Strange Eye: April 2009

WARNING - SPOILERS !!!
(and you may never view the movie the same again)

If you haven't yet seen the movie The SPIRIT (released in North America on DecEMBER 25th, 2008 - CHRISTmas Day / Dei), I strongly encourage you do so BEFORE reading this post. As a matter of fact, with this movie I would suggest something I would almost never suggest and recommend you run right out and purchase a DVD or Blu-Ray copy of your very own. Definitely one worth its weight in salt.

This movie is a masterpiece, though many may not regard it as such. It contains a complex level and interweaving of the occult and esoteric, mythology, conspiracy, AlKhemy, and religion, in an excellent story line based on the character THE SPIRIT, created by Will Eisner. What's as interesting is how Frank Miller manages to layer the story so that multiple themes are occurring at once. He does it in a way that allows it all to remain timely and relevant.

Whether or not Mr. Miller is fully and consciously aware of all aspects of the movie's exact mystical, mythical, and AlKhemical content is, as any synchromystic understands, irrelevant. The fact remains that it is there in his work. Though the level of understanding portrayed by "images which equal a thousand words" indicates to me that he is aware even though he may not ever admit it.

I won't be giving links for every topic and term in this post... I also, due to the Herculean volume of the task - almost every image is truly worth a thousand words in this movie - will be unable to explain all of them and the connections for you. Though I will, hopefully, leave a trail of breadcrumbs and footprints for you to follow. You'll have to research what interests you, or what you are unfamiliar with, on your own. This particular series of four articles plus supplements have been absolute monsters to put together as they are. Though, I suppose we can tear into it a little more in the Post Comments over time.

You can find more generic movie info on Wikipedia in the article:
The SPIRIT
and The Spirit (2008) entry on IMDB

Directed by:
Frank Miller

Produced by:
Michael Uslan
Deborah Del Prete
Gigi Pritzker

Based on work by:
Will Eisner

Screenplay:
Frank Miller

Starring:
Gabriel Macht
Samuel L. Jackson
Scarlett Johansson
Eva Mendes
Dan Lauria
Sarah Paulson
Paz Vega
Stana Katic
Jaime King
Louis Lombardi

With the incredible beauties (and talent, of course... yes we shouldn't forget talent!) of Eva Mendes, Stana Katic, Paz Vega and Scarlett Johansson, (listed in my personal order of favs) there's no lack of some of the finest eye-candy Hollywood has to offer in this movie! I will go ahead and assume that director Frank Miller still has trouble removing the smile from his face just for having these lovely creatures in his lens!

If you're following along on your DVD or Blu-Ray, "The Al-Khemia of The SPIRIT - Part ONE" covers chapters 1-8

Chapter Titles:

1. On my way
2. What are you?
3. Octopus big
4. All night party
5. Just like me
6. An obsession
7. I wonder
8. Something shiny

Introduction to Alchemical Processes:
(more of the topic will be covered and elaborated in coming articles in this series)

Calcination (Aries) Sulphuric Acid (h2so4) Heat

Dissolution (Cancer) ashes in Water (fe2O3) Iron-Oxide (Rust)

Separation (Scorpio) Sodium Carbonate (Na2CO3) (Natron)

Conjunction (Venus) Salt of Petra (Salt Peter/Stone Salt) Natron
- potassium Nitrite (KN03) + Sulphuric Acid(H2SO4)

Fermentation (Capricorn) - Liqour Hepatis - Ammonia (NH3) + Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
- Heating camel-dung in sealed containers (GREEN)

Distillation (Virgo) - boiling and condensation
(black Pulvis Solaris) Black Antimony + Purified Sulfur (H2SO4)

Coagulation (Taurus) - Precipitate of the purified ferment (Purified Sulfur + Red Mercuric Oxide (HgO)
- Powder of the Sun

The description of the processes is best left as BROAD as possible as no two alchemists, unless apprentice and master, would likely give you the same exact description of the process.
There are four distinct stages (quarterings of the philosophy) that were exemplified by certain colors in the work of the Greek philosopher HERACLITUS:
melanosis (blackening)
leukosis (whitening)
xanthosis (yellowing)
iosis (reddening).
A translation of his work by G.W.T. Patrick (1888) is found HERE

Though I make use of screen caps, they are simply for a general time reference of the comments. For deeper understanding you really need to view the actual movie itself.

(More text descriptions coming in an update...)
(for those who haven't studied "Alchemy" or AlKhemia, don't worry too much... There's much more to come and although it seems confusing at first, it will all be made very clear as this series progresses)

a Symbolic "Tree of Life":

The immortal WILL Eisner:

Lorelei Rox:
Lorelei (also written as Loreley) is a rock (note: "a stone") on the eastern bank of the Rhine near St. Goarshausen, Germany, which soars some 120 meters above the water line. It marks the narrowest part of the river between Switzerland and the North Sea. A very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents there.

Lorelei is also the name of one of the beautiful Rhine Maidens who lured navigators of this river to their dooms with their alluring singing, much as the ancient Greek Sirens did.

"Lore Lie", the distraction from the truth hidden behind lore and legend by the story being told.

Lorelei also echoes KHEM - the Black starting point of "Al Khemia". The land of ancient Egypt was known as KHEM.
She also, through the legend echoes water. The water of life, from which all emerges. As such we see her depicted in shadowy black and blue.

The Cross:
the cross can be used as the crosshair to designate the middle or the center. It can be made/drawn of 6 squares and when folded to 3-dimensions becomes the cube. It relates to the heart chakra and the Tipharet sfirot on the kabbalistic tree of of life. (and yes Da'ath and Qlipoth are not on the tree diagram)

There's a Wildwood Cemetery in Williamsport, Pennsylvania - one of the largest in the eastern United States. Pennsylvania is the Keystone State in the USA, and Manitoba is the Keystone Province in Canada.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, located near the Longitudinal center of Canada has a community called Wildwood.

The Angel Gabriel, of the Book of Daniel, and also believed to be the Angel of Revelation in the Apocalypse of John (Book of Revelation) in the Bible.
In Revelation we also find the jasper colored New Jerusalem city.
In German, MACH directly translates to MAKE in English - MACHT = Makes T, makes Cross, makes TAU.

The Angel Gabriel (Macht) / Denny Colt
colt = Horse = Horus
http://www.behindthename.com/name/denis
DENIS
Gender: Masculine
Usage: French, Russian, English, German, Czech, Slovene
Pronounced: de-NEE (French), DEN-is (English), DE-nis (German)
From Denys or Denis, the medieval French forms of DIONYSIUS.
Saint Denis was a 3rd-century missionary to Gaul who was beheaded in Paris. He is credited with converting the Gauls to Christianity and is considered the patron saint of France. This name was common in France during the Middle Ages, and it was imported by the Normans to England.

Echoes the "Philandering Bacchus" - the celebrations of Bacchanalia involving women and sex.

Cat/Pussy/Kittens/Kitties/CITIES - a city on the cross, in the center.

Ring....Ring....Ring....will you answer the call(ing)?
(OT SIDE NOTE: shouts to Stewie - You know who you are.)
Near the mudflats where a cargo ship has wrecked...
Echoing the Lorelei Rock legend from Germany.
There's a Greek named cargo wreck, Marine Vessel "Ithaca", in Hudson's Bay. It lies just off Bird Cove, 17 kilometers (11 miles) east of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.
More about Churchill here
The ship is named after Ithaca, one of the IONian Islands on the west coast of Greece.

The fire of the Spirit. The red stone symbolized. Where the Red flows in the wind like a river. A windy City it is.

On top of the TAU.
An historic mark of the builders' of Solomon.
Climbing The Caduceus of Hermes/THOTH/Mercury.
Raising the Kundalini for "power".
The TELEphone/telepathy/Psychic wires and the serpent hung on the tau cross.
We see at the start of this sequence "a nail", like the nail of a Christian Cross fall to the ground.

The dialogue contains clues:
The city is living thing - "Sweat, Muscles, and Blood of Generations".

The Red Stone Spirit.
The words THE SPIRIT appear on top of brickwork. Indicates the Red Stone of AlKhemy and a Masonic connection. It suggests the highest degree, the ultimate knowledge, the pinnacle (the pin a cle - key pin), the zenith, the ultimate, the "Siphra Di tZENIutha".

Like a dove descending, so does THE SPIRIT.

A fine Scottish (rite) name, Macready is:
Make Ready to Make RED.

We need to ask ourselves - What is "THE SPIRIT"?... what does the character symbolize, it's not what it appears on the surface.
Pull the Sword from the Stone.

Our focus brought to the white powder on the ground, which we see falling throughout the movie:
Macready knows "That's the Spirit", "God Bless Him", and hint of ready/red on the ground during pull-back.

With the Stone, you have everything you need:
"Life takes refuge in a single space"

Clearing the snow, the noise, so you can see more clearly.
The Red Stone beckons as beacons on the squad car.

We see our TAU and Cross symbolized by the cube cardboard box on the left near the pole.
Did you see the Light on the pole flash to get your attention?

Welcome to OZ. Where not everything is as it seems.
Turn your Spotlights ON and try to Spot it Spot ON - No Tresspassing or rather the fallen sign means "go ahead and Tresspass".

A Fool on his lonely journey.

Do you see the Wheel in the shadows on the left?

Frog's legs anyone? Or is it a BULL frog?
Words and clues may be in both french or english.
The sign then appears again after with the O of NO (and part of Tresspassing) obfuscated leaving a Z - Do you See/C/Sea!
Tilt your head to the right and another O takes its place making ON / AN / ANU.

Enter Sand Saref:
The Goat of (eva) Mendes - Sand Saref - Middle Eastern Princess - chasing "getting control" of her DIAmonds - deeammons - demons (Baphomet/Lucifer)

She's a multi-multi-layered character representing many different things at once.

Pointing her gun(s) at Sussman the "Zeus Man". He holds the Light.

Props to "Jerry" Iger

The Zeus Man called. The intuition and the Fool off on his own.

Many strange tentacles to this beast.

A quick prayer just in case... you'll need all the backup and guidance you can get.
But don't want to make your confession to The Church (Jesus) of your discoveries just yet, there's still more to learn.
We'll stick to some Greek mysteries for now as Sussman/Zeusman wants to keep it under the radar.

Warning, this path may be the death of you!

Only Sailors and Cops can hear her (SIREN call). But we are neither so we carry on.

Sand Saref is like the most beautiful angel...

Footprints, the somewhat obscure path and trail of those that have gone before you.
Liebowitz (le Beau Witz - the beautiful mind) played by Frank Miller himself.

Zeus man just about got to meet his beautiful prize but was shot, in the process of going for gold, before he could. Instead he got just a trinket, a nugget if you will.

Duality and twins.
Dual vessels throughout history. More than one ark of legend and lore carried (hid) the truth - the object of the quest.
The Dry Way and the Wet Way.
The Practical and the Philosophical.

Our Angel, Sand Saref, holds one part...

The octopus found / recovered the other one.

Sand Saref wants to make money. Satisfy her lust for shiny things.
Enter her mid-eastern husband, Mahmoud (Eric Balfour - BAAL four)

Alluding to the wrong box for the angelic Sand Saref (Sand = Mid-Eastern, and yellow granules, if you don't get it by now). They've recovered the ark/treasure chest, the symbolic hiding place, of the blood and not the desired shiny thing.

Meet the dark Octopus, power-hungry villain, arising from the depths of the waters of life with his treasure and means to his goals.

Are you following the clues and looking for all the Footprints? ("More Footprints Liebowitz" = the jews and "le bow", use your wits and follow the obscure trail - all leeds.)

The Angel Sand Saref is neither for nor against us...
Breathe through your nose, let your nose leed you. Sniff it out.
Don't give up, keep going... Steady Steady.

Head's up!
Use your head, and think.
The Baphomet, the severed head of Saint John the Baptist. Baptizer with water.
"Bring me the head of John the Baptist" said Salome, bride to be of Solomon.
The Odes of Solomon

The dark Octopus has his part of the treasure. Time to battle with the spirit all night long.

Pathos, Ethos, and Logos.
He has his tools to distract you while he makes off with the treasure - disturbing your emotions (pathos), the hidden meanings and lore of an era (ethos), and the authority - the word of God (logos)

He wears the "6" marking and the Breast-Plate of the High Priest (Rabbi). He likes to mess with your mind and mislead you.
His symbolic chemicals must do their work beating upon the materials, dissolving, all night long.
"When defiled, they purify themselves with blood, just as if any one who had fallen into the mud should wash himself with mud!" - Heraclitus

The Octopus likes his eggs. Easter Eggs would be the term. Hints and clues to follow. Have you smelled rotten eggs?

Watching and laughing as the soles / souls sink into the darkness and turn black.
Galactic Center reference vis a vis Jake Kotze and the Blob.

Silken Floss is the most beautiful woman ever. The Scarlet Woman, the whore of Babylon and Lilith and an Eve.
The entrance is vapourous and the delivery is speedy. She's like strands of silk and you can't find your way "home" without her.

When the Silken Floss makes her entrance you can pile in the Specimens. But control your emotions (pin down the Pathos)

The Spirit begins to emerge from the dark depths. Echoing the godhead emerging.

Again the Spirit is beaten up about the head by the head. (see previous)

Reinforcing the HEAD message...
Get it in your head, and figuring out may cause a headache.
We see it harden like a concrete block and break it apart.
"It's gonna get worse before it gets better!" - adding the iron crow bar.

for an "EV'e". Spirit has lost his hat, his Fedora Cap. He's uncapped in this sequence. Even the octopus is uncapped to reinforce. But the Octopus spoons up and mixes up The Spirit, by the 'Nads I might add, with the geared arm.
The red lighting tells us we're on our way. And the octopus and the Spirit battle again in the water. (uncapped = deCAPitated)

Toilets are funny. We put our asses on the toilet seat. They catch and hold the dung.

Like the scarab rolls the dung in egyptian lore.

Heated dung can give off ammonia.

Poor Pathos. If you notice that H to O is covered, you're on the right track.

Octopus and his eggs again.

Finding The SPIRIT was an accident. A happy one at that. It's not supposed to happen, yet it does.

The dark indestructible and the light indestructible (in-des-truck-ti-bull)

If you haven't quite got it by (k)NOW, good ol'Octopus is gonna "learn us" real soon.

Perhaps we need to sleep on it awhile... we've seen much pain and suffering, we should just let things lay as they are for a spell. We've been working hard, maybe we'll get it in the morning.

The Light appears and we Meet the good doc Ellen (El N) Dolan. She's all dressed in blue with her pearl of wisdom earrings, encouring progress ("come on") and telling the baby Spirit to "wake up" and shining the light in his eyes (and third eye too).

3 bullets across the deltoid, hot lead that doesn't take any meat...

This is serious (siriusly).

You're Bleeding out of your head and it is all sticky...

That missing cap. Don't forget the cap it's important.

Locate the cap...

Once again the questions are asked... Who what and Where.
Do you KNOW where you are? What City?
Central City.
Do you KNOW who you are? (what you are)
The SPIRIT.
The Octopus knows something...
You're Delirious (bleeding out of your head)...

"Oh Golly, will you look at that"..
3,4,5,-- 7,8
The hat/cap symbolizes the "6" and the length of time.

If you leave it uncapped you too could soon have bleeding lungs.

Pegasus, the winged horse (horus), which, as the offspring of the water god Poseidon, sprang forth from the blood of the severed HEAD of the gorgon, Medusa. (medical doctor Ellen, Central City, USA, Bleeding out of your head)

Do you remember the Lore and Legend of Medusa the gorgon that could turn things to stone?

Back to the Helicopter (HELIOS-Copter)...

In the light of the Helicopter, Sussman/Zeusman gives The Spirit Sand Saref's Golden Locket (nugget).
"Leave him flat and get new gloves and gauze"

Have you found anything?
"No sir" (not quite yet)
Impressive as it is... you've still got to clean it all up and filter (like through toilet paper).
Bring it up to speed - what a mercurial statement...

Ever heard of Dropsie College?
The Center for Advanced Judaic Studies (CAJS) at the University of Pennsylvania is the world's only institution exclusively dedicated to post-doctoral research on Jewish Civilization. It is located at 420 Walnut Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Be sure to Zoom right in...

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Reinforcing the Fool...

If the wind picked up would I blow away like a powder?

Not yet "THE SPIRIT"

Depending on your Angle, an H could be an M.
Going where others (fear to) tread - Straight up the middle, longitudinally.

Saint Alice
Alice's greatest consolation came from reception of the Holy Eucharist (KRST/euCHaRIST), although she was not allowed to drink from the cup...However, the Lord appeared to her with assurance that He was in both the bread and wine.