El Topo

If you are a fan of underground films, then this movie is no surprise to you. It mixes Spaguetti Western, Eastern philosophy and Tod Browning’s Freaks to tell a story that is yet to be equalled. It’s almost impossible to believe this film came from Mexico, who’s only definition of exploitation cinema were black and white Universal-style adaptations of their local horror legends (Maldicion de la Llorona) and masked wrestler films. It deals with a cowboy who rescues a woman from a gang of bandidos (which in turn was vengeance from what I believe was the killer of his family). Abandoning his son and going away with the woman, he goes on a series of shoot-outs with those who are considered the best gunfighters. After a change of heart with the last one, and the woman leaving him for another woman (yum), he has some sort of LSD breakdown (I dunno, the movie’s a trip) and wakes up years later in a colony of deformed freaks who see him as some sort of savior. In the way to the end he meets love in a little midget girl, gets reacquainted with his son, and takes vengeance on a town. In the end, he sets himself on fire like a Chinese monk. By then you’ll have a sight of relief and will feel like you’ve just come of the weirdest acid trip of your life. 5 out of 5 midget tits.