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This blog has been neglected

I have not written for Astrology at the Movies for nearly two months. This was my first blog, and now I have three. For many years, I have been fascinated with how planetary archetypes play out in film. However, I haven't seen anything recently that has inspired me. Additionally, I started Seduction Central a few months ago, and have made a commitment to myself to blog there every weekday. I also write about every New and Full Moon at Lunar Tunes.

Do not despair! I am confident I will write for this blog again, but I do not want to post just for the sake of it, when I truly feel inspired about other areas of astrology. In the meanwhile, visit my other blogs, or other astro-bloggers (see the links in the sidebars), and sign up for my newsletter (top of right sidebar) to keep informed of my latest essays. You can also visit my Site Map for an organized list of my movie essays.

Happy New Year!

Jeff

'The Prestige' and the Archetype of Gemini

This post presumes that you have watched the movie. The "prestige" is given away asap, so please turn away if you don't want to know what happens.

After having watched The Prestige -- my earlier post was written before I viewed the film -- Gemini and Mercury scream out for attention. Christopher Nolan's natal Saturn-Neptune opposition is square Mercury in Leo, making it a T-square. In fact, Mercury is exactly square Neptune. The deception (Neptune) thus becomes more clear, as Mercury plays a prominent role in this film. Mercury -- as will be seen below -- rules siblings, fingers, and written communication. Mercury is also excellent at lying and disguising himself.

Mercury rules Gemini, and the Twins are the "prestige" of both the film and the illusion that confounds Angier (Hugh Jackman). The "prestige" is the final third of a magic trick, that which amazes the audience. The illusion is this: Borden (Christian Bale) enters a door and re-appears from another door several yards away within one second, which is physically impossible. Angier does not understand how it can be done; Cutter (Michael Caine) says that it can only be done via a body double. However, the man who comes out from the second doorway looks exactly like Borden!

The answer to the illusion is that Borden had a twin all along, who appeared from the second doorway. His twin even went so far as to have two of his fingers amputated so that he could look exactly like his brother -- Mercury rules the fingers. His brother was Borden's assistant, the bearded and spectacled man who never spoke -- Gemini is a master of disguise and Neptune is the god of deception. In fact, the two brothers took turns in both roles, going so far as to share Borden's wife (Rebecca Hall) and mistress/assistant Olivia Webscombe (Scarlett Johansson).

Another aspect of Mercury's role in this film is that Christopher Nolan wrote the screenplay with his brother (Mercury rules siblings).

Mercury-Neptune plays out in deceptive (Neptune) forms of communication (Mercury), notably the fabricated journals that each rival plants into the others' hands. It should be noted that Hermes (Mercury) invented lying.

The two magicians live out two different types of stage magic: Angier is the showman, and Borden is the craftman, i.e., he is more focused on perfecting his art. (Olivia Wenscombe later teaches Borden how to be more theatrical). These two characters can be seen as playing out different aspects of Nolan's chart. Nolan has a Sun-Mars conjunction and Mercury in showy Leo (Angier), and an obsessive Venus-Pluto conjunction in perfectionistic Virgo (Borden).

If the Leo Sun-Mars conjunction symbolizes Angier, then we can see how he is supported by Nikolas Tesla (David Bowie), who is represented by brilliant and literally-electric Uranus in a tight sextile to the Sun. Tesla's invention somehow creates duplicates -- another manifestation of the Gemini archetype.

Christopher Nolan was born July 30, 1970, time unknown, in London.

Tags: the prestige - christopher nolan - twins - gemini - mercury

Grey's Anatomy & Desperate Housewives Astrology

Pamela McHenry (aka StarGoddess) has written astro-profiles of nearly every actor and actress on these prime-time soaps at SeenOn.

Tags: astrology - grey's anatomy - desperate housewives

Christopher Nolan's Saturn-Neptune Opposition

Is it any surprise that Christopher Nolan -- director of the mind-bending Memento, the dark Batman Begins, and The Prestige -- has a natal Saturn-Neptune opposition?

The Prestige is about two magicians who will go to nearly any length to top each other. The themes concern death (Saturn) and deception (Neptune). Another film about magic -- The Illusionist -- also contains the same themes, and was released during the current Saturn-Neptune opposition.

In Salon.com, Andrew O'Hehir interviews the director. I have included the planets in brackets to illustrate the themes of the Saturn-Neptune opposition:

At one point, Michael Caine's character, who seems to serve as an authorial voice, offers the observation that a magician makes the real world [Saturn], which is actually simple and solid all the way through, seem full of mystery [Neptune]. When I ask Nolan whether that's also what the movies do, he says, "Very much so. Movies can create a realm of magic and mystery, where anything and everything is possible [Neptune]. I think people look to them as an escape from the predictability of ordinary life [Saturn]. There's nothing wrong or shameful in that. That's why I love movies myself."

But does he really think, then, that the real world is devoid of mystery? "There are times when I'm afraid that's true, yes. But in movies, in storytelling, in imagination, so many other things are true. I suppose part of me believes that if we can imagine wonderful things, create them in art or fiction [Neptune], then they're actually real [Saturn]."

Nolan understands that the audience wants to be deceived. In Memento, he used confusion and deception to masterful ends to tell a story about a man who had amnesia.

Another way Saturn and Neptune interact is through Saturn's heavy influence upon Neptune's vision. Saturn-Neptune movies can be quite dark, dystopian (The Matrix and Apocalypse Now were released during Saturn-Neptune squares). And Batman Begins definitely fits that bill. (Tim Burton's Batman -- also quite dark -- was released during the Saturn-Neptune conjunction of 1989.)

A Saturn-Neptune director releasing a film about reality versus illusion -- a film in which he deliberately tries to throw off the viewer -- released during a Saturn-Neptune opposition? Now that's magic.

Tags: astrology - christopher nolan - saturn - neptune - the prestige

The review(s) come pouring in

James Corbett, who serves on the advisory board of Grazr Corp., says Astrology at the Movies (this blog's sister site) is a "very clever mashup."

Astrology Mashup!

I've created a mashup that includes links to celebrity astrology profiles, using dapper, grazr and del.icio.us. It resides at this blog's sister site, Astrology at the Movies.

So far, I have links to celeb profiles from StarIQ, AOL Horoscopes (written by Tarot.com's Jeff Jawer), and Astrology.com, as well as specific articles I've tagged on del.icio.us. If you have any other sources you'd like me to include, please email me at jeffreykishner@gmail.com with "Astrology Links" in the subject line.

Tags: astrology mashup grazr dapper dappit delicious celebrities

Angelina Jolie Celebrity Gemini Profile

The following essay originally appeared in the Gemini 2006 issue of Constellation.

Angelina Jolie was born under the sign of the Twins, and the dynamics in her chart only serve to underscore how widely divergent her two "selves" are from each other. She is both a compassionate mother to third world children, and a sexually confident, dark and aggressive woman.

Angelina Jolie cannot be classified as a femme fatale, because she is not femme. Yes, she is beautiful -- Venus conjoins her Ascendant, which relates to her appearance. But look at her film roles and she embodies mostly masculine energy. In the Tomb Raider films, she is an action hero. In Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow she is a pilot. In Girl, Interrupted she is overtly aggressive and manipulative. In Mr. and Mrs. Smith she is an assassin. One does not find her in Rene Zellweger type roles -- the supportive wife, soft and pouty. Angelina Jolie is aggressive, wild, impulsive, dangerous.

In Gia, Jolie states to her girlfriend Linda (played by Elizabeth Mitchell) that the blonde is the woman and the brunette is the man. This statement intimates that Gia felt she was the "butch" or "masculine" partner in the relationship.

Although a Gemini, Jolie has numerous planets in Aries, including Mars, ruler of Aries. An opposition from Pluto drives the energy of this assertive, impulsive, masculine sign. Mars in Aries opposite Pluto goes for what she wants, unimpeded, with tremendous drive and force. It is an unstoppable combination. Fast, direct, don't fuck with me.

Pluto-Mars combinations are concerned with the power (Pluto) inherent in sex and aggression (Mars). Jolie is aware of her sexual magnetism, and uses it effectively in her roles. She is never coy, subtle, indirect. She exudes confidence, an in-your-face "so here I am, what are you going to do about it?" attitude. With Uranus exactly square her Venus, there is also an unconventional sensuality -- a dedication to doing relationships her own way.

Mars is aggressive; Pluto is destructive. In Girl, Interrupted, Jolie's character Lisa -- who lives in a mental institution for women -- malevolently states that fellow patient Daisy (played by Brittany Murphy) -- who was discharged to an apartment paid for by her father -- has sex with him. The denial of this fact seems to be what held this fragile woman together -- she was already self-mutilating and compulsively eating chicken. Pluto's job is to bring that which is hidden up to the surface, for the purpose of healing. However, the dark side of Pluto is plain old destruction. And ultimately, Lisa's truth-telling motivated the young woman to hang herself, because she was not ready to be exposed to her shadow.

That's the problem with Mars in Aries -- he does not exactly stop to think about the consequences before he acts.

A completely different energy comes through an opposition to her Gemini Sun from Neptune in Sagittarius. Jolie is a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations -- Neptune is the planet of compassion and empathy for all beings. Sagittarius rules foreign countries and international relations. Her Sun is in the humanitarian 11th house, while Neptune is in the 5th house of children -- she has adopted two children from developing countries. This theme is repeated in her Moon's placement in the 9th house -- the Moon rules children and the 9th house relates to foreign countries. Her Moon conjoins both Mars and Jupiter -- Mars makes her fiercely protective of children, and Jupiter provides a sense of meaning to her endeavors. Her Jupiter, in fact, is exactly conjunct her Midheaven, which relates to her calling to do international work. Jolie has stated that she would much rather do her ambassador work than act, but her movie gigs provide her large amounts of money that she can donate to her causes. Saturn squares all these planets, making her a devoted worker, giving her the discipline necessary to follow through on her commitment, to bring her 9th house vision into reality. Finally, with Venus in Cancer rising, she just happens to be a very mothering type of person! Jolie has reportedly agreed to star in the third Tomb Raider film; note that adventurous Aries planets Jupiter and Mars -- as well as the Moon, a "female" planet -- in the 9th house of world exploration aptly describe Lara Croft!

It is interesting to note that her beau Brad Pitt, who has co-adopted her two children, is a Sagittarius -- mirroring the themes mentioned above. His Ascendant at 11 Sag conjoins Jolie's 5th house Neptune. We could say that, at least on the surface, he identifies with her compassion for foreign children. And Jolie's Sun sits on Pitt's 7th house cusp -- the house of marriage -- so clearly her will (Sun) to serve others (Neptune) has a strong impact on Pitt's axis of self-other -- what he puts out into the world, and what he needs in partnership.

[The following was written earlier this year:] Transiting Uranus is currently making a square -- a 90-degree angle which results in stress and friction -- to Jolie's Sun-Neptune opposition, as well as Pitt's self-other axis, so now is a period of awakening for both of them, a need for freedom, independence and innovation. As transiting Uranus is in Jolie's 8th house of sexual intimacy and shared resources, her relationship with Pitt is probably life-changing. His adoption of her children probably made a world of difference!

View her natal chart.

Tags: angelina jolie - gemini - astrology - celebrity

Movie directors with natal Saturn-Neptune aspects

Did you know that -- like Wikipedia -- there is a wiki just for astrology? It's called Astrology Notes. Anyone can edit virtually any article or create a new article.

I have just created a table listing movie directors with natal Saturn-Neptune aspects. Feel free to add to this list! As a community, we can use our combined efforts to further our understanding of the astrology of film. With a comprehensive list, we can look at the themes of these directors' films and how they correspond with the qualities of Saturn-Neptune aspects.

'Hollywoodland' and the Saturn-Neptune opposition

Hollywoodland is the story of George Reeves, who played 'Superman' in a television series in the Fifties. After the show's cancellation, he allegedly killed himself, although there has been speculation as to whether he was murdered.

This film follows private investigator Louis Simo (Adrien Brody) as he follows various clues to find out whether Reeves (Ben Affleck) was indeed killed. Reeves' "sugar mommy" Toni Mannix (Diane Lane) -- wife of the head of MGM, Eddie Mannix (Bob Hoskins) -- was an older woman who bought him a house. After his career as 'Superman' fizzled, and as he found it difficult to break into film due to the public's association of him with the superhero, Reeves blamed Mrs. Mannix for not trying hard enough to get him acting roles through her husband, believing that she wanted to keep him down for her own selfish reasons. She countered that he just wasn't talented enough for more complex roles. Reeves eventually dumped her for a younger woman, Leonore Lemmon (Robin Tunney), who wanted to marry him under the assumption that he was loaded (he was not).

Did Lemmon kill Reeves because he was never going to marry her and she wanted his money? Did Mr. Mannix have him killed because he could see how Reeves was breaking his wife's heart (they had an open relationship)? Did Reeves kill himself because his career was in the dumps?

Saturn relates to aging, death, the "reality check," the feeling of being a failure. Neptune relates to film, fantasies, deception and the fogginess of not knowing the truth. Put these together, and you've got disillusionment, the challenge of turning one's dreams into reality (with the risk that they won't), and the difficulty discerning between the truth and fabrications.

I thought this film was really well-made, and that Adrien Brody was compelling. However, there is no happy ending. Hollywoodland is ultimately about the ways in which the Saturn principle (old age, limitations, death) imposes itself on our dreams and self-delusions (that we will always be young and beautiful, that we are more talented than we lead ourselves to believe). In this film -- in the face-off between Saturn and Neptune -- the old geezer wins.

Tags: astrology - movies - hollywoodland - george reeves - saturn - neptune