Review of The Holy Mountain (1973) by Erich S — 24 Oct 2011

There is one good thing about this film: once you've seen it, pretty much nothing seems strange anymore.

This large and overly drawn-out allegory for nothing constructed of symbolism and color does no more than illustrate the reason that acid trips should not be the primary source material for a film.

Not only does it not do the acid trip motif well (a la 'Yellow Submarine'), it simply drags the viewer through a pointless maze of symbols, not connected by even the finest thread of plot, and ending in no payout whatsoever.

The 'anti-religious' and 'occult' references might have rang with more vigor in the 70's, but in the world of today, it comes off as tired and lacking in any real message or even shock-value.

Bottom line, if you're looking for a cheap and easy way to simulate drug experiences and have 114 minutes to waste, go for it. If you're looking for a way to re-adjust your sense of what's weird, go for it. If you think that *SPOILER ALERT* frogs blowing up, a man eating the cake face of his effigy, a fat woman on a high toilet, a smoking quadriplegic, and a giant mechanical 'vagina' really speaks to you on a deeper level, go for it.

If the reasons above aren't enough to compel you to watch this movie, give it a pass. Or at least get a group of friends and some alcohol together and get ready to laugh at 2 hours of absolute overindulgent, esoteric absurdity.