Cremaster 3(three hour Masonic art film)

Two years ago I saw what has to be one of the most astonishing, visionary and enthralling films ever. It's called "Cremaster 3"(unfortunately only a portion of the film is available on Amazon.com dvd) It is crypticly enough the final fifth film
in the Cremaster Cycle from avant garde artist Matthew Barney.

So what makes Cremaster 3( www.cremaster.net... )
so interesting? It is a 3 and a half hour meditation and meticulous look at Masonic ritual and rites, allegory, and history. Previously the only Freemason stuff I had seen in films were more of the sinister plot devices like From Hell.
What intrigued me about this film was the extreme dedication toward the
evaluation and study of Masonic lore. The film revolves around the figural entered apprentice, adorned in an apron who tries to ascend the Chrysler Building to reach the architect, Hiram Abiff. Every single second and detail of the movie revolves around mythology in FreeMasons, as well as a few things borrowed from Celtic mythology(which is more toward the end) The film starts off on the Isle of Giants in Ireland, but quickly goes to underneath the Chrysler Building in the 1920's where de Maloy boys are helping to carry a body to the upper level with older Masons. This is where the more esoteric elements come into play, as repeated throughout the film.

The movie is literlaly obsessed with geometric and architectual redundance, but such is to be expected in an art film...tasks and even the most ornate of
things are performed ad nauseum(such as the layering of cement in an elevator shaft, or the forming a cement like Solomon's Temple) The hubris of the entered apprentice is followed up through this unusual of settings...the actual Chryslter building(some of th emost stunning visuals are here not seen since Koyaanisqatsi, as may poles give way to hundred foot stremaers coming out the sides of the building) I've seen almost 2000 movies, and this one has to be one of the most jarring and beautifully filmed ones I've seen. I wish the whole film was on dvd, but I'm sure some of you have seen or at least read about it.

The overall feeling is one of uncomfortable sinister dread, although I feel it treats the Masonic subject with respect in its painstaking detail. An entire scene of 33rd degre geometric ritual is gone over and over in almost complete banal repetition toward the end for instance.

Unfortunately a lot of Freemasonry in movies is treated as either a sinister plot(From Hell), or trivial(National Treasure) So it is odd to have a film like this that goes above and beyond to capture the essense of FreeMasonry(eternal brotherhood, dicipline, secret trades, etc) yet it still somehow comes off as slightly uncomfortable. Definately the more cryptic of the art films I've seen, it no doubt will make anyone who sees it curious about older Freemason ideas and thought.

Wow, this is certainly a strange series of films (the cremaster series). Don't know what else to say... is it actually worth watching? Does it have ANYTHING of value for a mason?

Originally posted by sebatwerk
Wow, this is certainly a strange series of films (the cremaster series). Don't know what else to say... is it actually worth watching? Does it have ANYTHING of value for a mason?

Well it's a very challenging film for anyone to sit through, given there is no dialogue and it's heavy reliance on repetitive symbolism. It is truly one of the best film experience I've ever had. As for being a valued watch for a person of Masonic interest, that depends. The unpresedented care, detail and feel of the everything is very impressive, but ultimately while it uses FreeMasonry as the highest of symbolism, it definately leaves you with a sinister feel. Not so much in that From Hell vein, but in a more deeper level. I think the film would be way too puzzling an enigmatic for an Anti Mason to draw anything from it, but I definately reccomend it if ya can lookat it purely as a meditational art film. It's different than your average art film, in that the mixture of rich visuals, sound, ornate and exotic locations, and story make it seem very compelling.

Originally posted by 8bitagent
Well it's a very challenging film for anyone to sit through, given there is no dialogue and it's heavy reliance on repetitive symbolism. It is truly one of the best film experience I've ever had. As for being a valued watch for a person of Masonic interest, that depends. The unpresedented care, detail and feel of the everything is very impressive, but ultimately while it uses FreeMasonry as the highest of symbolism, it definately leaves you with a sinister feel. Not so much in that From Hell vein, but in a more deeper level. I think the film would be way too puzzling an enigmatic for an Anti Mason to draw anything from it, but I definately reccomend it if ya can lookat it purely as a meditational art film. It's different than your average art film, in that the mixture of rich visuals, sound, ornate and exotic locations, and story make it seem very compelling.

I find it odd that they would use the Hiramic legend as a theme for a movie of this sort. Very odd... it doesn't seem like a story, or subject, that the audience of this kind of movie would identify with.



[edit on 27-5-2005 by sebatwerk]

the trailer for the movie is very very odd. I guess the movie would probably make sense and seem really interesting if one were to watch after smokin' a fattie.