Monday, October 21, 2013

Astrology in Movies and Novels

I enjoy collecting examples of astrology appearing in movie dialogue. I've posted on the topic twice in the past :

Movie Dialogue with Astrology (2009)

and

More Astrology in Movie Dialogue - an updated and expanded version of the 2009 post (2012).


I discovered another instance this week, watching a film, Broken City on HBO. On checking I discovered the movie was released only in April this year - can't have been very well received, then. It usually takes at least a year after release before movies appear on HBO. Husband didn't receive it well anyway - he went to sleep a lot, then declared it to be disjointed......hmmm!

The astrology in Broken City's dialogue was fleeting, and one of the silliest instances so far, but worth saving for its incongruity. A former New York police detective, thrown off the force after shooting a rapist in the head, now a private eye, talks with the Police Commissioner in a dark New York bar. Neither fully trusts the other. Private eye (Mark Wahlberg) says to Police Commissioner: "I think you're two-faced". Police Commissioner (Jeffrey Wright) responds with "What...Gemini? No, I'm Taurus. What about you?" Private eye (Wahlberg): Cancer.

Now... in what dimension would a tough New York ex-cop and a shrewd Police Commissioner have enough interest in astrology to know even their Sun signs? Or even if they did, be making mention of them in a bar? Still, it elicited a laugh from me, woke up the sleeping husband, and provided an additional item for my growing list.


As for astrology in novels - I've collected a few examples of that too, as mentioned in these posts from previous years:

Novels Featuring Astrology

Astrological Twins in Fiction

Novels (and Columbus Day)




I discovered a new example this week, at The Oxford Astrologer blog, in a post titled
Astrologer Wins Top Literary Prize. The novel's title: The Luminaries, author: Eleanor Catton, winner of this year's Man Booker Prize for Fiction. Oxford Astrologer writes: Her massive historical novel boggled the judges minds. How did she structure it? Using proper, grown up astrology. More information on the novel HERE.

Any more suggestions - movies or novels?

6 comments:

mike said...

The astrology of characters within movies and novels typically is more an observer consideration, as you've previously described, particularly with your Ally McBeal post! Rare indeed to find direct mention of the astrological aspects to formulate a representation of the characters presented by the author.

I have to wonder whether Ms.Catton was a blog commenter I encountered a couple of years ago. A commenter was requesting information regarding the astrology of characters she was writing about for her novel and was requesting information from other commenters...the commenter back-and-forth dialogue continued for many days.

I sure hope I can find a copy of "The Luminaries" at my library...I need a delicious book to devour. I just looked at it on Amazon...it's US$16.60 for new hardback...not too bad (US$27.00 publisher's list). Maybe I'll get lucky and someone will ask me what I want for Xmas...LOL...I won't count on that.

Off topic...GMO food is having a difficult acceptance, it seems...finally...took long enough here in the US. Europe has long taken to resisting, but the fight is now paying-off for other countries and gathering steam in WA state!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ocean-robbins/huge-gmo-news_b_4129311.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Twilight said...

mike ~ Well - yes, the observer consideration is yet another facet of this topic. Somewhere in my archives are discussions about the astrology of characters in "Gone With the Wind" and "Little Women".
Always interesting stuff to consider. :-)

If your library doesn't stock "Luminaries", wait a few months and some used copies of the new book could show up on Amazon at a reduced price - at which point I'll buy one read it and pass it on. :-)

I haven't paid much attention, so far, to the GMO debate - there are so many other issues around just now. I'm not sure what I think about it to be honest. The population boom and climate change will mean food and water could eventually be in short supply. If GMO were a means to ease the future pain in that regard.....well...
But I'm ill-informed, so shouldn't comment.

LB said...

Twilight ~ If you're interested, here's a link to a quick read summarizing some of the issues with GMOs: http://www.takepart.com/photos/case-against-gmos/the-case-against-gmos

And here's another one, "Study: EPA-approved GMO insecticide responsible for killing off bees, contaminating entire food chain": http://www.infowars.com/study-epa-approved-gmo-insecticide-responsible-for-killing-off-bees-contaminating-entire-food-chain/

I'd also recommend the 2008 documentary "Food, Inc." for a better idea of how large companies like Monsanto have affected the lives and livelihoods of some small farmers: http://www.dailytech.com/Monsanto+Defeats+Small+Farmers+in+Critical+Bioethics+Class+Action+Suit/article24118.htm

I think you'd find the movie interesting and informative.

ex-Chomp said...

Very interesting your links indeed!!


Twilight said...

LB ~ Thank you - I shall read those carefully and maybe do a post on the topic for later. :-)

Twilight said...

ex-Chomp ~ I'm pleased you found them of interest. :-)