Jesus Christ and the Holy Mountain Heist!

Ok, it’s not really a heist movie. But there is a thief, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Jesus, and he is part of a team Jodorowsky — playing the Alchemist, but really...himself  — assembles in order to seize the secrets of immortality from the mystics atop the titular mountain.

As with his other films, Jodorowsky has a lot of things to say and a lot of diversions of thought to make. Nevertheless, I was always engaged, always fascinated. There are satirical/absurdist vignettes showing how this Tarot deck of villains and opportunists came to the Alchemist. The wardrobe, sets and landscapes are stunning.

Good thing the Beatles helped fund it, because this is the sort of film one doesn’t make to turn a profit, no matter how much of a runaway midnight-circuit success EL TOPO turned out to be. It’s great that it exists, tho. I’ve climbed this film just once, and it’s gonna take more trips to discover what’s up this mountain.