Draconis Blackthorne
This documentary has always remained memorable ever since I first saw it on KDOC 56 once upon a time, eventually recording it to add to My collection of Occult videographic arcana, sharing it from time to time with interested parties {sometimes segments during parties}.I titled this missive 'Journeys Into The Occult' because of the seemingly changing name of the presentation from 'Mysteries From Beyond Earth' to 'Journeys From Beyond Earth', though I seem to recall it also being called "Journeys Into The Occult" when I saw it. So it occurred to Me recently to search online for this title, though at first it was daunting. I did not even know the name of it, nor the host or date, just that it appeared to be from the "70's". I do love the earthy colorations, mannerisms, folksy music, focus on Nature, The Occult, wallpaper, appliances, toys, and wood paneling.Hosted by Lawrence Dobkin {10 Commandments, Patton}, whom I learned more favorably also played "Col. Alvin B. Kinciad" in 'Inside Out' from Knight Rider - one of two of what I refer to as "the 'A Team' episodes" - the other being 'A Plush Ride'. I thought he looked familiar! It is also quite amusing that he scurries away nervously after the potent Church of Satan segment, obviously very disturbed, with incorrect passive-aggressive commentary based upon reactive fear, belying his role as proposed impartial narrator. Apparently, it was his one and only documentary hosting.The rest of the presentation features many of the subjects I have always been fascinated by, inspirational relations driving one to actually participate in these experiences and experiments. A video documentation of all those books studied, from Edgar Cayce to Seth Speaks, tomes on Kabbalah to the Goetia, parapsychology, unexplained anomalies, psychic abilities, mysterious monoliths, crypotozoology, etc., an overall wide range of Occult lore.Since possessing the Time/Life "Wizards & Witches" and "Mysteries of The Unknown" book series, reading the "Man, Myth, & Magic" series at libraries, Fate magazine, and more, all of which evolved one into a veritable walking, talking, breathing encyclopedia of The Occult. Always more than just a spectator for something 'weird', but a serious study and application, an actual practitioner oneself.From the Kirlian Photography segment to Witchcraft & Satanism, to the varied oracles, are all complementary tools & techniques to help sharpen, maximize, and stimulate latent abilities as part of the total cerebrum and natural senses; and time and again, it is evident that via the scientific method, science fiction frequently becomes science fact, and that every legend carries a nugget of truth. What Witches and Warlocks have been operating of course throughout history, science will someday perhaps explain in technical terms. Ergo, "What is more important is not so much the particular ingredients in a bowl of soup, but the overall taste." {paraphrased, LaVey} Overall, this presentation is a fine introduction into the world of Parapsychology, offering basic samples into many of the techniques, history, experimentation, and realms of the Occult. A study into what Magus LaVey identified as that "large gray void between psychology and religion". It is human nature to explore the inner and outer reaches of existence. If the Church of Satan segment is the personal religion, the rest is like a macrocosm of The Black Earth displaying the Mysteries of Nature, which one resonates with, projects, incarnates, and manifests. ∞
dbborroughs
Good but dated look at UFO's and other strange phenomena (Magic, the Bermuda Triangle, though no monsters). Made during the mid 1970's UFO flap and before things got too far out and too wild, this is a nice collection of classic photographs and footage of UFO's, interviews with eyewitnesses who seem credible, astronauts, and scientists. The film suffers in that it keeps resorting to a trippy tunnel effect to link the various parts of the film, which dates the film and somehow makes it less serious. The film also has way too many subjects bouncing around in its 95 minutes with the result that the film feels like it was put together in a pinball machine as we start with UFO, move to the Bermuda Triangle, on to Voodoo over to ghosts before jumping back to UFO's. If you're willing to go along with how the material presented its a good primer on its various subjects. Worth a look, especially if you want to see how the subjects were covered before the Discovery Channel got involved.
ethylester
This film is just ok. It's trying to be a documentary about strange phenomenon on earth, but it comes away looking more goofy than anything else.First of all, it has some pretty dumb hypotheses about Atlantis. It says that aliens are from Atlantis.?? And that space ships must be from Atlantis, too. Then it suggested that stonehenge and the pyramids and those other strange structures on earth might have been built by Atlantian aliens so that when they're up in their space ships they will have something to look down at from the sky as a way to map where they are.But the good parts of the movie were the interviews they had with real people who had supposedly gotten abducted by aliens or lived in haunted houses. The people seemed believeable. The scientists, on the other hand, were quite hokey.For example, the film had some funny before and after alien space ship landing soil shots that didn't really seem that remarkable. And they interviewed this scientist who worked with "auras" and besides the fact that she herself seemed like she was receiting lines and was a little too hyper to be taken seriously, the shots of the auras were so lame! They photographed the tips of people's fingers with this fancy aura camera while the people were kissing. (why the tips of their fingers, I don't know - all it looked like was random circles) then they said to watch how the auras changed and did stuff, but I watched it, and they weren't changing! It was so bad! It was laughably bad!And funny how the main writer of the film is later "interviewed" about his scientific expertise regarding psychic phemonenon, or something. His interview was so staged, it wasn't even funny.And THEN the part about devil worshippers was so incredibly awful and stupid! It was so not legit and very staged. It looked like a Halloween party! I think there were even people with face paint on! Then the narrator of the film comes back on the screen and tries to act like he is offended by the devil worshippers by slamming some papers down and it's just really funny and lame.Lastly, the narrator himself is really quite annoying and not very credible. I found his ideas and stories and emotion hard to take seriously. Especially the sexist language he kept using to try to sound more scientific about "man" and all that lame business. It was very outdated and I believed nothing in the film except the actual people they interviewed who claim to have been abducted. They are the only real part of this whole movie, as far as I'm concerned.All in all, it's quite fun to pick on this movie, but if you want real facts about strange and unexplained happenings on Earth, this is the wrong thing to watch.
