Review of The Holy Mountain (1973) by Lester Y — 20 Aug 2009

Like the El Topo remaster, they did a wonderful job restoring the movie. For most of it I was wondering out loud what the hell is going on (immortality and spirituality seem to be the main themes), and it delves into a lot of spiritual mumbo jumbo I don't have even the most basic knowledge of, so I kind of just went along with it.

On a purely visual standpoint, this is one of the most incredible films I've ever seen. It's an endless stream of shocking, striking, gorgeous imagery and symbolism, and it's incredibly ambitious and elaborate when it comes to setpieces, special effects, cinematography, color, makeup, costume design and so on. Just an absolute technical feat. You get bombarded to the point where I don't remember over half of what I've seen, and it demands repeat viewings. See it?