The Holy Grail of esoteric experimental cinema, Alejandro Jodorowsky's The Holy Mountain is without a doubt one of the most visually impressive movies ever made, loaded with occult symbolism and crafted to perfection. It's also a film which very nearly never made it to a wider audience - we can be thankful that it did, since few other films are so deserving of their cult following. The Holy Mountain is undoubtedly one of the most rich and symbolic works of cinema ever produced. With each character seen to represent archetypal figures found in astrology and Tarot, the journey on which they embark represents nothing less than the total alchemical transformation of the spirit in which the vice and folly of humanity is playfully - and satirically - explored before the final ascend up the titular peak. Jodorowsky concludes by breaking the fourth wall, culminating in the final shot as the camera pulls back revealing the crew, as the alchemist declares "real life awaits us!" - it is a work of genius in every respect with a legendary production history to match. Keen to deliver an authentic hallucinatory feel, Jodorowsky made the cast take magic mushrooms to bring to life the death and rebirth sequences. Fellow tripper John Lennon originally put up much of the cash for the production, but The Holy Mountain transcends its 70s psychedelia origins and is something of a timeless masterpiece, a cinematic tour de force which should be essential viewing for any hardcore film buff. Which films have you seen that truly challenge the audience? Agree or disagree with the choices on this list? Why not post a comment below?
