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New Dawn Magazine
Review
THE SECRETS OF
ALCHEMY:
THE GREAT CROSS AND
THE END OF TIME
A Film by Jay Weidner
For readers
who have tackled Jay Weidner & Vincent Bridge’s
The Mysteries of the Great Cross of Hendaye:Alchemy and the
End of Time, this first part of a projected series of films
on Alchemy comes as a welcome adjunct. This film looks like
a pilot and will be sure to be taken up by any cable channel
which features paranormal, mysteries and the like. The narration
is provided by Jay Weidner, with the support of Sharron Rose
as Fulcanelli’s voice. Jay starts the viewer on his
journey from the first ramblings in California garage sales
in the early1990s when he acquired a large metaphysical library.
Among the books was Fulcanelli’s Mystery of the Cathedrals.
The visual journey continues for almost an hour and takes
the viewer from the USA to Europe and the Americas, as well
as into other time sand other galaxies. The story of the
Western occult tradition – Alchemy– unfolds with
what was known since Egyptian times, to Jay Weidner’s
independent research over the last ten years. Incorporated
into the journey are visual feasts of the gothic monuments,
a really good look at the Great Cyclic Cross at Hendaye,
works
of art featuring alchemical symbolism, close-up film
of rare documents, and the soaring cathedral-like landscapes
of Cusco, Peru.
Interspersed with alchemical material are intervals of time-lapse
landscapes with turbulent clouds and a background of ethereal
music. I felt this was a little overdone, although the verbal
material over the time-lapse was important and interesting.
I picked up much more in the second viewing found that some
parts of the Great Cross of Hendaye book were illuminated
or complemented by the visual medium. The production values
are certainly solid. The cinematography is bright and steady
and post production/editing appears crisp.
and Jay Weidner’s voice is soothing and easy listening.
I would have been in favour of more interviews with the experts
from whom he quotes, but hopefully that will come in future
programs. I see this DVD being used in college courses incorporating
metaphysics or the nature of the Western occult tradition.
This would be a recommended addition to the library of any
budding alchemist or metaphysician.
– Jennifer Hoskins
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