The Holy Mountain 9780231851084

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CULTOGRAPHIES

CULTOGRAPHIES is a list of individual studies devoted to the analysis of cult film. The series provides a comprehensive introduction to those films which have attained the coveted status of a cult classic, focusing on their particular appeal, the ways in which they have been conceived, constructed and received, and their place in the broader popular cultural landscape.

OTHER PUBLISHED TITLES IN THE CULTOGRAPHIES SERIES:

THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Jeffrey Weinstock

DONNIE DARKO

BAD TASTE Jim Barratt

QUADROPHENIA Stephen Glynn

Geoff King

THIS IS SPINAL TAP Ethan de Seife

SUPERSTAR: THE KAREN CARPENTER STORY

FASTER, PUSSYCAT! KILL! KILL! Dean DeFino

FRANKENSTEIN Robert Horton

Glyn Davis

THEY LIVE

BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA

D. Harlan Wilson

Ian Cooper

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

MS. 45

THE EVIL DEAD

DEEP RED

Kate Egan

Alexia Kannas

BLADE RUNNER

STRANGER THAN PARADISE

Matt Hills

Jamie Sexton

THE HOLY MOUNTAIN Alessandra Santos

WALLFLOWER PRESS LONDON & NEW YORK

A Wallflower Book Published by Columbia University Press Publishers Since 1893 New York • Chichester, West Sussex cup.columbia.edu Copyright © 2017 Columbia University Press All rights reserved A complete CIP record is available from the Library of Congress ISBN 978-0-231-18231-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-231-85108-4 (e-book)

Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper. Printed in the United States of America Series and cover design by Elsa Mathern

CONTENTS

1

Acknowledgements

vii

Introduction: ‘But is this life reality? No. It’s a film.’ The Holy Mountain and Me

1

Enlightenment for Sale: Production, Promotion, Initial Reception

17

2

The Secret of Immortality: Afterlife

39

3

Sacred Excrement: Reading The Holy Mountain

59

‘Real life awaits us!’: Placing The Holy Mountain

104

4

Notes

115

Bibliography

120

Index

129

v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Alejandro Jodorowsky for his artistic vision, and for keeping me humble. He has tweeted: ‘Scholars hoard words about words, hoping to one day have an idea’; and ‘scholars, with immense pride, live collecting and exhibiting keys to doors that do not exist’. Here it is to yet another imaginary door; just maybe my ideas are behind it. My heartfelt gratitude to Ernest Mathijs for the opportunity and constant support, to Jamie Sexton for his helpful comments, and to Yoram Allon, Commissioning Editor at Wallflower Press, for his patience and great guidance. Thanks to all the Wallflower Press team. Sincere thanks to Ralph Sarkonak for his professional support; Ross Swanson for invaluable research assistance; Hannah Hayes for proofreading help; Fuyubi Nakamura for help with Japanese sources; Andrea Chignolli for the film’s script images; and to the University of British Columbia Hampton Research Grant for funding. Last but not least, big thanks to my friends for sharing their thoughts and for the encouragement. And thanks to all The Holy Mountain’s fans in the world who keep the dream alive.

vii

INTRODUCTION :MLAKL@AKDA>=J=9DALQ7FG&ALK9>ADE& THE HOLY MOUNTAIN9F