New Dawn Magazine

Review

THE SECRETS OF

ALCHEMY:

THE GREAT CROSS AND

THE END OF TIME

A Film by Jay Weidner

For

readers who have tackled Jay Weidner & Vincent Bridge’s

The Mysteries of the Great Cross of Hendaye:Alchemy and

the End of Time, this first part of a projected series

of films on Alchemy comes as a welcome adjunct. This film

looks like a pilot and will be sure to be taken up by any

cable channel which features paranormal, mysteries and

the like. The narration is provided by Jay Weidner, with

the support of Sharron Rose as Fulcanelli’s voice.

Jay starts the viewer on his journey from the first ramblings

in California garage sales in the early1990s when he acquired

a large metaphysical library. Among the books was Fulcanelli’s

Mystery of the Cathedrals. The visual journey continues

for almost an hour and takes the viewer from the USA to

Europe and the Americas, as well as into other time sand

other galaxies. The story of the Western occult tradition – Alchemy– unfolds

with what was known since Egyptian times, to Jay Weidner’s

independent research over the last ten years. Incorporated

into the journey are visual feasts of the gothic monuments,

a really good look at the Great Cyclic Cross at Hendaye,

works of art featuring alchemical symbolism, close-up film

of rare documents, and the soaring cathedral-like landscapes

of Cusco, Peru.

Interspersed with alchemical material are intervals of time-lapse landscapes

with turbulent clouds and a background of ethereal music. I felt this was

a little overdone, although the verbal material over the time-lapse was

important and interesting.

I picked up much more in the second viewing found that some parts of the Great

Cross of Hendaye book were illuminated or complemented by the visual medium.

The production values are certainly solid. The cinematography is bright

and steady and post production/editing appears crisp.

and Jay Weidner’s voice is soothing and easy listening. I would have

been in favour of more interviews with the experts from whom he quotes, but

hopefully that will come in future programs. I see this DVD being used in college

courses incorporating metaphysics or the nature of the Western occult tradition.

This would be a recommended addition to the library of any budding alchemist

or metaphysician.

– Jennifer Hoskins