After watching "Lady in the Lake", a movie shown on HBO last week, I wanted to find out more about its writer and director, M.Night Shyamalan. I'd seen some other films he has written/directed - "Sixth Sense", "The Village" and "Signs", but hadn't fully connected the dots until now. Probably because when I'd come across his rather unusual name in the credits my eyes balked and skipped over it!
There's an easy-to-find link between these films, they're all somewhere between science fiction and fairy tale, mystical, with a touch of horror (but not the gratuitous gory, nasty horror so prevalent in movies nowadays).
I wondered whether I could spot anything in his natal chart which might match his style. He was born on 6 August 1970 in India. Some websites give place of birth as Madras, others Pondicherry, still others Mahe.
I've chosen Pondicherry. I reckon the planets will be in the same degrees - wherever. 12 noon chart, as no birth time available.
M Night Shyamalan has been slated and accused by critics of vanity, affectation, insecurity....you name it, they've said it about him . But couldn't the same criticisms be levelled at just about any human on the face of this fair planet, at different times in different stages of their lives?
I've watched some YouTube videos of interviews with him (HERE"S ONE). He comes over, to me, as a rather gentle person, certainly unaffected in his attitudes but determined not to fall into the trap of making films which spawn sequal after sequal in an effort to pander to the almighty(?) dollar. If he IS vain, he has a right to be proud of his achievements in writing and directing. He started at such a young age - he has been making home movies since teenage, writing and directing real movies since 1995, when he'd have been 25.
His chart shows Sun conjunct Mars in Leo. Vain? Of course. He's cute too!
Mercury, Pluto and Venus all in Virgo (ruled by writer's planet Mercury). Pluto and Venus conjoined.
Moon at 12 noon was also in the last degrees of Virgo - but with a birth time after 5pm Moon would be in Libra along with Uranus and Jupiter
Neptune in Scorpio and Saturn in Taurus, opposing each other complete the picture. This is an aspect many around his age would have shared. House position would really be needed to personalise it, I guess. It could though account for the criticism he excites - Saturn (the "square" critical establishment) opposing the writer's imaginative, dreamy Neptune.
Shyamalan's work displays a lot of Neptune - this planet is opposed by Saturn, sextiled by Pluto/Venus, semi-sextiled by Jupiter - so there's a lot going on here, no doubt stimulating his imagination 24/7. The Moon could well be involved too, if only we knew his time of birth.
His Sun/Mars conjunction is going to be a strong driving force in his life, personal and professional. This may be where the critics direct their niggles! He is probably very strong willed and determined to go his own way, no matter what. Yet, those closest to him will know a softer side I think, courtesy of those Virgo and Libra planets.
I'd have expected a few more Uranus connections to show up. M. Night Syamalan's work is fairly strange - "out there where the buses don't run"! This planet lies at 5.56 Libra, so it is just about sextile his Sun/Mars conjunction.
Neptune just has to be the star of the show in this man's firmament though. Any of his films will confirm it. I wonder if it's on his ascendant. With a birth time of 1.15 pm it would be, with Scorpio 28 ascendant, the Moon would be conjunct Venus/Pluto in Virgo - now that really would be an excellent fit!
There's an easy-to-find link between these films, they're all somewhere between science fiction and fairy tale, mystical, with a touch of horror (but not the gratuitous gory, nasty horror so prevalent in movies nowadays).
I wondered whether I could spot anything in his natal chart which might match his style. He was born on 6 August 1970 in India. Some websites give place of birth as Madras, others Pondicherry, still others Mahe.
I've chosen Pondicherry. I reckon the planets will be in the same degrees - wherever. 12 noon chart, as no birth time available.
M Night Shyamalan has been slated and accused by critics of vanity, affectation, insecurity....you name it, they've said it about him . But couldn't the same criticisms be levelled at just about any human on the face of this fair planet, at different times in different stages of their lives?
I've watched some YouTube videos of interviews with him (HERE"S ONE). He comes over, to me, as a rather gentle person, certainly unaffected in his attitudes but determined not to fall into the trap of making films which spawn sequal after sequal in an effort to pander to the almighty(?) dollar. If he IS vain, he has a right to be proud of his achievements in writing and directing. He started at such a young age - he has been making home movies since teenage, writing and directing real movies since 1995, when he'd have been 25.
His chart shows Sun conjunct Mars in Leo. Vain? Of course. He's cute too!
Mercury, Pluto and Venus all in Virgo (ruled by writer's planet Mercury). Pluto and Venus conjoined.
Moon at 12 noon was also in the last degrees of Virgo - but with a birth time after 5pm Moon would be in Libra along with Uranus and Jupiter
Neptune in Scorpio and Saturn in Taurus, opposing each other complete the picture. This is an aspect many around his age would have shared. House position would really be needed to personalise it, I guess. It could though account for the criticism he excites - Saturn (the "square" critical establishment) opposing the writer's imaginative, dreamy Neptune.
Shyamalan's work displays a lot of Neptune - this planet is opposed by Saturn, sextiled by Pluto/Venus, semi-sextiled by Jupiter - so there's a lot going on here, no doubt stimulating his imagination 24/7. The Moon could well be involved too, if only we knew his time of birth.
His Sun/Mars conjunction is going to be a strong driving force in his life, personal and professional. This may be where the critics direct their niggles! He is probably very strong willed and determined to go his own way, no matter what. Yet, those closest to him will know a softer side I think, courtesy of those Virgo and Libra planets.
I'd have expected a few more Uranus connections to show up. M. Night Syamalan's work is fairly strange - "out there where the buses don't run"! This planet lies at 5.56 Libra, so it is just about sextile his Sun/Mars conjunction.
Neptune just has to be the star of the show in this man's firmament though. Any of his films will confirm it. I wonder if it's on his ascendant. With a birth time of 1.15 pm it would be, with Scorpio 28 ascendant, the Moon would be conjunct Venus/Pluto in Virgo - now that really would be an excellent fit!
What a fascinating birth chart! I was amused to see that he was born the same day and year as my late pet poodle. A dog of grand and flamboyant character. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBack to Mr Shyamalan. I didn't like "Signs", but I thought his other movies were clever and thought provoking.
Off topic..I was wondering if you had any thoughts on the Midheaven/MC? I personally think it is often underrated. I read a book years ago that blew my mind, and changed my thinking. "Power of the Midheaven" by Stephanie Jean Clement.
Hi Michelle
ReplyDelete- lol- I bet your poodle was cute too!
Midheaven - Up to now I see its importance mainly as one of the angles, and very sensitive points in the chart, giving planets close to it extra importance. I'm not sure about its connection with career - although that's the traditional thought, isn't it, because of 10th house.
I tend to take a "stand well back" approach to charts, rather than trying to be too detailed. The devil is in that detail, I reckon.
Unless we have intimate, accurate information about the individual in question - their background etc. it's well nigh impossible to be more accurate than a pencil sketch could be. I happen to like pencil sketches, so it suits me fine! :-) I'll watch for the book you mention though.
Ha. Interesting analysis. I absoltely won't deny that he IS cute.
ReplyDeleteYep! Cute as they come! Hi - and thanks for stopping by. :-)
ReplyDelete