Occult Film Review and Analysis - A Dark Song
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.พ. 2025
- A review and analysis of the 2016 film A Dark Song. I'll be discussing the esoteric and occult aspects of the film including the Abramelin operation, Aleister Crowley's infamous invocation at Boleskine, and some thoughts on how the film deals with the Faustian trope in a novel manner.
A whole video on the Abramelin operation will appear in the future as part of Esoterica's series on books of magic - stay tuned!
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Recommended Readings:
A Dark Song trailer and rent - • A Dark Song - Official...
Dehn, Guth, Duquette - The Book of Abramelin: A New Translation - 978-0892542147 - The best edition of the text (sadly, no critical edition of the text exists to date)
Mathers - The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage - 978-0486232119 - Classic but defective
Sadly, it appears that Crowley's Confessions are out of print and very exspensive but I am sure they can be found online
The Boleskine House Foundation - www.boleskineh... - contact them to help restore this important piece of Scottish and Esoteric history!
#occult #abramelin #crowley
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I read that those mistakes like chinese caracters and etc were added on purpose by the filmaker to nullify it cause he was actually afraid the ritual would be too powerful too even portray in a film.
I thought this was the most accurate depiction of hardcore ceremonial magic I've seen on screen. Grueling, dangerous, complex, horribly demanding. Not evil but reflecting the motivations of the practitioner and dependent on will. The film is both frightening and numinous and the angel is perhaps the best Ive ever seen.
That is some killer English
It’s pretty much how it is in real life. Attainment isn’t instant.
Accurate? Like you know. Occult is a game of make believe at best, delusion at worst.
Any other similiar movies?
@@js1817I'm confused, why are you the arbiter of reality? Other people have experienced very similar things when practicing these rituals. What about that is fake? Or are you deliberately misunderstanding what magick even is?
This is my go-to movie when I need to cry some ugly tears! My interpretation of the end: although Sofia went through the process of the ritual, she doesn't really grow because she is being fueled by her hatred and desire for revenge. Her arrogance and dissatisfaction lead her and Solomon to a dark path. After Solomon's death, she has no hope and wanders alone trying to survive the demons or escape the ritual, but never giving up her objective of vengeance. Once she is captured and tortured, she finds release in her suffering as she hated herself for the loss of her son. This gives her enough power for a last struggle and trapped by the demons in the stairs, she finally sees the light. This is the first time we see Sofia drop her arrogance and humbly ask for forgiveness and mercy. The angel appears and Sofia is just overwhelmed by this being of pure light, holiness and goodness. In the presence of the divine, she surrenders herself and is finally able to see the error of her ways, changing her wish.
So why does she find that thorn pic of her kind in vomit?
I’m with you, though the actual ritual of summoning the HGA and its mythology comes into play here. This ritual is ascribed to the sphere of Tiphareth on the Tree of Life (using the system of the Golden Dawn and Aleister Crowley). The mysteries of Tiphareth are “The Mysteries of the Crucifixion.” The ritual itself cleanses her, and releases her hatred which summons the demonic forces that cut off her finger. Basically, she has become an Adeptus Minor (5=6) of the True Rosicrucian Order (not AMORC) and is purified. Her intention at the start is beneath contempt while Solomon’s is mere money. There’s also the symbol of “the slain master” (Solomon) and what this means for the pupil.
Lots of occult goodness here.
@socialcommentary1014 Solomon's wasn't just money. He was supposed to be granted a wish from the HGA as well. He just wanted the ritual to work.
Remember he turned her down several times even with the money. He had to know her reason was good enough to spur the ritual to work.
The angel in the end is great, because the rest of the movie is so minimal, that one special effect has impact.
No. It is great because it has a Christian message. Revenge turns into asking for forgiveness. A truly powerful scene rooted in European-Christian culture.
@@Szederp Wrong, she's asking to be released of feelings of hate and guilt. Nothing particular Christian about that .Nothing Christian in the entire movie. Also euh. Yes, I like the angel at the ending . What do you even mean with 'no'😂
Uhm I'm just glad that guardian angels are real and magick is real
@@cosmicstudent3422 Well i don't know about that. Because is that's true, it also means someone could summon a demon, and unleash it on my ass .No thanks 😅
@@arete7884 Is that so ? . Angels and Demons are metaphysical and theological constructs. Not a breed of dogs.
Thanks!
A terrific review, of one of my favourite films in recent years. A real hidden gem.
Absolutely top-notch assessment of "A Dark Song", my all-time favorite occult-themed film. Thank you!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I'm not surprised he reviewed this film. When I was first watching the film, I was thinking exactly what he said; The writer really did his homework.
Totally agree
It's exactly what occurs in a ritual ...
It's so hard to explain to others...just like a psychedelic trip ....can't be easily explained .
That’s what I thinking too
Those Chinese characters...
Same
I see the demons as being gone after her attainment of the ritual. These demons, after all, were a reflection of her hate and need for revenge. As such, these demons made flesh were banished with her vengeful attitude and hatred upon “union” with her Angel. In gaming speak - she levelled up and beat the final Boss - lesson learned: no more fighting necessary. No more demons to slay. This is Sophia’s spiritual purity in effect and on point.
…her purity because they were her demons.
What if the "demons" are the people that sacrificed her son, who she killed out of revenge off screen, since she "doesnt do forgiveness"?
The way I saw it, Solomon was more of an eclectic chaos magician than a Themelite or pure Gnostic. He brought in elements of his own practices (salt circles, sanskrit writing, etc) to enhance the ritual, having done it three times already.
What? No, it’s literally it’s own system it blatantly states it’s it’s own thing, to call it chaos magic is to completely miss the point and one of the things it warns the reader not to do.
For about two years I had been looking for this movie to be released on one of the several streaming services I have access to, and it finally appeared on TUBI, of all places. I wasted exactly three minutes before turning it on, and it was as enjoyable as I had hoped. I specifically avoided watching any analysis or reviews of it so that I could go in “spoiler free”, and without any preconceived notions, other than the usual skepticism that I have for most movies these days. I’m so glad I did, because I didn’t know what I would be seeing, and that gave the revelations that came throughout the film a greater sense of mystery and wonder. Thanks for your review here- I was very interested to see what your take on it would be, and I’m happy to see that you enjoyed it as well.
I'm also a huge fan of A Dark Song. I read an interview with the creator in which he said he specifically didn't look up the details of the ritual as he didn't feel comfortable with brushing quite so close to actual ritual work. A fair enough consideration I suppose to save himself (at least in his own fears) from becoming the Ash Williams of film making. Still he did a fantastic job of keeping to the spirit if not the letter.
If you're interested in another really great horror film that's a bit obscure I'd really suggest Faust (1994) Aka Lesson Faust. A Czech retelling of the classic story. It uses a lot of stop motion and puppetry that is really almost unsettling in a way that gives it a sense of madness that would be lost with something like computer generated effects. It is quite hard to find but if you've not seen it I think you'll find it is worth the effort taken to track it down!
Hi! Could you elaborate about Ash Williams? IDK who he is, and I google it and I don't get the reference ( English is not my mother language) Thanks a lot!
@@alinagutierrez3019 Ash is the protagonist from the Evil Dead/Army of Darkness films. He messes up the magical words to take The Necronomicon and wakes an unstoppable army of the dead. I was making a joke that you don't want to do the actual ritual for something in a film lest you inadvertently open a door you aren't equipped to close. ;) th-cam.com/video/w6-G231dWLA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=6nvBa2AaIIBovlh3
I've just discovered your channel and immediately subscribed, your knowledge is incredibly precise and useful for further study into the occult. A blessing to come across you!
Thanks for your kinds words - just trying to do my part to get reliable, scholarly information out there. Thanks for watching!
I like that u had Chopin nocturne for intro music!
I absolutely loved this movie. I'd watched it as a random selection years ago before I started learning about any of the underlying mysticism, so when I started learning these things I had to go back and watch it again.
Great video as always!
I really loved this movie…to a point. The build up of dread was perfect, it was creepy and unsettling, but then after she came back to the house, when the damned started making themselves visible, jumping out of doorways, I don’t know, they just didn’t live up to what I was expecting. It had a $5 walk thru haunted house feel to it. I still liked it, it was much better than most horror movies these days.
I'm thinking that Sofia doesn't actually have to brave the underworld/demon-thingies to retrieve Solomon's body....my impression was that the light from the HGA obliterated the demons. They all just fell away as the light grew and Sofia walked further into it.
Also, totally plausible. I suppose I like the hero myth where the hero dies and is reborn, so to speak, to conquer evil. It's all off screen, so who knows!
No.
Thats what the Abremelin procedure is about. Demons show up to disuade you and if you hold on the HGA will show up.
@@Warlock786 There is a story of the Buddha, that he subdues demons and now they guard the Buddhist teachings
@@mikey3800 That might be a separate story but very believable.
@@Warlock786 And in the testament of Solomon, he conjures the demons and finds which angel constrains them. Sort of a common theme here
I'd love to watch your take on THE CRAFT! Thanks for this insightful review. Loved the film
Excelent review and commentary.
Thank you for your review! When I first watched this, I wasn't dabbling in occult knowledge yet, but it still felt profoundly authentic. Most films give us instant gratification with someone's rise to power in a magical world. Appreciate the factual information you provided to compare and contrast the film to real practices!
Thanks - It's so rare to find a film that can hit that balance and I really think this one did. It's nice that the film feels authentic without needing to be overly academic nor too loose with the source material.
I love this movie and was so excited to see you'd done a video on it! I'm new to your channel and I am so glad you're here spreading your knowledge on this and other topics!
This is an excellent review: thank you for putting it together.
Glad you enjoyed it!
The symbols painted by Solomon on Sophia's back are from Reiki tradition. The most common and identifiable being Cho Ku Rei so I guess you could say is not Chinese but Japanese. Thanks a lot for all the work you put into this material, for me it is priceless.
Japanese kanji uses Chinese characters.
Any chance you can read them?
I was telling this guy at work about this film and said he had to check it, he said it was something he and his g/f would be into. Also suggested your channel, had to grab a piece of paper to write the stuff down.
Still suggest the film and to watch your video after... a year + after originally posting this. It does make a few friends go back and watch it a second time.
Great film. An unfortunate film to watch the night before I ate some shrooms. It did however give me some great inspiration for a story though.
First class in depth insight into a cracking film .Well done.
My second favorite film!
An absolutely beautiful film. Thanks for the review!
Awesome! Thank You for that rundown!!
I do not know if this opinion is correct, but I thought that the odd and weird things Joseph Solomon did like forcing Sofia to drink his blood, bend over naked, and almost drowning her were not at all meant to be seen as part of the ritual, but just him taking advantage of her. I do not believe that they were directly intended to be taken as “this is the Abramelin Ritual.” Other than it, it is still heavily dramatized, but I took that as mainly artistic interpretation.
Another theory I had was that he knew how to do the ritual, but was making up a great deal of it to mess with Sofia or because he was sadistic and was in a position of authority and power. All of the pages in his notebooks seemed to be illegible to Sofia, and I was not clear if that was due to someone blacking it out or because it was just scribbles all along.
Thanks alot for this review . I love the channel , it satisfies a curiosity Ive always had 🙂💚
Loved the film thanks for sign posting to that. I felt it was a really realistic reflection on attitudes to magic and typical things you see among practitioners. Drawing shapes on the floor, talking about numbers, psychology and purging. Taking people to the edge through fasting etc. And then treating it as though "things are happening" when very subtle stuff starts showing up which is possibly just a coincidence.
You mentioned Chinese symbols draw on her back. They appear below two commonly used Reiki symbols so I imagine they part of a Reiki treatment he is giving her and they're probably Japanese written in Chinese symbols. This is also surprisingly common among modern Occultists too ... mixing traditions without any idea what the difference is between them and without good reflection on their purpose. lol.
I really appreciate your channel! I too try to write about these topics in a factual, analytical and detached way without too much pathos and ethos getting in the way of the message, but my aim is to create advanced content for practitioners so the result is different. I tried to support your work through Patreon as hopefully it will inform mine! Don't worry, I will make sure to quote your channel and link to your videos!
Thanks for the kind comment and I wish you the best on your work. Hope this content is useful for a wide range folks!
I don't know if you still do film reviews, but can you cover The Skeleton Key? It's a movie about hoodoo, and it uses references to actual spells that can be done.
yes! we need such excellent scholarly reviews. if I may, I'd like to suggest Hereditary (2018), if you haven't watched it already. Ari Aster is the man.
p.s. I'm new to your amazing channel. it's a gem. I salute you sir for sharing your deep knowledge.
Maybe you're not a movie buff but this was a well spoken review of this movie, the detail you went into was excellent! Anyway what better to review than something that is so off beat like this movie instead of just more of the same!
Hi. I was looking for a review that could explain what the Angel said at the end. I didn't get that, but I did understand Sophia asked for the power to forgive. One thing I might add, Thomas Sheridan did a review of A Dark Song, and he was the first person to suggest that Crowley's unfinished ritual at Loch Ness gave rise to a Nature elemental or perhaps a demon. The Loch Ness monster!
The point of the ritual is for the person to attain union with her own “Higher Self”. As a result the angel is speaking to her of things only she can understand. Somebody other than yourself cannot have your dreams ( or create your child) - same rational.
my 5th favorite movie of all time! Just beautiful story telling. I had to come see what you thought of it.
Based on this review, we rented and watched the film last night. Even though this analysis spoils the plot and ending, the movie is still a powerful presentation of occult themes and humanity. It was worth the time and thank you for the recommendation.
Cheers for recommending this movie. Really enjoyed it, after having to put up with cliche Hollywoord blockbusters made for China, it's really nice to see a thoughtful movie with nuanced characters for once.
Very very good review.
I'm heavily into this subject and found you accurate in your knowledge.
I always presumed it was archangel Michael 'in the end.
Superb film on very low budget
Hey great review of the film! Also I love your channel in general, been binge watching all the videos. As a practicing occultist (Golden Dawner), it's great to have your academic expertise available on all these subjects that I'm passionate about. Thanks for doing this!
Absolutely - glad these videos are helpful, especially to practitioners. It's an honor to have folks like you give the nod of approval.
Thank you for the recommendation, I just saw it and I liked it very much. A very well made, intimate horror film. A slow burn to be sure, but it genuinely had me on edge throughout the second half
One more quick point/question- remember that the magician was supposed to also be granted a favor from the angel, and he said he was going to ask for invisibility and peace. I'm wondering if the movie was trying to tell us that he also got his favor, albeit in a dark way?
Ouch...be careful what you wish you, you just might get it!
Ouch, literally! lol
@@TheEsotericaChannel Better to wish for wisdom to know what is best to wish for....oh Solomon already did that
I'm not sure about that, you can hear him screaming through the walls during that end sequence if you listen closely
In another comment you were asking about the Reiki bit. I couldn't quite make out what was already written on her back, but what he was writing as the scene unfolded was possibly 本者是正念, you can see the mantra on his right and it looks like he's copying it onto her back. I by no means know anything much about Reiki, I just studied Japanese at uni so I got curious. Upon googling a bit, it seems to be understood as something along the lines of “My original nature is a correct thought”, but this is not something I have direct insight to, so I will not pretend to know the exact meaning. He might've been trying to write another mantra, which would be 大光明 or 大宇宙, but I'd have to rewatch the scene to tell for sure. I never really much thought about looking into Reiki but this actually made me kinda curious...
本 also has the meaning of "this one" and 者 has the classical meaning of a subject marker. So it could be saying something like "this one (person) is of straight/focused mind(thought)." The other parts would be "great light" or "great cosmos/universe".
Great review! Would love to see a top 10 Esoteric movie list from you
Thank you for your analysis. I just watched the movie and enjoyed it. But you helped me to understand it a bit more.
One of the first things i noted with Soloman was the common accent, manerisms and general none-priestly look about him. I loved that he was so matter-of-fact and almost scientific about everything. There was no mistifying drama about what they were doing - pure calculation and ruthless rules.
Hereditary and Midsommar are two movies I would love to see your review on.
Great video! I'm going to have to subscribe.
It may have just been my overthinking on this one but when the demon that talks using her sons voice is conversing with her, we are told she didn't turn up on time to pick up the child. He then asks why she was with that man; this could be taken to mean Solomon or it could mean another lover... The Father of the child is never discussed and then later when her finger is cut off it is the ring finger of the left hand which is shown clearly in the car. I believe that she is there to take revenge upon the killers but there is a large part of her subconscious that considers her one of them; she realises this and then asks for forgiveness.
Amazing channel Sir. You are a true scholar who studies are directed towards the highest of all arts. Very nice intro to your videos also. Indeed, I don't believe I've seen better. That particular arpeggio reminds me of that beautiful mystical piano piece called Le Jardin Perfume (with the accent aigue.) by Sorabji of which there is a wonderful interpretation on TH-cam by Yonty Soloman.
The Movie was great also. Just the right mix of suspense and the best kind of fear. The fear of the Lord which is the beginning of Wisdom. I have often thought, what is the end of Wisdom? I hope indeed, that it is the Love of the Lord that brings Union with Him. May all who seek find.
Yeah I wonder if I will do some more episodes on movies? The intro music is from one of the Nocturnes of Chopin, I thought it had a nice, dreamy feel to it. As for the end of wisdom - no idea. I think I may agree with Kohelet about it all.
Absolutely loved this film, great analysis of the occult material
Fantastic analysis
Wonderful review thank you! Another film, albeit awkwardly made, you might consider reviewing is Spell. I think there are a couple of movies with that title; this takes place in Iceland.
Thanks for the recommendation - I visited Iceland a few years ago and found it to be an absolutely stunning place!
Great video, thanks for all the info! A Dark Song is one of my favorite movies and so is The Craft so I would love to hear your thoughts on it too! Some people say that the end goes beyond the realm of reality and what you can accomplish via magic, but personally I tend to disagree. Also I find really interesting how they chose to go from "Teen movie with cute wiccan school girls", to aggressive manipulators of the mind and matter!
Thanks! I totally agree about the Craft - it's really a classic. I actually saw it when it came out and still have the classic Buckland text I bought after seeing the film - also looking forward to the 'remake.' I took a look at your channel and noticed that you were Greek - what's the occult scene like in Greece, if you don't mind me asking?
@@TheEsotericaChannel I'm kind of scared about the remake to be honest!
In Greece the majority of people are orthodox Christians, since Christianity is too attached to our nation the last few centuries(although Greeks are really superstitious and keep folklore, they mask it as something christian or just tradition), for example at school we are taught only the orthodox Christian belief, same things happens to the university studies in theology. So even the occult scene tends to revolve around it. From wiccans with mother Mary and Newage groups with jesus as a protector, to Satanists and antichristian groups(although I doubt if the last group ever read an occult book).(edit: just to clarify, I do not find these beliefs bad, I just think that we need more different opinions out there, and Greece is not really open to different religions. )
Kabbalah seems to be somewhat popular too, many people in the comment section ask me for it. Tthey also ask for the necronomicon... Dunno about that tho.
Of course there are some groups of Hellenic religion, and they managed to claim back the use of some of ancient temples and are now allowed to perform some rituals there. We have an official Wiccan group, and I think and hope some other smaller groups or covens I am not familiar with( I tend to be more of a solitary practitioner and only the last 2 years I'm trying to observe what others read and practice)
Selling magical services is illegal here and pagans in general are looked down upon. The young generation that is interested in occult, paganism etc, tends towards newage and maybe -some of them_ Kabbalah. Personally I try to present a variety of subjects but also share things that others ask me for. A not so easy balance, since I am not a fan of newage to be honest!
@@nocterniaobscura Hopefully it will be good - we will see. Thanks for taking the time to let me know about occultism in Greece! Such an ancient history with so much to draw from I'm sure the developments there will be interesting. Best of luck with your channel as well!
Great review Doc. Just a suggestion for some more : The Holy Mountain (1973) and maybe a double bubble of Anger's The Invocation of My Demon Brother (1969) & Lucifer Rising (1972)
Thanks for the list - such great films!
Great review. Loving the channel also. I've got another review idea for you. Maybe not such a perfect fit for the format of this channel but certainly has a very interesting theological and mystical take. I'm talking about the movie "Martyrs". The original 2008 French version, not the later American remake. One of the most amazing films I've ever seen.
Thanks for watching and the suggestion. I may do a poll soon to see if folks are interested in more film reviews.
My partner and I are enjoying your uploads so much. When do you think you will make the video on the Abramelin text please? Is it already incorporated somewhat into one of your existing lectures on here? Best wishes meanwhile.
Should be releasing an episode on the Abramelin before the end of the year!
I think I recommended this film to you a couple of months ago. I didn't realize you'd already seen it.
She set him up from the beginning. He killed her son. She knew it which is why she lied about the favor she wanted at the beginning. He figured it out by seeing the photo of her son and was going to kill her with another fake ritual but felt guilt and revived her. In bed he was about to admit to killing her son and apologize. She was mocking him by asking if God was there now. She knew he was going to hell. The occult knew her true goal and tortured him to death. Then she was free to ask for the power to forgive.
This is a great read.
You just blew my freakin' mind!!
Great review. Brilliant film.
A good film which does embellish greatly on the Abramelin sequence.
Yep, as I suppose most films has to do to be good films.
Thanks for the review. Have recently awakened to my intuitive abilities. Am also an avid film buff who has studied film in the past, so have been searching for films which effectively and accurately (as much as that’s possible for feature film) depict spiritual matters and the occult.
Agree with your assessment of Solomon. He is imo an accurate portrayal of what most modern intuitive empaths and shamans would appear and embody, rather than the vegan hippie as well as the tropes you mentioned that most films would have portrayed him as. Personal Shopper is the only other film I can think of that effectively portrays the modern intuitive empath.
And once I heard Solomon mention “signs and synchronicities” as proof to Sophia of the ritual working, I knew I finally found a worthwhile spiritual/occult film. Am largely ignorant of the Abernelin and Aleister Crowley (although have heard him mentioned a lot) and will do more research on both.
Thanks for the reply - like I said, I'm no film buff but I hope this review is interesting. Yeah, I really appreciated how these characters were written and thought it was an amazing film all things told. Film is such an important spiritual medium and I hope I can do more reviews in the vein.
As a professional film critic, I loved this film, and I'm delighted that you enjoyed it as well. Please don't be shy about reviewing films. Everyone brings different things to it and with a good film there are usually many different aspects to examine.
thought it was a really good movie. Thanks for suggesting it
Wow, you pronounced Loch Ness with the rolling 'ch'. Very cool to hear it from someone outside of Scotland,
onacuz Hebrew :)
I feel that there is some subject/interest overlap between Esoterica and another channel called Collative Learning. He does some very good film analysis - Especially horror/occult ones. (Possible collab?)
loved this film
Did you ever do review of the `Craft`?
I haven't seen this movie, but your video makes me want to see it. Spoilers don't really bother me. I'll be checking this out soon.
I think it's worth it - not some groundbreaking movie or anything but really solid at what it does. It's great when a movie has a modest goal and nails it - this one does that. Great to hear from you!
It's interesting they included Reiki character-symbols in the movie. Reiki is an Eastern-syncretic, lineage based, energy healing tradition coming out of Japan (brought to the west in the mid 20th century by Mrs. Tanaka, I believe). While a reiki practitioner can ostensibly apply reiki to anything, and a contemporary eclectic magician/witch could incorporate reiki and hermeticism into a ritual, to my knowledge the history and development of Reiki did not overlap with or mutually influence that of western esoterica, and Solomonic rituals are meant to be adhered to with great attention to detail (lion skin belt etc). So I'm really curious why the director chose to incorporate reiki symbols (and they are not just Kanji; they are specific to Reiki). Was each used intentionally regarding its specific meaning (I think they used at least CKR and HZN) or were they just employed as exotic window dressing?
same
nice channel, great presentation, have now subbed, thanks
Did anyone recognize the names, Solomon and sophia
Yeah, I'm reading the text overlays.
you should do 'the Deeper you Dig' next.
Have you seen "The Alchemist's Cookbook"? I loved it.
I heard that once u start the ritual, u have to finish for shits will hit the fan
Yeah, that's the word on the street.....demon-summoning street.
I own this film on dvd 😊
I just bought the downloaded version. Just can't get enough.
I'd love to hear you review Hereditary
and while I know it's out of your wheel-house because it's Korean, but I'd love your take on the Wailing
This is the best occult movie I have seen since The Ninth Gate!
If you're into video games at all, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is an excellent game that has a lot of occult themes in it. Its story touches on concepts like Mithraism, ritual sacrifice, occult symbolism, alchemy, ECT. It follows the story of the main character, Daniel, an archaeologist from England who stumbles upon a magic orb in Algeria. He is pursued by an unseen force that kills anyone closely affiliated with Daniel or the discovery of the Orb. He receives a letter from Alexander of Brennanburg, a baron from Germany telling Daniel to come to his castle, where they perform a ritual to banish the force haunting him. I won't spoil any important events in the game, but the lore and backstory are explained through Daniel's lost diary entries hidden throughout the setting. It's a story full of twists and really makes the player think about what makes someone evil or good. A few notable occult figures like Johann Weyer and Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa make an appearance. There are a ton of playthroughs on TH-cam of this game and great essays on the themes of it.
This is such an important avenue for research: esotericism and gaming. Thanks for this tip. I would love to do a series on the topic but I honestly don't follow the gaming world enough. However, I really do think it matters a great deal - I really dislike how scholars and academics downplay the important of video games. Thanks so much for this tip!
More film reviews!
A dark song is one of my favorite movies of all time, btw.
Would you consider doing a video on Dennis Wheatley and the occult and the 6-'s movie The Devil Rides Out.
Yep - th-cam.com/video/7TW1PzrkdAY/w-d-xo.html
I just watched this movie. It truly is very powerful. It's just unfortunate that an innocent man had to die just so she could learn to forgive... Humans are so stubborn it's infuriating.
Do you think you could do a review on the lighthouse? I think there's something there. As well as other movies
I was thinking of doing a poll this week to see if folks' were interesting in more movie-based episodes. Will see how it turns out!
@@TheEsotericaChannel Hereditary as well!
@@TheEsotericaChannel ditto the other guy, Hereditary is probably one of the better occult movies, probably not as deep as this but it does have obvious occult homework involved.
It was a pretty good film. I don’t watch a lot of movies but I liked it. I had only heard about it through a recommendation of yours in a different video or livestream. I did find the mix in of Sanskrit(?) and Kanji to be quite funny, and on point for “Hollywood-ing” the film up.
The film was made in Wales as a British/Irish production. Hardly Hollywood.
@@13strong Could we just agree that it was softly Hollywood, then?
@@ordermind No. It wasn't Hollywood. It was just a film.
@@13strong Maybe it was Irish Hollywood.
Great!
Thanks for saying so!
I just watched this movie and I wasn't sure what the end would be but I liked the end. It changes the notion of forgiveness as a weakness and makes it expressed as a wish of power.
I hated Solomon. The dude was gross but I did feel bad for his fate.
great film and great revoew, I had both in sequence, eager to have the pov from a 'student' (or get rid of the quotes?) once the story ended. The first time I see a satisfying ritual magick adventure staged how I can imagine them. (guess there are countless possible forms and scenarii). Are there others as true as this one? The scary thing is : when the movie is done you realize everything in there is real.
I found the film a breath of fresh air, and a build up to a transcendent ending.
I love this movie but I thought it would have been cool if the angel was one of biblical accuracy in appearance (the bizarre cool looking ones), although I think watched a video about those and supposedly they’re in the highest ranked group of angels so they probably don’t bother to show up for rituals where as the middle ranked angels (the kind that look like what we see in this movie) do show up for rituals. And the Cherubim (lowest ranked) are just doin Cherubim things haha.
This has become my favourite Occult based film. I've seen it three times, and it continues to entertain.
I've come to the conclusion that the demons in the film are physical, due to the finger severing. In the words of Solomon, the theories of it all being in the mind are "Psychobabble Bullshit. This is real Gods, real Demons".
The ending of the film always has me in tears, partly because of Sophia achieving wisdom, but also, I suspect, because I'm currently trying to contact my HGA, and every night's an emtional session of prayer and meditation (I'm not trying to do the Abramelin, I know my limitations).
Same here - I was really taken with it from the first viewing, and I agree with your analysis, re: real demons/angels in the film. Good luck with your spiritual journey and thanks for your thoughtful comments!
The border between the physical and spiritual sometimes bend...how about those who are attacked in their dreams but show up bruised in the morning. Or hearing the scratching of an invisible being and finding claw marks on a door
@@mikey3800 Yes, indeed. Of course, when you get down to the sub atomic level, it does seem that the physical doesn't exist anyway.On the Macro level it seems physical to us, which is essential for us to survive in it. These entities seem able to traverse between physical and non physical sometimes......Which we can as well, given enough training or sheer luck. I've had a few weird UFO type experiences in the last three months or so, one of which was pretty convincing. Perhaps I'm starting to get noticed by the 'other side'? Who knows.
@@jeffreybarton1297 Have you attempted any spirit communication or performed any rituals such as the Lesser Banishing ritual? These entities will appear differently with the times. Since we are in the science age, they will appear to us as extra terrestrials. Maybe they are more spiritual than extraterrestrial
@@mikey3800 Totally with you on that. Many years ago I did the LBRP for a few weeks, and a few Ouija sessions a long time ago. My only real success with communication was during a period of back injury, where all I could do was lay there and pray. Got a few Biblical references come in, and some Church music. The messages helped a lot with dealing with pain. Since then I've pretty much been Christian, but the Occult and paranormal is still a major interest. I go with John Keel and Jacques Vallee's ideas on this.....Same phenomenon, different faces, although I'm open to independant entities being around too.
Have you had experiences in these things as well? Occult rituals?
Yes, I read that.
These we’re really good.
That's a great review! I loved the movie and I loved this video too but I want to watch more movies like a dark song! So can anyone recommend me? I'm interested in these occult movies ❤️
What is the green slotted object sitting with the tablet and seal in the thumbnail?
Hi, Dr. Sledge. I saw this movie at its release and liked it a lot. It was a couple of years after I read the book in a brazilian translation, being portuguese my first language. Like I said I think the movie is quite close to what a modern magic ritual would feel and look like. But there is in my opinion a terrible error in the way the order of the very important elelements of the ritual are shown, specially the fact that in the real ritual you are suposed to conjure your holy gardian angel before start with the evil spirits, but in the movie it happens the other way round. Can you please give some coments about that? Thank you,
What would be the significance of the gold petals or leaves which shower down on the woman in the film? I think in another part Solomon mentions something about having been 'showered with silver' as well.
I must have missed that reference and I couldn't figure it out either. I don't think anything like that is mentioned in the original text though the original is pretty taciturn about the actual magical effects one might expect. It was a great visual I thought. Any thoughts?
@@TheEsotericaChannel Yes I thought it was quite a moving scene actually. Thanks.
@@TheEsotericaChannel There is a similar image in the movie Hereditary - a polaroid in a photo album of occultists 'showering' their leader with silver.
Great chanel
I would say the movie is more like a documentary, every operation works like its described in the movie, although you usually don't have cut fingers n shit. Although , I would say The Ambassador (2011) is much more advanced thing, showing how thing really work IRL.
Awesome review. It was a great movie. I'm just now getting into the Kabbalah and deeper into the esoteric. Subscribed
Welcome aboard!