El Topo

El Topo Theatrical Poster Country Mexico Directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky Release Date 1970 Language Spanish Studio Producciones Panicas Distributor ABKCO Films Main Cast Character Actor El Topo Alejandro Jodorowsky El Topo's Son (as a boy) Brontis Jodorowsky El Topo's Son (as an adult) Robert John Mara Mara Lorenzio The Woman in Black Paula Romo The Colonel David Silva

El Topo (Spanish for "The Mole") is a 1970 Mexican art house Western movie written, directed by and starring Alejandro Jodorowsky. "El Topo" is a black-clad violent gunfighter who travels through a desert with his young son.

The movie was internationally released under the original Spanish title.

The following weapons were used in the film El Topo:

Revolvers

Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action

El Topo (Alejandro Jodorowsky) carries a bright nickel plated Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action revolver with pearl grips. The front sight of the revolver has low profile and rectangular shape in comparison with standard rounded front sights of .44 Smith & Wessons. Such front sight can be seen on the 5th Model of .38/.32 Smith & Wesson Double Action revolvers, but the screen gun with the 6-shot cylinder is definitly an .44 model, for which such sights are uncommon. El Topo's Son (Robert John) carries a similar revolver in the final scene.

Nickel plated Smith & Wesson .44 Double Action with 6.5" barrel - .44 S&W. The screen gun has a different front sight but in general is of the same model.

El Topo fires at bandits.

One of the bandits aims a similar nickel plated revolver at Franciscan friars. Unlike El Topo's revolver, this one has a brown grip.

El Topo's revolver is seen from the muzzle. Note the low profile and rectangular shape of the front sight.

An iconic view of El Topo holding his revolver. This image can be seen on a number of film posters.

El Topo's revolver is seen in holster.

El Topo aims at the 3rd Master Gunfighter.

El Topo's revolver is lying on the 4th Master Gunfighter's lap.

El Topo crushes his revolver with a heavy stone.

El Topo's Son holds a revolver.

Another view of El Topo's Son's revolver.

Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3

The 4th Master Gunfighter (Agustín Isunza) is armed with a Smith & Wesson New Model No.3 revolver that lacks the hammer spur and the trigger guard.

Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 with 5" barrel

The Master Gunfighter digs the revolver from the sand.

Another view of the revolver.

El Topo (Alejandro Jodorowsky) examines the revolver.

Another view of the revolver in El Topo's hands.

Smith & Wesson "Wells Fargo" Schofield

The 2nd Master Gunfighter (Juan José Gurrola) is armed with a Smith & Wesson "Wells Fargo" Schofield revolver with 5" barrel.

Smith & Wesson "Wells Fargo" Schofield with 5" barrel - .45 Schofield

The revolver in the Master Gunfighter's holster.

The Master Gunfighter holds the revolver at the left.

El Topo (Alejandro Jodorowsky) takes the revolver from the Master Gunfighter's holster.

Single Action Army "Civilian" Model

Single Action Army "Civilian" Model revolvers are used by numerous characters. The Woman in Black (Paula Romo) carries a matched pair of gold-plated, engraved revolvers with staghorn grips. The gang leader known as Colonel (David Silva) and several of his men, as well as the town storekeeper (Francisco González Salazar), carry nickel plated revolvers with various grips - wooden, hard rubber, pearl. One of the Sheriff's (José Antonio Alcaraz) revolvers is a blued "Civilian" Model with wooden grips.

Colt Single Action Army w/ 4.75" barrel, referred to as "Quick-Draw" or "Civilian" model, custom engraved with ivory grips - .38 Special

The Colonel carries his revolver in holster. This is a nickel plated gun with wooden grips.

Another view of The Colonel's revolver.

The 5th bandit (Rene Barerra) carries a nickel plated revolver with hard rubber grips behind his back. The Colt logo is seen on the grip.

The Woman in Black throws one of her gold plated revolvers to unarmed El Topo.

A good view of the Woman's revolver.

Mara (Mara Lorenzio) holds the revolver, given to her by The Woman in Black.

One of the Sheriff's revolvers in hands of the Sheriff and his deputy (Felipe Diaz Garza) during the execution of a slave. The revolver is blued with wooden grips.

The storekeeper holds his revolver.

The storekeeper fires his revolver when the townspersons massacre the crippled men.

Single Action Army "Artillery" Model

Single Action Army "Artillery" Model revolvers are used by the 1st Bandit (Alfonso Arau) and the 1st Master Gunfighter (Héctor Martinez).

Colt Single Action Army Artillery Model w/ 5.5" barrel - .38-40 Winchester.

The bandit holds a nickel plated "Artillery" revolver.

He uses women's shoes as targets.

A Franciscan friar (at the left) holds a revolver, one of the guns taken from the bandits.

The 1st Master Gunfighter holds a pair of revolvers.

"The Man in Church" (José Luis Gonzales de León) carries a pair of "Artillery" (or maybe a "Civilian") nickel plated revolvers in holsters (only one of them is seen here).

Single Action Army "Cavalry" Model

Single Action Army "Cavalry" Model revolvers are used by two more bandits.

Colt Single Action Army with 7.5" barrel known as the "Cavalry" model - Nickel plated model - .45 Long Colt

The bandit in three hats carries a "Cavalry" revolver in holster. This is a nickel plated gun with black grips.

The same bandit (at the background) and the 5th bandit (Rene Barerra) (at the foreground) aim their revolvers at the Franciscan friars.

The 5th bandit holds his revolver.

Same bandit carries his revolver in holster.

The bandit in three hats holds his revolver.

The said bandit's revolver is seen in hands of El Topo's Son (Brontis Jodorowsky). (The kid's nudity on this and several following screenshot is severly blurred).

Colt Bisley

One of the Sheriff's (José Antonio Alcaraz) revolvers is a nickel plated Colt Bisley SAA. Colt Bisley revolvers are also used by the 2nd Bandit (José Luis Fernández) and two crippled persons, Armless Man (Ignacio Martínez España) and Legless Man (Eliseo Gardea Saucedo).

Nickel plated Bisley model Colt Single Action Army - .41 Long Colt

The 2nd bandit carries the revolver in holster. The black grip with Colt logo is seen.

The Legless Man aims the revolver at El Topo.

The revolver is now in holster of the Armless Man.

Mara (Mara Lorenzio) takes the revolver from the Armless Man and fires at him.

A nickel plated Colt Bisley with brown grips is seen in the Sheriff's holster.

The Sheriff holds the Colt Bisley. He also carries several Single Action Army revolvers in holsters.

Colt New Service

The town priest (Julian de Meriche) uses a Colt New Service revolver with 4" or 4.5" barrel during the church service that include "Russian roulette". The grips of the revolver are possibly stag horn, and the lanyard ring is seen.

Colt New Service with Ivory Grips - .38-40. The screen gun is similar but has stag horn grips.

A Colt New Service is seen in holster of the manager of the boxing match (uncredited).

The priest holds the revolver.

He opens the cylinder.

A good view of the revolver.

The priest's revolver in hands of "The Woman in Church" (Valerie Jodorowsky).

The priest's revolver in hands of El Topo's Son (Robert John).

He puts the gun to his head.

"The Man in Church" (José Luis Gonzales de León) holds the revolver at his head.

Lefaucheux Model 1858

The old Romany woman (Bertha Lomeli), the mother of the 2nd Master Gunfighter, owns an antique Lefaucheux Model 1858 revolver.

Lefaucheux Model 1858 - 12mm Pinfire.

The old woman aims the revolver at El Topo.

She holds her Lefaucheux revolver and El Topo's Smith & Wesson.

Another view of the old woman's revolver.

The Lefaucheux and the Smith & Wesson lie on the table.

The revolver in hands of El Topo (Alejandro Jodorowsky).

Shotguns

Sawed-Off Single Barreled Percussion Shotgun

The 3rd Master Gunfighter (Victor Fosado) is armed with a short percussion cap gun. Judging by the shape of the handle and the stock, this is not a pistol but rather a sawed-off Single Barreled Percussion Shotgun.

The Master Gunfighter holds his gun when El Topo appears in his dwelling.

The gun has the percussion cap lock. Its long handguard and the handle that is almost not curved at all allow to identify the gun as a sawed-off long gun rather than a purposedly build pistol. The hammer is located significantly ahead the trigger that can be seen on hunting shotguns but not on military percussion cap muskets.

El Topo examines the Master Gunfighter's gun...

...and hands it back.

The Master Gunfighter prepares for the duel.

He fires at El Topo.

Sawed-Off Double Barreled Shotgun

The Colonel (David Silva) carries a hammerless Sawed-Off Double Barreled Shotgun. The gun is of a relatively small gauge, possibly .410 or some similar caliber.

For reference: the Zabala short barreled shotgun used in the Man on Fire.

The Colonel holds the sawed-off shotgun in the scene in the Franciscan mission.

The Colonel beats the 5th bandit (Rene Barerra).

The Colonel confronts El Topo.

The Colonel shoots himself.

Rifles

Winchester Model 1873 Carbine

The 1st Bandit (Alfonso Arau) carries a pair of Winchester Model 1873 carbines. One of this guns falls in hands of El Topo (Alejandro Jodorowsky). What appears to be Model 1873 is also seen in the gun rack in the Sheriff's office (see below).

Winchester Model 1873 carbine - .44-40 WCF

The bandit carries a pair of Winchester 1873 carbines, tucked into his belt.

The bandit with two Winchesters and a Single Action Army revolver.

Saddle rings of both Winchesters are seen.

The bandit surrenders his guns to El Topo.

El Topo holds a Winchester.

The buttstock breaks when El Topo uses the rifle for striking.

Winchester Model 1892 Carbine

The manager of the boxing match (uncredited) and the Sheriff's (José Antonio Alcaraz) carry Winchester Model 1892 carbines in various scenes. What appears to be Model 1892 is also seen in the gun rack in the Sheriff's office (see below).

Winchester 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine - .32WCF/.38-40/.44-40/.25-20.

The manager carries a Winchester 1892 carbine tucked into his belt.

The Sheriff carries his Winchester 1892 carbine.

The barrel of the Sheriff's carbine is seen.

Sheriff's Rifles

Numerous long guns are seen in the gun rack in the Sheriff's office.
Top row: 1 - unknown, 2 and 6 - supposed to be a Winchester Model 1892 carbine, 3 - supposed to be a Winchester Model 1873 carbine, 4 and 5 - are supposed to be Marlin Model 1894, judging by the shape of the handguard.
Bottom row: a dozen of Mauser rifles, supposedly FN Mauser Mle 1924 (see below).

For reference: Modern Marlin Model 1894 - .44 Magnum

Mauser Model 1895 / Model 1902 / Model 1910 Rifle

During the massacre of the crippled men, some townspersons are armed with Mexican Mauser Model 1895, 1902 or 1910 rifles. These three models are nearly identical and based on the 1893 Spanish Mauser. Two first models were produced by DWM in Germany and Oviedo in Spain while Model 1910 is a Mexican domestic production.

For reference: 1893 Spanish Mauser - 7x57mm Mauser. Mexican full length rifles look similar.

A rifle with straight bolt handle is seen in hands of a man at the left. This must be a full length rifle as the Mexican Mauser carbines and short rifles have turned down bolt handles.

Mauser Model 1895 / Model 1903 / Model 1910 Carbine

During the massacre of the crippled men, a number of townspersons, notably the Sheriff's (José Antonio Alcaraz), are armed with Mexican Mauser Model 1895 or Model 1903, and Model 1910 Carbines. M1895 and M1903 carbines are nearly identical and based on the 1893 Spanish Mauser. The domestic produced Model 1910 Carbine can be identified by a different front sight with large protective "ears".

For reference: Mauser 1895 Carbine - 7x57mm Mauser. Mexican carbines look similar.

The Sheriff with an M1895 or M1903 carbine in hands, a Winchester Model 1892 behind his back and several revolvers in holsters.

A man at the foreground holds a carbine, maybe an M1910. The guns of the men behind him also may be carbines of the same model.

A turned down bolt handle of a carbine is seen at the right.

A man at the left aims an M1985 or M1903 carbine.

An M1910 carbine is seen in hands of the man, second from the front.

The woman at the left aims an M1910 carbine.

The sheriff reloads his carbine. A woman next to him holds a carbine or a short rifle of unclear model.

A woman aims an M1910 carbine.

El Topo (Alejandro Jodorowsky) fires at the townspersons. His carbine is supposed to be an M1895 or M1903.

El Topo throws the carbine on the platform.

Mauser Model 1936 Rifle

Mexican Mauser Model 1936 rifles are also used by the townspersons.

Mauser Mexicano Modelo 1936 - 7x57mm Mauser

A townsman holds a Mauser Model 1936 rifle.

A townsman at the foreground holds a Mauser Model 1936.

Model 1936 rifles are seen in hands of a man and a woman at the foreground. Some of the rifles at the background also may be Model 1936.

Another view of the same scene.

A man at the foreground holds a Model 1936 rifle and tries to shoot it despite the opened bolt.

Another view of the same scene. Now the bolt of the M1936 rifle is closed.

FN Mauser Model 1924 Short Rifle

About a dozen of Mauser short rifles is seen in the gun rack in the sheriff's office. These are short rifles with straight bolt handles, the sling swivels below the stock and G98 style top barrel bands. Among the rifles in service in Mexico, FN Mauser Mle 1924 seems to be the best choice. Some townspersons hold such rifles during the massacre of the crippled men.

FN Mauser Mle. 1930 short rifle - 7x57mm Mauser. The Mle. 1924 looks nearly identical.

A dozen of Mauser rifles in the gun rack.

A man at the right aims an M1924 short rifle.

Machine Guns

Mendoza M1934

The 4th bandit (Gerardo Zepeda) is armed with a Mendoza M1934 machine gun during the massacre of the villagers.

Mendoza M1934 Light Machine Gun - 7x57mm

The bandit fires at villagers.

The bandit walks along the line of the villagers with the machine gun on his shoulder, blindly firing at village men with a nickel-plated "Civilian" or "Artillery" Single Action Army revolver.