Alchemy & Film:

Because Anger is a solo artist he has kept total control over the end result of his work; and, when he so desires, can make changes (evolution) to his films. I can almost envision Anger as a Cinematic Alchemist working in his lab; in isolation from the impure (ultra conservative) thoughts of the outside world meditating and ‘praying’ for his version of the Perfect Matter (Gnostic Mass perhaps?).

At the core of Alchemy, the precursor to chemistry, is an amalgamation of religion, medicine and science, ‘based on ancient methods of finding truth that combined all ways of knowing.’ (Sorcerer’s Stone: A Beginners Guide to Alchemy, by Dennis William Hauck, page 3) The practice of Alchemy involved not only work in the laboratory, but also extensive meditation and prayer; the experiments that took place in these laboratories were surreptitious performances because the Alchemist believed that the impure (greed, self-serving) thoughts of any other person could destroy the end result of the experiment.

The medieval alchemist was therefore independent from organized religion; this independence of thought, will, and practice was frowned upon by the church and the state as it threatened their control and would soon enough lead to the persecution of the Alchemist by the Church and State. (Diocletian)

Furthermore, Alchemists believed that through their transmutations, which took place in the laboratory, was a simultaneous transformation or evolution of everything on the planet and in the Universe including oneself. The transmutation of baser metals into gold or other substances directly reflected the evolution of the Universe and the Alchemist performing the work.

‘To alchemists, the whole universe is slowly evolving toward perfection.’(Sorcerer’s Stone, by Dennis William Hauck, page 6) Alchemists believe that Humans play a direct role in the evolution of the Universe serving as a sort of conduit. In stark contrast to Christianity, which separates divinity and humanity, and expounds Faith over Reason, the alchemist’s beliefs empowered the individual encouraging the use of both intuition and intellect bringing about the divinization of people and matter.

Allusions have been made to the Alchemical aspects or symbolism within Anger’s films with no explanation of the true nature of Alchemy. This dismissal is important because most people don’t understand that Alchemy is much more than the transmutation of baser metals into gold or the search for an elixir of immortality. Although there were Alchemists whose sole desire was that of material gain, the ‘real’ Alchemist wasn’t after such trivialities; and so the term ‘puffer’ was coined, the puffer being the superficial Alchemist, as a way of differentiating between the disparate practices. Another paradox is the world of cinema wherein the independent filmmaker / artist (Anger) is supplanted by the massive, money making productions that the movie industry (Hollywood) turns out.