El Topo (1970): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
El Topo is a 1970 drama western starring Alejandro Jodorowsky, Alfonso Arau and Brontis Jodorowsky. It runs 2 hours 5 minutes and earned $161,882 worldwide. Critics gave it 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 65 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 5m (125 min)
- Original language
-
Spanish - Studio
- Douglas Music Films
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is El Topo About?
The premise of El Topo without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A mysterious gunslinger, draped in black, journeys through a desolate and surreal Old West. Seeking redemption, he encounters a land consumed by sin and decay, reminiscent of Sodom and Gomorrah. He faces a series of trials and violent confrontations, confronting both external enemies and his own inner turmoil as he searches for enlightenment in this lawless realm.
El Topo Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- self immolation
- murder
- church
- suicide
- real life father and son playing father and son
- acid western
- father son relationship
- boy
- desert
- lion
- rape
- surrealism
+38 more Show fewer
- dark hero
- religion
- written and directed by cast member
- bridge
- gunfighter
- cave
- horseback riding
- chapter headings
- revisionist western
- revenge
- racism
- enlightenment
- mother son relationship
- mystical quest
- directed by star
- mysticism
- violence
- gore
- blood
- monk
- social satire
- allegory
- russian roulette
- castration
- political satire
- massacre
- little person
- cult film
- female frontal nudity
- avant garde film
- female rear nudity
- independent film
- murder of a child
- shoe fetish
- flute
- catholic mission
- shooting oneself in the head
- execution
El Topo Cast
Alejandro Jodorowsky leads the cast, with Alfonso Arau and Brontis Jodorowsky.
Also Starring in El Topo
· 6 moreEl Topo Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave El Topo 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 65 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.2/10.
-
IMDb 7.2 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 80% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 84%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 65 Metascore
User score 6.5
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 71% User score
See on TMDB
El Topo Plot Summary
What happens in El Topo from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
El Topo, a figure shrouded in mystery, journeys through a vast desert while evoking poignant emotions as he rides alongside his young son, Hijo, who is barely dressed apart from a hat and a pair of moccasins. Their trek brings them to a lone pole where El Topo presents Hijo with a teddy bear and a hand mirror that holds a picture of his mother. In a moment of profound meaning, El Topo explains to Hijo that he has now reached the age of seven and is thus a man, urging him to bury his cherished toys—his mother’s portrait and the teddy bear—beneath the sands. As Hijo buries his first cherished belongings, El Topo enchants the atmosphere with his flute melodies.
Full summary
The whole story of El Topo, scene by scene
El Topo Box Office
El Topo grossed $161,882 worldwide. $80,302 came from the US and Canada and $80,166 (50%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$161.9K
- US & Canada
- $80.3K
- International
- $80.2K
El Topo Trailers & Videos
The trailer of El Topo.
How Well Do You Know El Topo?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What does El Topo give his son Hijo to symbolize the transition to manhood?
El Topo Also Known As
13 alternative titles, including “鼴鼠” and “엘 토포”.
- Also known as
-
- 鼴鼠
- 엘 토포
- The Mole
- Kret
- 鼹鼠
- אל טופו
- Крот
- A vakond
- Köstebek
- エル・トポ
- 鼬鼠
- Кріт
+1 more Show fewer
- Krtek
Seen El Topo?
Movies Like El Topo
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Top Gun, Goitia: A God for Himself and Desperado.
El Topo FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of El Topo, each answered in a sentence.
How long is El Topo?
El Topo runs 2 hours 5 minutes (125 minutes).
When was El Topo released?
El Topo was released on December 18, 1970.
Who is in the cast of El Topo?
El Topo stars Alejandro Jodorowsky, Alfonso Arau and Brontis Jodorowsky, among 10 credited actors.
How much did El Topo make at the box office?
El Topo grossed $161,882 worldwide ($80,302 domestic, $80,166 international).
How is El Topo rated?
El Topo has 7.2/10 on IMDb, 80% on Rotten Tomatoes, 65 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.
Does El Topo have a post-credit scene?
No. El Topo has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is El Topo in?
The original language of El Topo is Spanish.
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