‘El Topo’: Beyond the Western, in Jodorowsky’s Visionary Labyrinth
In the cinematic landscape of the 20th century, few works have gone as far as "El Topo" in blending deep symbolism, allegorical narration, and raw visual representation. This visionary Western by Alejandro Jodorowsky, which originated the "Midnight Movies" genre, remains an unparalleled cinematic experience that continues to baffle, provoke, and fascinate audiences more than fifty years after its initial release.From the moment the film unfolds on the figure of El Topo riding through the desert beside his naked son, it becomes instantly clear that this is not a traditional Western. The entire movie is rife with symbolic images, many of…