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The Vision and the Voice: The Cinema of the Occult

By: solar anus

“Magick is the Science of understanding oneself and one’s conditions. It is the Art of applying that understanding in action.”
Aleister Crowley (Magick in Theory and Practice)

Not long since its inception the cinematic picture has depicted various mystical traditions from the Ancient world as well as from industrialized Western modernity. I will attempt to represent every system and Mystery Tradition that has been adapted into film. From the Greek, Roman, Vedic, Sumerian, Egyptian, and Norse mythologies to Jewish mysticism. From early Christian Gnosticism to Western Hermeticism. From Voudon to Voudo, and Santeria! I desire to construct a space where Witches, Enochian Angels, and Demi-urges co-exist! Where Immaculate conceptions and Scarlet Women are as complimentary as demonic possessions are to Holy Guardian Angels. A reality where fact, fiction, satire, and ceremonial magic meet!


Lucifer Rising is at the top spot due to obvious reasons, namely the fact that it very well may be the best cinematic ritual ever constructed.

The list is separated into different categories for the purpose or organization, they are as follows:

Experimental/Ritual Cinema:
Lucifer Rising (1972)
Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome (1954)
Scorpio Rising (1964)
Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969)
Eaux d’artifice (1953)
Puce Moment (1949)
Rabbit’s Moon (1950)
The Man We Want to Hang (2002)
Brush of Baphomet (2009)
Prelude: Dog Star Man(1962)
Dog Star Man: Part I (1962)
Dog Star Man: Part II (1963)
Dog Star Man: Part III (1964)
Dog Star Man: Part IV (1964)
Invasion of Thunderbolt Pagoda (1968)
The Angelic Conversation (1985)
Jubilee (1978)
Art of Mirrors (1973)
In the Shadow of the Sun (1980)
T.G.: Psychic Rally in Heaven (1981)
The Holy Mountain (1973)
El Topo (1970)
Fando and Lis (1968)
Santa Sangre (1989)
Begotten (1990)

Not on the MUBI database
The Magus (Guy Green 1968)
Das Aktionstheatre des Hermann Nitsch Zwischen Herkunft und Zukunft /The Action art of Hermann Nitsch From Past to Present (2006)
Chemical Wedding (Julian Doyle 2008)
Loch Ness Magick (Brian Butler 2008)
Night of Pan ( Brian Butler 2009)

Marjorie Cameron, Samson De Brier, and Aleister Crowley in Kenneth Anger’s Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome

[THIS LIST IS PERPETUALLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
 

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angraheroismo

27Feb13

Why no Bergman? Hour of the Wolf and Seventh Seal? Sjostrom's The Phantom Carriage?

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botibol

14Jan13

I suggest God Damn Religion by SirRichard Bishop. It's a fun erxercise of psychedlic horror montage. "“For centuries, man has used organized religion to control the hearts and minds (not to mention the pocketbooks) of the ignorant masses. Well, Richard Bishop has decided he would like a piece of the action. This film is a diabolical experiment in hypnotic mind control—a phantasmagoric presentation of demonic and divine imagery, meticulously assembled and designed to put the viewer into an altered state of darkened awareness. Includes original music from Elektronika Demonika, as well as unreleased material. If you ever wanted to go to hell and back, this film will get you halfway there. Some viewers may find the imagery used in this film to be disturbing, but that’s the idea. Contains some strong sexual content (as all true religion should). Not for the weak-minded, faint of heart, or those suffering from occasional seizures.” What a great list this is, by the way :).

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Gilles de Rais

12Feb12

The Devil's Rain (1975) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsbpN9wXf6k ... Anton LaVey is credited as the movie's technical advisor.

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solar anus

28Dec11

Haxan has been up since the inception of this list. Number 29.

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