Spoiler: note the Synopsis here is written by 1 of the producers, exaggerating the value and effects of what is seen in the movie on screen. Notice fancy words like "titan" + "foremost" + "liberated himself from all of his former limitations" , etc. A Not quite accurate promotional blurb here.
This is a way too long repetitive (while being visually creative) movie with more symbols than any religious books, including bibles. This poetic legacy-insuring movie about the writer/director,Jodorowsky, looks like a homage, honoring of himself - and insuring his poetry is heard, if not read elsewhere. A man attempting to insure his words and images are never lost, if preserved on a (2 hrs+ more min) self-story, as rebel.
Notice not only is Jodorowsky shown on screen as himself, but apparently others with his name are actors showing him at younger ages. How self-glorifying is this casting ? Is this a paean to the man who long ago created "El Topo" and now is wanting to insure he is never ever forgotten, not now nor later? the usual theme: son who has a strict father rebels and escapes, only to go to other extreme in all physical, emotional, psychological realms, to show his father he was not "that way" – as father was, or as father feared a "maricon !" (a homosexual – the usual fear & accusation to males who did not conform to social strictures of that era
never forgetting it is not 2017 but 1940's in Chile, as it was then).
Now Jodorowsky, at his older age,appears in film with white hair, with desperate words trying to impart his wisdom (nothing unusual, nothing not read in Buddhist, zen, Taoist, and other philosophical religions too).
While more interesting at beginning of movie, as plot develops and viewers have not been bombed and splattered with repetitive not-ashamed-scenes of extremes: in sex, in females, in nude bodies, in unusual bodies (not as 'normal'-usual ones), the exhaustion sets in after the first hour. While the colorful, obvious symbols of social-rebellion are shown, and more are depicted, and more are displayed and more
. the " way too much" effect sets in, anyhow.
Any male who wants to claim superiority to their parent, especially to the Father figure of authority, who is not explored as a character there, but just depicted as a terrible ,cruel father will agree that sons are deprived of their "rights" as children should have, get, demand.
And as so much is also repeated at end of movie with the 'poor me – I was not treated as I should be" lament (as is so popular and believed by many adult-children and adult-males too) many will say "this movie is also my story" and bleed for their own imperfect parents and deprived-of-hugs childhood. Hooey !
Had this film been the more tolerable length or made into 2 segments with an intermission in between, perhaps, maybe, the repetitive effect would have dissipated and the author's poetic words (obviously intending to be 'of deep meaning' & wisdom') to teach us, the viewers & audience, what we must never have heard elsewhere nor know ourselves. How demeaning to be treated as if the artistic author knew & learned so much More than 'the rest of us, peons'.
Spoiler: The film was spoken in Spanish with quick-disappearing English subtitles. The action and images moved quickly so to absorb the dialogue and view the film was a bit tricky. Listening in Spanish and confirming inaudible part with subtitles allowed this reviewer better understanding of what was portrayed than just the reading in English before the next scene explodes on screen.
It is worth seeing for the visuals, the interesting symbols, costumes, even extreme-rebellious scenes of bodies not commonly viewed in usual films.
Or see as much as is enjoyable,as much teaching as viewer needs and walk out before the over-long + over-stretched +over-ego-applause -to-author-The-Originator sets in, because then, the viewers of this film walked out looking for light, ....for air, for the bathroom, quickly !
More info found : re: Peggy Cordero in Wikipedia Spanish says:in July 2015 when she acted as the mother of main protagonist in his youth ....." but "cast" list on IMDb does NOT list her at all anywhere to be found there....except a found 'trivia' comment.
see Wikipedia in Spanish for Peggy Cordero- it includes: Peggy Cordero died on July 9,2017 of heart attack. B.1935-d.2017 She was a social activist during Chile's coup & dictatorship and before then, she was also a recognized actor since 1962. (see: images for this name)
Q: why is hero's "father" or "mother" not listed as characters nor are actors named/ found on IMDb movie site ? see: "contribute.IMDb.com/updates"
