Taxi Driver vs. El Topo

[!diom]

I can't decide for myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Topo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_Driver

Both films seem to have a symbolic similarity, but I can't really give words to it.. It's quite an abstract comparison, perhaps someone can help.

[kuranes]

I've seen both, at least twice. You must know it's comparing apples and oranges though. Still, one may prefer apples to oranges.

El Topo really grabbed me the first time I saw it. I tried to get a copy of it on video later, and finally scrounged one up on Ebay, which turned out to be of poor quality, but viewable. Maybe it was that, or maybe I had just grown out of my late 70's appreciation for such things, but it seemed to have many slow moments, which I was bored or otherwise displeased with, on that later viewing in the 90's. Nor was I seeing it while heavily buzzed, as I may have been the first time. I tracked down another film of Jodorowsky's, too, about a preacher with no arms, or something like that, which was "more accessible" as they say, but still not a big favorite. It would be interesting if I could use footage from these as material for a collage of my own, but this is not possible, except as a private project that would get limited viewing. Interesting that Jodorowsky, Dali and Giger were originally going to do "Dune" before David Lynch was ultimately given the green light. I think there's one more film yet, "The Magic Mountain", that I haven't seen, or maybe ( worse ) that I saw and confused with El Topo in my recollection.

"Taxi Driver" is a visceral and more linear movie I can share with friends and provoke a discussion. I can think of few people that I know ( unfortunately ) who would enjoy El Topo for long.

[!diom]

Perhaps I should have thrown in A Clockwork Orange.