Abramelin movies.
Based on the
The
Book of Abramelin
An authentic 15 century
autobiography by Abraham von Worms
Compiled and edited by
Georg Dehn
Translated by Steven Guth
Foreword by Lon Milo
DuQuette
Ibis Press. An Imprint of
Nicolas-Hays, Inc. Berwick, Maine 2006
Suggestions and
treatments from Steven Guth guthltd@comcen.com.au
PO Box 20, Duffy,
Canberra. ACT Australia. Phone: 61 2 62881070
Five
suggestions for movies with one developed treatment.
Background.
All the suggestions are
for a magician’s movie with special effects. The plots are based on the true
story of Abraham, a Jew from Worms in central Germany who through experiences
he encounters in his travels finally becomes a master magician. The book is
compiled from hand written manuscripts which describes the author’s journey of
self discovery 600 years ago.
The first English
translation of the book has been around for 100 years. In this form the text
has been used by thousands of would be magicians to conjure up powerful
spiritual beings - the same beings Abraham describes in his manuscript. Over
the years the first English translation acquired a well deserved reputation as
a sorcerers handbook
From the foreword of “The book of Abramelin”
I confess. In 1976, when
I first ran across the Abramlein book
in a used bookstore in Hollywood, my hand
actually shook as I pulled it
from its place on the
dusty shelf. Fearing demonic attack, I very
cautiously drove home and
tucked it away in a black borrowed
slipcase and kept it
apart from my other books. Not wishing to
take responsibility for
the unspeakable evils that might befall
them, I refused to loan
it or even show it to curious friends.
{All
images are from the Nicolas-Hays manuscript proof.}
Suggestion one –
A movie that follows the life of Abraham on his travels
meeting and experiencing the magicians described in the manuscripts. The story
starts at Abraham’s preserved gravestone in today’s Worms, it then time and
shape shifts back into the 14th century. The full treatment is
attached.
Suggestion two –
A movie that makes scant attempts at realism. Impressionistic
sets from the 1920’s stage could be used. A sophisticed sound track and special
effects would help create the necessary suspension of disbelief. Some modern
scenery could be incorporated into the story.
Suggestion three –
A documentary based on a modern commentary. Locations and
some acted out scenes from Abraham’s autobiography could be included. The
attached treatment (suggestion one) hints at the possible contents for the
documentary.
Suggestion four –
Abraham’s 14th century journey could be
transposed into the modern world with today’s locations and modern magical
events replacing the scenes described by Abraham.
Suggestion five –
Alester Crowley – perhaps the 20th century most
controversial magician – was profoundly influenced by Abraham’s manuscript.
Crowley appears to have believed that his guiding spirit, his “Holy Guardian
Angel” came to him because of his use of the rituals outlined in Abraham’s
autobiography.
Suggestion six –
A modern adventurer, a composer, uses the Abraham material
to conjure up for himself four servant spirits. The composer has accumulated
piety and wisdom from books and we follow him as he seeks the secrets that are
promised him by his “Holy Guardian Angel”.
A brief treatment.
The adventure’s laptop contains a musical biofeedback
system. A modern master magician replaces Abramelin in his location in the
Egyptian wilderness. The prescribed spiritual retreat takes place in a Pacific
coast beach house where the modern equivalents of the four elemental kings are
confronted to yield up the four servants of the day – perhaps in forms stranger
than anyone bargained for!
The full
treatment based on suggestion one
Background
Costumes could be
authentic for the times and locations The need for special effects is obvious -
the sets could be strange, cheap and simple. A really good sound track will
help to create the suspension of disbelief that the Abraham’s story requires
from the modern viewer.
Imagine a shift from
modern sounds at Abraham’s gravestone
(it is just behind a busy road) to the 14 century sounds of horses, bells,
shouts, and birds. These needed be real sounds but just suggested by the
musical score. Or consider the sound associated with sorcerer Halimeg’s tent in
an Egyptian bazaar when he turns a woman into a goose. Or the wind at
Abramelin’s hermitage as it blows through rocks. Or a hint of evensong drifting
into the Bishop’s palace.
Only the beginning and
end of the movie are set in the sights and sounds of modern life - at Frankfurt
airport and in the town of Worms with its Jewish cemetery. The real life
characters are the two people who found and translated the German text into
modern English. They conjure up Abraham, the original author from his grave ...
and so starts our ‘Wizard of Oz’ journey through history.
And what a journey it is.
Thanks to satellite mapping we fly via some system like ”Google Earth” through
the air from location to location, landing superman like at the right place. We
met magicians who show off their skills to Abraham. We spend time with
Abramelin the master magician who lives in the Egyptian desert. We participate
in the 18 months long prayer ritual that Abraham uses to connect to his Holy
Guardian Angel. We watch, concerned, as Abraham conjures up and struggles to
control the 4 elemental Kings and their 8 servant Dukes.
We travel with Abraham as
he shows us his life as a master magician working for Popes, Dukes and Emperors
- creating armies, making gold and forcing Bishops to confess their thievery.
The ending brings us back
into the world of today - and a rather humorous, yet fitting conclusion.
And I repeat - the story
is real, from a real book. It is factual biography that the author Abraham, the
Jew from Worms wrote as a legacy for his son over 600 years ago. And the book
is out there (Published by Ibis Press Nicolas-Hays) and rendered into modern
English by the same two men who cast the spell that gets sets off the story.
Here follows a brief
outline of some of the story boards that make up this early draft of the movie.
Brief outline of some of the 50 plus story boards that make up this early draft of the movie.
Georg (bald, middle aged,
glasses) goes into an old library, obtains the original MS, opens it, enters
into a discussion about MS and why Abraham set out to find a magical solution
to the Jewish persecutions of the plague years. Georg writes out title page
from the ancient MS and the film Credits roll across screen.
Sky with strange shapes
lurking in the clouds, a 747 lands at Frankfurt. Georg parks his old VW
convertible in the eerie underground car park, he walks in a long legged lope
through the airport carrying a loose (self picked) bunch of white daisies.
Steven (long hair) carries bunch of short Aboriginal spear shafts and a
didgeridoo. In the car they head down the autobahn. They stop at small snack
bar, there is a crocodile skin on wall. Georg carries his MS with him and talks
of the Abraham material, Steven tells about learning Dreaming from Aboriginals.
Steven says he needs money. Georg writes out an Abramelin magic square from his
stack of book notes.
Worms. Georg takes Steven
to the Jewish ghetto with its 800 year old ritual bathing well and then onto
and Holy Sands cemetery. The magic square is placed on the gravestone. Georg
makes a magic circle with a spear shaft. Steven sprinkles white petals, lights
small smoky fire of graveyard herbs, Georg makes magic square on ground, Steven
plays didgeridoo. Georg calls the name on the square. Smoke bellows out and a
whirl wind changes into the form of Abraham.
As the smoke shifts the
movie takes us back inside the old ritual bathing well. But the music and sounds are now different,
the costumes are from the 1400’s. After a service in the synagogue Abraham
(about 30 years old) is asked for a wedding match, he replies, “I’m off to Minz
to study with Rabbi Mosses to become a Rabbi, I will see if I can find a good
match for your daughter there.”
The movie ‘Googles’ to
Mainz. A few years later, Abraham who is dressed as Rabbi puts Talmud scrolls
away with Rabbi Moses - who says to him, “You seek the wisdom of Adonai? I will
show you my magic.” The movie takes us to a room full of fantastic objects,
Moses makes all the church bells in Mainz ring. Also, he washes his face in
magic water and becomes a young.
Abraham asks (in voice
over or commentary), “What use is this? I will travel on?” We ‘Google’ to
Strasbourg, where Jacob shows Abraham some seemingly real ghosts - by using
mirrors and strings - Abraham quickly exposes the fraud. We ‘Google’ to
Linz, and we land in the cathedral’s
forecourt. Abraham bumps into Christian woman, spilling her basket of magic
making herbs. She invites him to her cottage at 3 am, she rubs ointment on
herself, Abraham does a little of the same. Soon the witch collapses sleeps and
appears to be dead. Hours later she awakens from her “trip” with an impossible
fantastic tale.
We ‘Google’ onto Greece,
where Abraham meets Piloviour who creates a blinding snow storm with special
song and dance – we hear satanic laugher. Again Abraham asks “What use is all
this? I seek the power of Adonai.” (See Bk 1 Ch 5 & 6)
We ‘Google’ to Egypt, we
pass over the delta and the pyramids and land next to the tent of Halimeg, the
magician. Inside the tent Halimeg works magic and makes a piece of wood dance
and talk. He also turns a woman into a goose.
We ‘Google’ on again,
Abraham is in a small sailing boat on the Nile. A strange light appears on the
water, it mysteriously turns into a huge crocodile which wrecks the boat and
Abraham just manages to reach the shore near Araki. He is rescued by Aaron, “a
man of my origin.” Abraham breaks down and cries in frustration.
Aaron helps Abraham, he
arranges for a man with donkey to lead him into desert to meet Abramelin the
master at his hermitage. Abandoned, without water he cries out “Zebaoth” the
name of God. A light that has been following Abraham since the crocodile attack
disappears and Abramelin appears - he is a small, polite man who is wearing
simple clothes. He greets Abraham and leads him to the small stone hermitage
with its bush verandas and covered altar.
Abraham takes water from
large urn, there is also a fire pit, jars of pickled vegetables and so on. They
sit, talking, eating lentils from wooden bowl with pieces of bread. Abramelin
speaks about morality and how Abraham must seek god in the Psalms. This goes on
for many days and nights.
Then, one day Abramelin
asks Abraham for 10 gold coins as alms for 72 poor people, instructs Abraham on
what to do, and departs for Araki. Music becomes spooky, a watcher (like after
crocodile attack) hovers about, weird shapes and strange beings try to lure
lonely Abraham into trouble. 15 days later Abramelin exchanges himself for
watcher and says, “Tomorrow you will consider your past life, your wrongs and
why you need to thank and praise Adonai.”
Abraham spends a hot,
terrifying day in front of the bush altar. He prays, burns incense, sings
Psalms weeps, crying out in pain. This goes on all night too. Finally,
Abramelin says, “I like you like that” and leads Abraham into his room, opens a
hidden trapdoor (special effects) takes out a sealed package, unwraps two books and hands them to Abraham with
instructions to copy them. Abraham falls on his knees tries to give thanks,
Abramelin reaches out and says, “No, no, only bend your knees to the face of
God.”
We see Abraham leading a
simple substance life and copying books. Voice over: “For a year I copied the
books and asked questions, Abramelin always helped me to understand the
wisdom.”
Some time later Abramelin
says, “You have met the first sister, wisdom. Now I will show you the power of
Adonai so you understand the secret. But you will have to find your own secret
and receive your own Holy Guardian Angel, mine you cannot use.”
