Abbey Of Thelema Movie Review
I have held off on posting my personal opinions of this movie because I will probably upset many of my friends and let me say that this is not my intention, I am posting my personal feelings and they are no reflection on how I feel about anyone else who may see Crowley in a "Jesus" or "hero" position.
If you are wanting to see a movie that embraces Crowley as the Mountain Climber, Crowley as the Masonic Master and Ritual Magician, Crowley as the Buddhist, Crowley as the Homosexual or Tantric Master or Crowley as the Literary Genius that he was then this is not the movie for you. You will be disappointed. Abbey of Thelema is a movie INSPIRED by true events leading to his expelling out of Sicily by the Dictator Mussolini. It is about a short period of his life and the people in his life during the turn of the century at a very Victorian age in America and Europe. It is a movie made from the point of view of a man who is not affiliated with any orders that place Crowley on a pedestal. Vincent Jennings came from a fundamentalist Christian's point of view and was exploring information on cult de-programming and came to know of Aleister Crowley. He became intrigued with the man as an enigmatic character that he was that was able to manipulate and win the affections of thousands of followers. Crowley was a conn-artist in my opinion and he used people to his advantage and was no better than the Evangelical preacher who speaks from the pulpit about the loving Holy Spirit of God that compels the innocent to hand over their money to support his cause. This does not mean that I do not see him as a prophet of the New Aeon and it does not mean that I do not see him as a brother of the Great White light. But Crowley was human and he had flaws and imperfections. He may have ascended and he may have been a drug abuser and he may have been apart of many orders and helped found alternative religions and modern masonry. This movie shows one man's point of view on his personal perception of what may have went on in The Abbey of Thelema in Sicily and led to Crowley's deportation.
I have waited years to see someone make a movie about Crowley, that takes on Crowley. This is a hard task to accomplish. There will be critics who may have wanted to see the movie done in a documentary style as a biography of Crowley as a spiritual leader. But Vince chose to do a movie on his perception of what he thought might have happened and in a comical style that Crowley himself could approve of. Vince has accomplished something that many of us only talk or dream about. He had never made a movie and decided that he wanted to make a movie about Crowley and his life at the Abbey, and he accomplished that task and had enough gumption and sheer will to see that through despite many personal things going on his life. He used local actors and filmed locally in St. Louis and he made the film in 9 days. This is astonishing work even for the veteran producer. I like his representation of Crowley at that time in his life. Vince has not been brain-washed to see Crowley as a "messiah" or personal savior to be glorified or as a guru nor does he fall prey to the idolizing or hero worship that many Crowley enthusiasts have been guilty of. He has Ron Jeremy playing the role of a Catholic Priest, Who would have Crowley chosen to play a priest? I found many hidden or occult undertones and gestures in place through out the film for the serious student if only they would open their eyes to see them. Every time I watch the movie I see something new that I did not see before.
If the movie bothered you and you thought that they portrayed Crowley as a Drug crazed, womanizing Lunatic, then perhaps you have been conditioned to see Crowley as beyond human and have closed your eyes to some of the truths. Perhaps if you have a problem with this movie because of the way he is portrayed then perhaps you should look to yourself and maybe re-evaluate why you put him on a pedestal. Him being a genius and brilliant man and student of philosophy and magick does not take away from the fact that he hurt and used many people to succeed and used his status to gain things that he desired as well as living in the law and practice of Thelema, which is doing your own will but at the extent of other's will. (Through out the movie, He consorted his I-ching often and would not make a move unless he felt right about it, just as he did in real life). He was remarkable and a visionary and I appreciate him for all that he has done for modern society. I think he was a key figure in bringing us out of the Victorian Age and I respect his work and his studies and effort that he put into modern magick and philosophy. Crowley did not want to be worshiped as a Guru. He believed that all people were separate individual stars, infinitely powerful and universally unique. I am a follower of the philosophy of Thelema. Crowley helped spread this message, but it has been practiced by others long before Crowley coined the Greek phrase of Thelema (which means Will). Crowley in the Gnostic perception, just as everyone else is, was a God in his own right and he was a master magician and an adept, but I shall serve no god beyond the God that resides in me. I may look or turn to another for guidance, but I will not follow in anyone else's footsteps. I shall be a master of my own temple. I believe that Crowley tried to be the Master and lord of his Temple (body/mind/soul).This is why I can take an open-minded look or opinion of this movie without letting my personal opinions of Crowley cloud my view or insight. I have witnessed many people go to view the movie with a preconceived idea of what the movie is going to be based on and already have their minds made up whether they are going to like the movie before even watching it. I feel like just like any other Set Reality tunnel, The setting was staged and the blinders were on before having really observing the variables. It is part of the conditioning whether from a social or psychological standpoint. A person's perception will lead the person to see what they want to see and ignore what they do not want to see and even I am guilty of this because I am friends with the Producer, but I am trying to remain un-biased.
I even witnessed a few people walk out of the movie. Most either really like it or really hate it. Personally, I liked the movie and I plan on working with Vince and Elaine on any other projects that they may want my help on and I will back them 100% because they are real magicians. They had a vision and were inspired and created a labor of love and saw it through. I don't want to give away the movie plot or details of the movie but I wanted to say that I enjoyed it very much and the musickal accompaniment provided by the Thelemic band Illuminaughty and The Devil.
I like the Way that Vince Portrayed Crowley and I think that he did a great job showing the humanity and flaws of Crowley and the perception of the people during this repressed era. If it would not have been for him, we would not be where we are today. I can acknowledge that. I also think that this movie will open the door way to many other films about Crowley. I suggest that if you want to see a movie about Crowley as a Buddhist, or spiritual Holy Man, or Mountain climber, or about his philosophies or travels or ceremonial and ritual adeptship, that you get the money together and write a script and pursue making your own dream and vision of a movie about Crowley that you would enjoy seeing.
If you are wanting to see a movie that embraces Crowley as the Mountain Climber, Crowley as the Masonic Master and Ritual Magician, Crowley as the Buddhist, Crowley as the Homosexual or Tantric Master or Crowley as the Literary Genius that he was then this is not the movie for you. You will be disappointed. Abbey of Thelema is a movie INSPIRED by true events leading to his expelling out of Sicily by the Dictator Mussolini. It is about a short period of his life and the people in his life during the turn of the century at a very Victorian age in America and Europe. It is a movie made from the point of view of a man who is not affiliated with any orders that place Crowley on a pedestal. Vincent Jennings came from a fundamentalist Christian's point of view and was exploring information on cult de-programming and came to know of Aleister Crowley. He became intrigued with the man as an enigmatic character that he was that was able to manipulate and win the affections of thousands of followers. Crowley was a conn-artist in my opinion and he used people to his advantage and was no better than the Evangelical preacher who speaks from the pulpit about the loving Holy Spirit of God that compels the innocent to hand over their money to support his cause. This does not mean that I do not see him as a prophet of the New Aeon and it does not mean that I do not see him as a brother of the Great White light. But Crowley was human and he had flaws and imperfections. He may have ascended and he may have been a drug abuser and he may have been apart of many orders and helped found alternative religions and modern masonry. This movie shows one man's point of view on his personal perception of what may have went on in The Abbey of Thelema in Sicily and led to Crowley's deportation.
I have waited years to see someone make a movie about Crowley, that takes on Crowley. This is a hard task to accomplish. There will be critics who may have wanted to see the movie done in a documentary style as a biography of Crowley as a spiritual leader. But Vince chose to do a movie on his perception of what he thought might have happened and in a comical style that Crowley himself could approve of. Vince has accomplished something that many of us only talk or dream about. He had never made a movie and decided that he wanted to make a movie about Crowley and his life at the Abbey, and he accomplished that task and had enough gumption and sheer will to see that through despite many personal things going on his life. He used local actors and filmed locally in St. Louis and he made the film in 9 days. This is astonishing work even for the veteran producer. I like his representation of Crowley at that time in his life. Vince has not been brain-washed to see Crowley as a "messiah" or personal savior to be glorified or as a guru nor does he fall prey to the idolizing or hero worship that many Crowley enthusiasts have been guilty of. He has Ron Jeremy playing the role of a Catholic Priest, Who would have Crowley chosen to play a priest? I found many hidden or occult undertones and gestures in place through out the film for the serious student if only they would open their eyes to see them. Every time I watch the movie I see something new that I did not see before.
If the movie bothered you and you thought that they portrayed Crowley as a Drug crazed, womanizing Lunatic, then perhaps you have been conditioned to see Crowley as beyond human and have closed your eyes to some of the truths. Perhaps if you have a problem with this movie because of the way he is portrayed then perhaps you should look to yourself and maybe re-evaluate why you put him on a pedestal. Him being a genius and brilliant man and student of philosophy and magick does not take away from the fact that he hurt and used many people to succeed and used his status to gain things that he desired as well as living in the law and practice of Thelema, which is doing your own will but at the extent of other's will. (Through out the movie, He consorted his I-ching often and would not make a move unless he felt right about it, just as he did in real life). He was remarkable and a visionary and I appreciate him for all that he has done for modern society. I think he was a key figure in bringing us out of the Victorian Age and I respect his work and his studies and effort that he put into modern magick and philosophy. Crowley did not want to be worshiped as a Guru. He believed that all people were separate individual stars, infinitely powerful and universally unique. I am a follower of the philosophy of Thelema. Crowley helped spread this message, but it has been practiced by others long before Crowley coined the Greek phrase of Thelema (which means Will). Crowley in the Gnostic perception, just as everyone else is, was a God in his own right and he was a master magician and an adept, but I shall serve no god beyond the God that resides in me. I may look or turn to another for guidance, but I will not follow in anyone else's footsteps. I shall be a master of my own temple. I believe that Crowley tried to be the Master and lord of his Temple (body/mind/soul).This is why I can take an open-minded look or opinion of this movie without letting my personal opinions of Crowley cloud my view or insight. I have witnessed many people go to view the movie with a preconceived idea of what the movie is going to be based on and already have their minds made up whether they are going to like the movie before even watching it. I feel like just like any other Set Reality tunnel, The setting was staged and the blinders were on before having really observing the variables. It is part of the conditioning whether from a social or psychological standpoint. A person's perception will lead the person to see what they want to see and ignore what they do not want to see and even I am guilty of this because I am friends with the Producer, but I am trying to remain un-biased.
I even witnessed a few people walk out of the movie. Most either really like it or really hate it. Personally, I liked the movie and I plan on working with Vince and Elaine on any other projects that they may want my help on and I will back them 100% because they are real magicians. They had a vision and were inspired and created a labor of love and saw it through. I don't want to give away the movie plot or details of the movie but I wanted to say that I enjoyed it very much and the musickal accompaniment provided by the Thelemic band Illuminaughty and The Devil.
I like the Way that Vince Portrayed Crowley and I think that he did a great job showing the humanity and flaws of Crowley and the perception of the people during this repressed era. If it would not have been for him, we would not be where we are today. I can acknowledge that. I also think that this movie will open the door way to many other films about Crowley. I suggest that if you want to see a movie about Crowley as a Buddhist, or spiritual Holy Man, or Mountain climber, or about his philosophies or travels or ceremonial and ritual adeptship, that you get the money together and write a script and pursue making your own dream and vision of a movie about Crowley that you would enjoy seeing.