Psychedelic film 'The Holy Mountain' leads 'far-out' Ragtag Cinema series
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Can excrement be turned to gold?
In a famous scene from 1973's "The Holy Mountain," a character called The Alchemist declares it possible, then proves it to another character, The Thief.
From the strange, inventive mind of filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, "The Holy Mountain" ranks among "the most enigmatic midnight movies of all time," Ragtag Cinema notes on its website.
What better title to anchor the Columbia moviehouse's new psychedelic series, High Frequencies? The film will screen Thursday as part of the series. Ragtag's description hints at a response to recent changes in laws around marijuana in Missouri — or perhaps just a cinematic good time.
"Enter a state of higher consciousness with visual-forward and far out films that pair well with legal, recreational substances — featuring vibey sci-fi, adult animation, and experimental experiences," Ragtag's site explains.
What is Jodorowsky's iconic film actually about? And does he, in fact, make cinematic gold out of you know what? Allow The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw to help:
"Jodorowsky himself plays a mysterious alchemist who purports to hold the secret of turning base metals into gold and achieving immortality. He receives nine supplicants, each associated with a different planet, and leads them all on a bizarre pilgrimage to enlightenment, up the fabled holy mountain."
But, really, to read up on Jodorowsky's vision is to know "The Holy Mountain" is truly about the experience. The film draws from a cinematic alchemist's interest in painting, literature and various spiritual rites. The director and his wife reportedly took direction from a Zen master, foregoing sleep for a week before filming started. And his cast supposedly engaged practices from Zen, Kabbalah and Sufi Muslim traditions.
Employing little dialogue, the film makes its reputation on visual style and surreal detail.
"Witty, disgusting, eye-popping, and incomprehensible, The Holy Mountain is every bit as pop-philosophical as Jodorowsky's earlier work, but it also contains original visual ideas nearly every 30 seconds, from frogs in armor to crucifixes made out of painted bread," Noel Murray wrote for The A.V. Club.
Stalwart True/False Film Fest audiences will come to the film with a sense of Jodorowsky's methods and madness. 2014 festival doc "Jodorowsky's Dune" tells the story of the filmmaker's aborted, remarkably ambitious attempt to adapt the classic sci-fi novel before anyone else made it work.
"The Holy Mountain" is rated R and Ragtag warns of depictions of sexual assault, extreme violence and the chance of photosensitive epilepsy seizures.
For more information on Thursday's screening, visit https://ragtagcinema.org/film/the-holy-mountain-on-35mm/.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Psychedelic film 'The Holy Mountain' leads 'far-out' Ragtag Cinema series
