Wicca is a modern pagan, witchcraft religion. It worships a variety of divine beings, which can include goddesses, gods, and other spiritual entities. These beings vary widely depending on the specific tradition or individual practitioner. The main deity in Wicca is the Horned God, who represents the masculine energy and is often associated with nature, the wild, and the hunt. The Horned God is seen as both a protector and a guide, and is often depicted as a stag or a man with antlers. Alongside the Horned God, there is the Triple Goddess, who represents the feminine energy and is associated with the moon and the cycles of life.
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By the time the movie grinds to what should be a compelling courtroom climax, the revelations aren t shocking because you can barely understand their implications- and there is little that director E. Today, those days seem long gone, with network TV now a haven for trashy game shows, indistinguishable cop shows and so-called reality shows , most of which don t bear any resemblance to the world most of us live in.
Alongside the Horned God, there is the Triple Goddess, who represents the feminine energy and is associated with the moon and the cycles of life. She is often depicted as a maiden, a mother, and a crone, representing the different stages of a woman's life. In addition to the Horned God and the Triple Goddess, there are countless other divine beings in Wicca.
The dain curde
RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES
BY LEE PFEIFFER
Scorpion has released the complete version of the 3-part 1978 mini series "The Dain Curse" as a double DVD set. The show has a checkered history in terms of home video. A truncated version was available for a while on VHS, then Image released the full three episodes on DVD. Now Scorpion has done the same and the quality of the set is very good, capturing the relatively rich production values of the series. Those of us of a certain age can remember when the pre-cable major networks put a great deal of time, talent and financial resources into mini-series. In the 1970s and 1980s, many of these shows constituted "must-see" TV. In an age in which the average household didn't have video recorders, some shows were so special that people altered their lifestyles to ensure they could catch each episode. Today, those days seem long gone, with network TV now a haven for trashy game shows, indistinguishable cop shows and so-called "reality shows", most of which don't bear any resemblance to the world most of us live in. To top it all off, even if you are inclined to indulge in this fare, you have to sit through such a mind-numbing number of commercials, you'll probably forget where the story left off before the last break. The good news, of course, is that magnificently entertaining mini-series are still thriving. The bad news is that you have to pay even more to watch them via "premium" cable TV channels. "The Dain Curse" was produced smack in the middle of the prestige craze of the 1970s when TV networks tried to outshine each other in terms of producing acclaimed mini-series. Unfortunately, this series, despite a promising concept, falls far short of the mark. The story, set in 1929, is based on a Dashiell Hammett novel, ordinarily a good source for a film noir production. Robert Mitchum had gotten the formula right a couple of years before with his portrayal of Philip Marlowe in "Farewell, My Lovely". Coburn would seem to be an appropriate leading man for another Hammett protagonist, private eye Hamilton Nash. However, whereas Mitchum looked sleepy, worn-out and perpetually pissed off, Coburn looks too much like a movie star. He's immaculately attired and supremely self-confident. He does suffer the fate of all noirish detectives: he makes the occasional misjudgment that sees him beaten and battered, but for the most part Coburn is a bit too Hollywood to ever convince you that he's an employee of a private eye agency. Nonetheless, even miscast Coburn is a joy to watch, especially as he trades wisecracks with cops, crooks and dames. The problem with "The Dain Curse", however, is that there are far too many of all these characters. The plot is overly-complex and virtually impossible to follow. It opens with Nash investigating the alleged robbery of some diamonds from the home of a rich, middle-aged couple. In the process, he suspects there never was a robbery and begins to unravel the reasons for the staged crime. In the process, he meets the couple's daughter, a twenty-something beauty named Gabrielle, who turns out to be real handful. She's a head-turner, but she's also insufferably cynical and self-obsessed and her party girl habits lead to a complicated scenario that ultimately involves murder, phony religious cults, drug addiction and kidnapping. (This is another staple of the private eye genre: the errant "wild daughter".) Throughout, Nash has to deal with the usual eccentrics found in any detective story of the era: incompetent cops, a kindly boss who is exasperated by his star detective's independent streak, corrupt public officials and more red herrings than you would find in a fish factory. Within ten minutes, I found myself confused. By the one hour mark, I had given up in terms of trying to follow the plot and the character's motivations and just decided to sit back and enjoy the often impressive performances. These include Beatrice Straight as Gabrielle's mother, Hector Elizondo as a small time sheriff who assists Nash and, most impressively, Jason Miller, playing against type as a dandy writer in the Truman Capote mold (though he favors the opposite sex.) The best performance comes from Nancy Addison in the challenging role of Gabrielle. Addison successfully conveys the wide range of emotion the character has to display over the film's five hour running time. There are also welcome appearances by Jean Simmons, Paul Stewart, Roland Winters and New York's favorite raconteur, Malachy McCourt. The film has some riveting sequences such as Nash's investigation of a cult religious temple where a human sacrifice is being planned and his subsequent drugging by hallucinogen-causing gasses. The Long Island locations are also pleasing to the eye and Charles Gross's period jazz score is admirable. However, the screenplay drags on for far too long, testing one's ability to follow the nature of pivotal relationships and motivations. By the time the movie grinds to what should be a compelling courtroom climax, the revelations aren't shocking because you can barely understand their implications- and there is little that director E.W. Swackhamer (we love that name!) can do to sew these disparate elements into something comprehensible. The Scorpion DVD package features the cool original promotional art on the sleeve and also includes trailers for other Scorpion releases including Coburn's "The Internecine Project", Burt Lancaster in "Go Tell the Spartans" and an unusual trailer for "Saint Jack" hosted by director Peter Bogdanovich. Click here to order from Amazon.
Posted by Cinema Retro in Blu-ray/DVD/Streaming Reviews & News on Monday, September 2. 2019
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The American Westerns of Clint Eastwood Movie Classics Special #5. Click on image for information and to order.
RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES
BY LEE PFEIFFER
Scorpion has released the complete version of the 3-part 1978 mini series "The Dain Curse" as a double DVD set. The show has a checkered history in terms of home video. A truncated version was available for a while on VHS, then Image released the full three episodes on DVD. Now Scorpion has done the same and the quality of the set is very good, capturing the relatively rich production values of the series. Those of us of a certain age can remember when the pre-cable major networks put a great deal of time, talent and financial resources into mini-series. In the 1970s and 1980s, many of these shows constituted "must-see" TV. In an age in which the average household didn't have video recorders, some shows were so special that people altered their lifestyles to ensure they could catch each episode. Today, those days seem long gone, with network TV now a haven for trashy game shows, indistinguishable cop shows and so-called "reality shows", most of which don't bear any resemblance to the world most of us live in. To top it all off, even if you are inclined to indulge in this fare, you have to sit through such a mind-numbing number of commercials, you'll probably forget where the story left off before the last break. The good news, of course, is that magnificently entertaining mini-series are still thriving. The bad news is that you have to pay even more to watch them via "premium" cable TV channels. "The Dain Curse" was produced smack in the middle of the prestige craze of the 1970s when TV networks tried to outshine each other in terms of producing acclaimed mini-series. Unfortunately, this series, despite a promising concept, falls far short of the mark. The story, set in 1929, is based on a Dashiell Hammett novel, ordinarily a good source for a film noir production. Robert Mitchum had gotten the formula right a couple of years before with his portrayal of Philip Marlowe in "Farewell, My Lovely". Coburn would seem to be an appropriate leading man for another Hammett protagonist, private eye Hamilton Nash. However, whereas Mitchum looked sleepy, worn-out and perpetually pissed off, Coburn looks too much like a movie star. He's immaculately attired and supremely self-confident. He does suffer the fate of all noirish detectives: he makes the occasional misjudgment that sees him beaten and battered, but for the most part Coburn is a bit too Hollywood to ever convince you that he's an employee of a private eye agency. Nonetheless, even miscast Coburn is a joy to watch, especially as he trades wisecracks with cops, crooks and dames. The problem with "The Dain Curse", however, is that there are far too many of all these characters. The plot is overly-complex and virtually impossible to follow. It opens with Nash investigating the alleged robbery of some diamonds from the home of a rich, middle-aged couple. In the process, he suspects there never was a robbery and begins to unravel the reasons for the staged crime. In the process, he meets the couple's daughter, a twenty-something beauty named Gabrielle, who turns out to be real handful. She's a head-turner, but she's also insufferably cynical and self-obsessed and her party girl habits lead to a complicated scenario that ultimately involves murder, phony religious cults, drug addiction and kidnapping. (This is another staple of the private eye genre: the errant "wild daughter".) Throughout, Nash has to deal with the usual eccentrics found in any detective story of the era: incompetent cops, a kindly boss who is exasperated by his star detective's independent streak, corrupt public officials and more red herrings than you would find in a fish factory. Within ten minutes, I found myself confused. By the one hour mark, I had given up in terms of trying to follow the plot and the character's motivations and just decided to sit back and enjoy the often impressive performances. These include Beatrice Straight as Gabrielle's mother, Hector Elizondo as a small time sheriff who assists Nash and, most impressively, Jason Miller, playing against type as a dandy writer in the Truman Capote mold (though he favors the opposite sex.) The best performance comes from Nancy Addison in the challenging role of Gabrielle. Addison successfully conveys the wide range of emotion the character has to display over the film's five hour running time. There are also welcome appearances by Jean Simmons, Paul Stewart, Roland Winters and New York's favorite raconteur, Malachy McCourt. The film has some riveting sequences such as Nash's investigation of a cult religious temple where a human sacrifice is being planned and his subsequent drugging by hallucinogen-causing gasses. The Long Island locations are also pleasing to the eye and Charles Gross's period jazz score is admirable. However, the screenplay drags on for far too long, testing one's ability to follow the nature of pivotal relationships and motivations. By the time the movie grinds to what should be a compelling courtroom climax, the revelations aren't shocking because you can barely understand their implications- and there is little that director E.W. Swackhamer (we love that name!) can do to sew these disparate elements into something comprehensible. The Scorpion DVD package features the cool original promotional art on the sleeve and also includes trailers for other Scorpion releases including Coburn's "The Internecine Project", Burt Lancaster in "Go Tell the Spartans" and an unusual trailer for "Saint Jack" hosted by director Peter Bogdanovich. Click here to order from Amazon.
These can include Celtic deities like Brigid and Cernunnos, Greek deities like Athena and Pan, and even spiritual entities from non-Western traditions. Wiccans may choose to work with specific deities or pantheons based on their personal beliefs and interests. Some may have a deep connection with a particular goddess or god, while others may work with multiple beings or focus on a more general concept of divinity. It's important to note that in Wicca, divine beings are seen as immanent rather than transcendent. This means that they are viewed as being present and active in the world, rather than being separate from it. Wiccans believe that these beings can be accessed through rituals, spells, and meditation, and that they can offer guidance, protection, and support in various aspects of life. Overall, Wicca embraces a diverse and eclectic approach to divine beings, allowing individuals to form their own unique relationships with the spiritual realm. These beings are seen as sources of wisdom, power, and inspiration, guiding Wiccans on their spiritual journey and helping them connect with the sacred energies of the universe..
Reviews for "The Sacred Union: Wiccan Beliefs in the Divine Feminine and Masculine"
1. John Doe - 2 stars
I found "Wiccan divine beings" to be quite disappointing. The author's attempt to explain the concept of Wiccan divine beings fell flat for me. The book lacked depth and failed to provide any substantial information about the different gods and goddesses worshiped in Wiccan traditions. There was a lot of repetition, and the writing style was dry and unengaging. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of Wiccan divine beings.
2. Sarah Johnson - 1 star
I have to say that "Wiccan divine beings" was a complete waste of my time. The author's explanations were confusing and convoluted, making it difficult to grasp any meaningful understanding of the subject matter. The book lacked clear organization and coherence, making it a struggle to follow along. Additionally, the author seemed to present their own biased views on Wiccan divine beings without providing any supporting evidence or alternative perspectives. I was left feeling frustrated and unsatisfied with this book.
3. Emily Thompson - 2 stars
I was disappointed with "Wiccan divine beings" as it failed to provide any new insights or perspectives on the topic. I found the information to be rather basic and superficial, lacking any real depth or nuance. The author seemed to rely on generalizations and stereotypes, providing a shallow understanding of Wiccan divine beings. I was hoping for a more scholarly approach but was left wanting more. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a thorough exploration of Wiccan divine beings.
4. Michael Williams - 2 stars
"Wiccan divine beings" left me underwhelmed and unsatisfied. The author's writing style felt disjointed, resulting in a lack of flow throughout the book. The information provided was repetitive, and the explanations were confusing, making it difficult to comprehend the subject matter. Moreover, the author seemed to present their own biased opinions as facts, without acknowledging other valid perspectives on Wiccan divine beings. Overall, I found this book to be a missed opportunity for deeper understanding and exploration.