In Search of the Great Beast 666: Aleister Crowley
Closed CaptioningRobert Garofalo
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Plot Summary
“In Search of the Great Beast 666” documents the chilling life, impulses and journey of Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), one of the most controversial and mysterious characters of the 20th Century; infamously known as 'The Wickedest Man in the World.' Voiced by acting legend Joss Ackland (Watership Down, Lethal Weapon 2, White Mischief, The Hunt for Red October), this vivid portrayal unearths the barely believable and shocking facts surrounding this infamous occultist, spy, poet, dark magician, hedonist, writer and accomplished mountaineer. Was he related to U.S. President George Bush? How was he connected to Scientology, Jack the Ripper, Winston Churchill, Hitler and Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond)? How did this man come to know so many remarkable people and why did he become the subject of fascination for generations of world-class musical icons? Under various guises and camouflaged by pseudonyms, Crowley travelled the world in his quest for supreme knowledge and ultimate power through the Occult. He reveled in what some describe as acts of sexual decadence yet recognized by others as extreme depravity. His influence on modern culture is evident yet his reputation remains shrouded in a veil of infamy. Through dramatically reconstructed period scenes, this biographical film explores the boundaries of the self appointed 'Beast 666' a man who is not only said to have inspired the free-love movement, but also through his literature is notorious for replacing the Ten Commandments with just one "do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law."
Customer Reviews
Not bad, and surely not great.
This documentary contains a interesting narrative of the life of Crowley, although it mostly highlight's his cruelty and tunnel-vision obsession with Magick, often at the expense of others. Nevertheless, the film does show that A.C. can't be typed by any reductionist model - He was a complex and fascinating individual (obviously), and occasionally capable of actually caring about others.
The composition of the film itself, is maddeningly redundant, with a constant, annoying barrage of photographs that have been altered with a sepia, and cracked desert clay photoshop effect. It definitely could have been more creative. I did appreciate the actors playing characters from Crowley's life, and the actor that played Crowley was not at all compelling, merely adequate. The film does not venture into the nitty gritty of Magickal theory, either.
I barely recommend it. I would rent it, rather than purchase it.
Why?
I hoping to get scared buy this movie only bored me...I had to force myself to watch it only because I paid for it...don't waste your money...be warned
In Search of the Great Beast 666: Aleister Crowley
One of the previous reviews stated rent this movie...don't buy it. I'm glad that I heeded that advise. It really is to bad, this movie could have been so much better. This movie reminded me of a cheap paperback book that I read when I was a child. Worth watching once but don't buy it.
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