Championed by everybody from John Lennon to Peter Gabriel to Marilyn Manson—and decried by “Establishment” critics ranging from Vincent Canby to Gene Siskel—El Topo remains one of the most controversial movies ever made. Director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s bizarre, blood-soaked blend of spaghetti western, druggy surrealism, Christian allegory, Zen Buddhist themes and avant-garde sensibilities gave rise to the entire “Midnight Movie” counter culture phenomenon of the early ‘70s and forever changed the way adventurous audiences viewed film. Or, for that matter, heard film; for no soundtrack, before or since, has embraced so many styles in its pursuit of spiritual and artistic goals. Atonal, Tibetan Buddhist thighbone trumpets clash with beautiful, even sentimental, chamber orchestra pieces alongside pan flute rhapsodies, brass bands and parlor jazz; that Jodorowsky himself composed the score—after, no doubt, intently studying the work of Morricone—is almost as impressive an artistic achievement as the film itself.
Now, Real Gone Music, in partnership with ABKCO Music & Records, is issuing this one-of-a-kind soundtrack album on LP and as a stand-alone compact disc for the first time since the original release produced by Allan Steckler for Apple Records back in 1971. What’s more, the four-page booklet boasting some of the film’s hallucinogenic imagery that came with the original release will be included in the gatefold LP reissue which will also include new liner notes. Mastered by Joe Yannece at Classic Sound in New York, and produced for reissue by ABKCO’s in-house Engineer Teri Landi and Mick Gochanour, with tape transfers by Landi, lacquer cutting by Carl Rowatti at TruTone Mastering and a 180-gram vinyl pressing, Real Gone/ABKCO’s release of El Topo on LP fully captures Jodorowsky’s singular sonic vision.

• The Soundtrack Album to the Legendary Cult Classic, First Released on Apple Records in 1971.