I liked the soundtrack for Holy Mountain better than the film. it seemed pretty indulgent, although knowing that then ending was supposed to be a live birth makes it difficult to hate.
I think he's only part Chilean... I'm not sure wher I read this. Maybe some old early 90s issue of Forced Exposure magazine that had a big Jodorowsky story with interview but I think he's also part polish and has spent a lot of time in Spain. I heard he was kinda expelled for having offended the rest of the surrealist movement by being way too offensivly anti-catholic. I saw pictures of a street performace, I don't know which city in Spain where he had dudes with long hair bound to crosses and a big sign set up that read : "Christs For Sale".
Fando Y Lis was a co-productzion with Arrabal, right?
Do you guys know Arrabal's "Viva La Muerte"?
No apologies necessary, just syaing, let the dude have his shine and kick it with that cute girl. Why hat when Spring is so close?
"Yes. I don't know what nationality I have! I was born in Chile but when I
think about myself, I don't have a nationality.
IS IT GOOD TO NOT HAVE A NATIONALITY?- A. Jodorowsky"
He's spent time in spain, mexico, south america, and currently france. I don't remember reading about him being expelled, but reading his interviews is most of the time like reading palindromes.
Fando y lis was based on the play by Fernando arrabal, but from what I understand Arrabal hated the jodorowsky movie. I haven't had a chance to see any of the Arrabal films yet, but I'm sure I'll end up getting them from Karagarga.
- spidey