This is a collection of some of my (mostly) favourite films and anime/not anime that contain Gnostic themes. It is important that I mention that I am no expert in Gnosticism, it is simply an ism that I like. There are many sects of Gnostics, as such, there are many variables in Gnostic cosmology. What remains consistent across these groups is the Gnostic epic pertaining to Sophia, an emanation of God, and her descent from the Pleroma and the subsequent creation of Yaldabaoth, or the Demiurge. Saviour in the Gnostic tradition comes in the form of Jesus Christ, another emanation of God and the syzygy of Sophia, incarnating on Earth to free the remnants of her divinity bound in the flesh of mankind. The figures of this myth sometimes carry different names in different denominations of the Gnostic tradition, but nonetheless, the core message of descent, repentance through knowledge - 'gnosis' - and ascendance remain true. In many ways, the Gnostic myth of creation parallels the archetypical Hero’s story (much like many other ancient myths i.e. The Epic of Gilgamesh) often reflected in much of our media, so I will try my best to discern what I feel is more overt coding of Gnosticism within any piece on this list. I will also make sure to mention any particular Gnostic movement or sect I am drawing from in the list. However, I will leave it to you to discern whether you find these interpretations valid or not.
Below, I will include a hefty lecture on the origins and cosmology of Gnosticism. If you are so inclined, do watch. It is quite dense but if you want a better grasp on the Gnostic tradition it is a good jump-off.
This list will contain heavy spoilers, so tread carefully if you decide you want to watch anything on this list.
1). Serial Experiments Lain
First up on the list is the 1998 anime series ‘Serial Experiments Lain’ directed by Ryutaro Nakamura, written by Chiaki J. Konaka with character designs by Yoshitake ABe. I feel it is important to mention these three as a unit, as their collaborative efforts often provide deeply contemplative yet unnerving insights into the human condition in relation to space both in the physical as well as the metaphysical. This series follows the meek and awkward 14-year-old Lain Iwakura. Following the recent suicide of a classmate who after being found dead sends a mysterious email telling Lain to leave the material world and join her in “The Wired,” (equivalent to the internet) we are treated to the painfully slow unravelling of an apocalyptic conspiracy.
How does Gnosticism fit into all this? Well, as the series progresses it is clear that Lain is not a normal girl. Eventually, she is revealed to be an anomalous, autonomous, sentient computer program (or rather an incomprehensible entity) discovered within "The Wired" by the series antagonist Masami Eiri, a programmer of the equally villainous Tachibana Corporation. Using their program "Protocol 7" which synced the frequency of "The Wired" to the natural frequency of the Earth, they were capable of isolating Lain in her metaphysical digital/ethereal form, encasing her in reality. Lain has an obvious correlation with Gnostic figure of Sophia, a feminine God form whose hubris (in the case of Lain, her ethereal form transmuting into an anomalous data frequency in "The Wired") would result in her creation of the Demiurge (in the case of Lain, Masami Eiri, who after discovering Lain and entrapping her corporeally, uploaded his consciousness to "The Wired" with the help of "Protocol 7" assuming a "God" status within it in order to manipulate Lain into relinquishing her Godhood.)
The parallels between Lain as a character and Sophia only scratch the surface. There are also allusions to Deanism/Filianism - a modern branch of Gnosticism where Sophia is without a syzygy and is in fact the True God reflected through three distinct aspects. The trinity of Sophia is also reflected in Lain's distinct personalities displayed throughout the show: Lain Iwakura of the Real World (The Holy Daughter), Lain of the Wired (The Bright Mother), and Dark Lain (Dark Mother). This is all very abbreviated but the show provides a wealth of philosophic and esoteric ideas to mull over.
2). The Matrix
The now-iconic film directed by the Wachowski sisters is also packed to the brim with esoteric and philosophic symbolism. The ideas presented in this film are done so in a much more palatable way. An existential crisis that is far more digestible than the like of Serial Experiments Lain. The way in which this film draws from particular spiritual traditions is also more on the nose, making its meta-narrative far easier to decode if you're paying attention.
Throughout the film, key characters are challenged by the three poisons responsible for the turning of the wheel of Samsara. The concept of Samsara stems from the Buddhist tradition and has since been integrated into the "Universal Gnosticism" movement by its founder Samael Aun Weor. The poisons include Ignorance, Craving and Aversion. In Gnosticism, these can be better understood as consciousness devoid of gnosis, material desire (materiality being a prison of the Divine Spark - remnants of Sophia) and an avoidance of the "Truth". This is most notable in the character arcs of both Neo, played by Keanu Reeves and Cypher, played by Joe Pantoliano. Both characters successfully nullify Ignorance by taking the red pill, reinvigorating their spirit with gnosis and are thus saved from the Matrix. Where these characters diverge is in their actions outside of the Matrix. Where Neo, with the help of Morpheus, played by Laurence Fishburne, learns to overcome his material desire by realising the fallacy of his so-called "reality," Cypher fails to overcome both poisons as his aversions of the "Truth" that his reality is one of enslavement sees him embracing the need for material desire, only wanting to be reintegrated into the Matrix and have all gnosis stripped from his consciousness. I feel Neo nullifies Aversion, in his final interaction with Trinity, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, where she shares her conversation with the Oracle stating that she will fall in love with "The One" (Neo is "The One" fyi). His anxiety with facing this destiny and his aversion of the "Truth" is overcome as he has one final standoff with Agent Smith. Awakening the fullness of consciousness, Neo is then capable to bend the Matrix to his whim.
The more obvious parallels to Gnosticism lie in the Matrix being the false law-like materiality created by the machines in order to harvest and enslave humanity. Yaldabaoth = Machines. The Matrix = Materiality/Kenoma. Neo = Gnostic Jesus. Also, for anyone who does already know the Platonian "Allegory of the Cave" this film explores, and Platonism was hugely influential in the development of Gnosticism. Again, just a load of ideas to be found throughout this film.
3). Ghost in the Shell
Mamoru Ishii's 1995 cyberpunk classic has proven influential to many films. 'The Matrix' is one such film. In that sense, the esoteric/philosophic ideas or questions posed would very much cover familiar ground. Luckily, though both films are concerned with the attainment of gnosis in order to transcend reality, they explore this differently and both to different ends.
What I found most interesting is the final synthesis of the Puppetmaster and Motoko Kusanagi after the film's climax. Major Kusanagi spends the good part of the film lamenting the nature of her humanity. The Puppetmaster, on the other hand, is an autonomous, sentient computer program who wishes to experience the evolutionary processes of death and rebirth. In Gnostic cosmology, the first emanations of God include the Pronoia and the Protennoia - The "Forethought" and the "First Thought." These emanations exist in syzygy with one another and through union birth the emanation Epinoia or the "luminous afterthought." Pronoia, the "Forethought" is intangible, invisible and an embodiment of liminality. Protennoia, the "First Thought" is tangible, the product of forethought, all voices and knowledge incarnate. The Puppetmaster, Major Kusanagi and their final synthesized state are reflective of these emanations. Though not exactly possessing all the emanations quality, the Puppetmaster, the Pronoia is a formless program and cryptic where Kusanagi, the Pretonnoia is awake, consciously aware of the parameters marking her existence. Their union create a new form, the Epinoia to whom all mysteries are revealed. I feel this more explicit in the child cyborg body Kusanagi wakes in during the final scene of the film.
The Cartesian notion that our senses are not entirely trustworthy, that we must use deduction to discern the true nature of reality is also important to note. This dichotomy of the body and the mind reinforces the Gnostic idea of the physical being a prison for divinity. Rene Descartes' philosophy is also abundant throughout the content of this list.
4). Blade Runner
I really love how despite the secularist nature of sci-fi, spirituality or occultism always seems inevitable in the decoding of its narratives. Maybe, it is because sci-fi mostly defamiliarises our experiences with our current present before handing it back to us in a freakish bionic heap. Blade Runner does this and it's a lot of fun.
The most enigmatic character, Roy Batty, is a "replicant" - in the world of Blade Runner, a cyborg made by humans to serve as the slave caste. He leads a rag-tag bunch of replicants from the off-worlds onto Earth in order to extend their lives and gain freedom. Roy Batty is a twisted reimagining of the Gnostic saviour and redeemer. If the film's allusions to him and Jesus Christ were not obvious enough. Understand that in Gnostic traditions the role of Jesus Christ isn't fulfilled through an ultimate sacrifice but rather through the unlocking of gnosis and freedom of Sophia within mankind. Despite Roy Batty "sacrificing" himself and saving Deckard, his final monologue does more to unlock the gnosis within Deckard. Something that is given more intrigue with the theory that Deckard himself is a replicant. The replicants and their limited 4-year life-span are analogous of mankind's ephemeral existence compared to the Pleroma where all beings are eternal. The certainty of death propels Roy Batty to seek out his Demiurge, Dr Tyrell, who upon realising that he is incapable of granting a longer life, kills him. Where humanity realises that their Demiurge is in denial of their divinity through gnosis, Roy Batty realises that humanity is incapable of acknowledging his humanity through the same means. This would be a much longer entry if I had to go through every scene in this film that draws analogies from occultic/spiritual traditions, so I'll leave it at this.
I will say that there is another central figure Roy Batty embodies and that is Lucifer/Prometheus who is instrumental to the unlocking of gnosis. I'll leave this for whoever wants to jump down that rabbit hole. Below is Roy Batty's iconic final monologue.
5). Neon Genesis Evangelion
Now, this show has one of the best opening songs of all time and though the lyrics convey Shinji's character and his cruel fate, the song itself is upbeat and funky. That aside, this anime, directed by Hideaki Anno, is a doozy. Chock full of symbolism with the most confusing final episode, it is gargantuan in the questions it poses. This may be due to Hideaki Anno's battle with depression during its creation.
The world of Evangelion is post-apocalyptic existing in the aftermath of a cataclysmic event known as the Second Impact. As its name would suggest, there have been two Impacts that have ravaged the Earth. The cosmology of this world involves God-like aliens known as "The First Ancestral Race," and their creation of the entities Adam and Lilith - the Seeds of Life. These entities were encased in gigantic celestial bodies known as Eggs, the celestial bodies also housed a Spear of Longinus within them before being sent into orbit. The Spear of Longinus served as a tool to subdue the entities should they inhabit the same planet or deviate from the intent of the "The First Ancestral Race". Planets that the Egg of Adam collided with would populate its surface with "Angels," the show's Lovecraftian antagonists, whilst the Egg of Lilith would populate whatever planet it collided with life much like our own. Earth experiences a collision from both these Eggs resulting in the First Impact, destroys Lilith's Spear of Longinus. Adam's spear subdues Angels from populating the Earth, allowing Lilith to create life instead. Remember that this is only the shows cosmology and doesn't actually cover anything on the actual show itself, but this is more than enough (if you've been following the list closely) to find parallels between Gnosticism in. Lilith representing Sophia's descent into materiality and Adamas the perfect androgynous ethereal form of humanity represented by Adam. Humanity and Angels alike possess an AT Field, which for the Angels manifest in the invisible barriers that protect them during contact whilst in humanity manifests as their individual egos. The will of the Angels is to be reunified in oneness(Pleroma) with their metaphysical Father(Adam) and Mother(Lilith). This is the same will carried by the organisation "SEELE" and Shinji's father Gendo.
Again, this is incredibly abbreviated and doesn't even cover the characters and their arcs in parallel with Gnostic tradition, but this will have to do. I suggest watching the show and reading up on the Nag Hammadi text for more context. I included a clip of the Third Impact in the English dub because I've always found the voices of Makoto and Shigeru hilarious.
6). Prometheus
Whoop! It's another Ridley Scott film. Does this director have a knack for including the occult in his work, well given that a lot of his filmography seem to, I'd say yes (except for Exodus: Gods and Kings. We don't speak about that one). Prometheus is a prequel to the iconic Alien series and answers the question (at least in the Alien universe), where do we come from and who/what made us? The name of the film alone is enough to clue audiences in on the story's trajectory and its esoteric influence.
Prometheus, a Titan from the Greek pantheon of deities, is most well-known for gifting mankind with fire, that which he had stolen from the Gods'. He is also credited with the creation of mankind, shaping the first woman, Pandora, out of clay. In Gnostic traditions, Prometheus is synonymous with Lucifer - who in the Gnostic tradition is deployed by the Pleroma to thwart the Demiurge's machinations. The fire from the Gods' is synonymous with Gnosis and the Gods synonymous with Yaldabaoth - The Demiurge. The film sees the procession of creation/Kenoma repeated over several generations from the black goo to the Engineers to humanity to androids to Xenomorphs. The black goo, I've decided to interpret as the Pleroma as, in concept, it is ineffable. The black goo has properties that are inconceivable by human standards and their efforts to understand it result in their demise. This parallels the Gnostic epic of Sophia, who in an effort to comprehend the Pleroma through thought inadvertently falls from the Pleroma and is split. Her remnants scattered within the creations of the Demiurge. Who is Prometheus in this film though? Well, I guess the most obvious answer would be the Engineers, however, I think it is it humanity too, what with the creation of androids, who themselves are sentient.
I actually haven't watched this movie in a while and a lot of these themes are expanding upon in its sequel, Alien: Covenant.
7). Haibane Renmei
Whoop! It's another Yoshitake ABe work. This anime series was adapted from a doujinshi made by the illustrator and follows the lives of the Haibane, winged people who've emerged from a cocoon order to mitigate the pain of their past lives and move on. Yoshitake ABe, like Ridley Scott, has a knack for imbuing his works with esoteric knowledge. This series is nowhere near as intense as the others on the list, but it still has its moments. I've included one of them below.
The Haibane emerge from their cocoons into The Old Home, a tranquil homestead on the outskirts of a pastoral European style village named Glie. They are assigned names based on the dream they have during their time within the cocoon. This dream also is the last recollection of their past lives, and its deciphering is the key to their ascension. An organisation named "Haibane Renmei" fashions their halos before the emergence of their wings and enforces rules that all Haibane must abide by. If the Haibane fail to decipher their cocoon dream or breaks the rules enforced, they become sin-bound. Their blackened wings signify this status. If they remain sin-bound for too long and miss their time window to ascend they lose their wings and are banished to live out their days alone. The concept of sin in the series parallels that of Gnosticism, where sin stems from ignorance instead of evil in the traditional sense. The sin-bound state of the Haibane is no different from the human poisoned by Ignorance who is devoid of gnosis. This gnosis - or in the Haibane's case, the meaning of their cocoon dream is the answer for their ascension.
This is a nice contemplative series to watch with tea and some biscuits. In the same way, the Matrix is an existential crisis made palatable and packaged as a Hollywood blockbuster, Haibane Renmei is a soft reminder of the symbolism that dominates our perceivable world. Everything in this series can be counted as symbolism, both to build the world of the Haibane and their character and our own reality.
8). Snowpiercer
From the Oscar-winning Bong Jong-Ho, comes a sci-fi action film adapted from the graphic novel "Le Transperceneige" by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette. It stars a lot of great actors, but by far my most favourite performance in this film comes from Tilda Swinton as Minister Mason. It's also nice to watch a Hollywood blockbuster made by an "outsider," it just feels fresh and different.
The film takes place aboard the titular "Snowpiercer," a locomotive that houses what remains of humanity after an attempt to regulate climate change backfires. The locomotive circumnavigates a globe left in a perpetual ice age. We are introduced to life inside the locomotive where the poor are segregated to its tail end whilst the elite inhabit its front carriages. The film then follows Curtis, played by Chris Evans, who by the urging of Gilliam, an elderly member of the tail-end, leads an uprising against the locomotive's creator Wilford, played by Ed Harris, and the elite. As he furthers on his journey to the front of the locomotive we are introduced to different sets of carriages which are worlds within themselves. This journey parallels that of the Gnostic ascension to the Pleroma, with each "world" within the Snowpiercer representing the domains of the Archons - the celestial entourage (Archons are assigned to the 7 classical planets and each embodies 1 of the 7 deadly sins, these deadly sins are also reflected in the carriage worlds of the elite) of Yaldabaoth who confronts the soul with negative aspects to challenge their new-found gnosis. If the soul fails to overcome the Archon they are forced into the cycle of reincarnation, or in the case of the film, to the tail end of the locomotive. Children within the film seem to represent the Divine Spark - remnants of Sophia. The children run the train unbeknownst to Curtis, who then decides to reject the offer to succeed as the ruler of the Snowpiercer and sacrifices himself, in turn derailing the locomotive. The children are freed from the materiality of the locomotive.
I feel like I've said this far a lot, but this is very abbreviated and I'm sure there is plenty of similar analysis' online. If you haven't seen this film, I suggest you do. Yes, its sensibilities are a little out the gate but its depth is quite rewarding. And Tilda Swinton.
9). Moana
Disney's take on the Pacific is interesting, to say the least. I appreciate it as a form of representation, giving the younger P.I something they feel reflected through. However, I do, in a twisted way, look forward to the diatribes to come from this generation as they realise the Frankenstein enmeshment that is Moana's world. It is definitely a narrative step-up from Frozen in my opinion, so at least it has that going for it. Also, my niece is a big fan.
But, how can a film like Moana contain Gnostic themes? A children's film no less. Well, if you're not aware a lot of Oceanic mythology has a tendency to be pretty metal. Seldom do their legends come with a happy ending. That aside, the twist villain of the film is in my opinion (in no way was there any intention of this) an interesting interpretation of Sophia and her divergent forms post-creation. In some sects of Gnosticism, Sophia is not responsible for the creation of Yaldabaoth and materiality but rather her daughter, birthed through her singular thought rather than through syzygy with a celestial counterpart. This unnatural birth through thought - this being to comprehend the Pleroma, which is ineffable, in its entirety - would result in Achamoth than further the Demiurge and the physical universe. In Sophian Fillianistic tradition, Achamoth is one of the three aspects of the Sophia and represents the Holy Daughter/The First Maiden. She is who becomes trapped in materiality, while her mother Sophia resides in between the Kenoma and the Pleroma. On the boundary of the Kenoma, Sophia embodies the Dark Mother. On the boundary of the Pleroma, she embodies the Bright Mother. In the context of this film, Moana embodies the Holy Daughter whilst Te Fiti/Te Ka embodies Sophia's dual forms. Gnosis comes in the form of the heart of Te Fiti, which sees Moana and Te Fiti come face-to-face. The reunification and reintegration (in the case of Te-Ka reverting to her original form) of the aspects of Sophia.
This is a cute film. Maybe, if I didn't have my reservations with Disney, especially in them becoming a domineering conglomerate that is widely seizing control over media, I'd be able to enjoy it more. This film makes my niece sing though, so it is on this list.
10). Tag
Now, finally, for the last item on this list, I have the Japanese film "Tag," directed by Sion Sono who was inspired by the novel "Riaru Onigokko," written by Yusuke Yamada. Admittedly this film is rather light on the Gnostic themes but I nonetheless feel like it draws from the tradition in a cool way.
Mitsuko, played by Reina Triendl (better known as a commentator on the reality show "Terrace House." Watch Terrace House, it's good.) finds herself trapped in a set of realities where everyone meets a gruesome end. It is eventually revealed that she and all her friends who appear in these multiple realities with her are all consciousness' of real girls harvested by an old male acquaintance who coded them into a video game to fulfil his twisted fantasies. The old male acquaintance - an old classmate with an unrequited love for Mitsuko acts as this world's Demiurge. Mitsuko is an interesting take on Sophia, who throughout the film is oblivious to why everything is happening despite the other girls in the video game knowing that she is the cause of their suffering. She is the last to gain gnosis and proceeds to act outside of the storylines she is assigned in the video game realities before waking up in a bed of snow - what I think is a representation of the Pleroma.
This film is out the gate and I really hope more people watch it. If you haven't already.
And that concludes this list. I hope you gained some new tidbits of knowledge and found any of the entries on this list interesting enough to check out. Again, you're free to reject any of these interpretations. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoyed the read.
References:
Ghost in the Shell (1995) Opening. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsIQ_kA77b4
Haibane Renmei ~ Rakka gets her wings Hd. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_FJicGd1RI
Moana Restores the Heart 1080p Hd. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4QuKwfv6Wk
Neo Wakes Up in the Real World Scene | The Matrix (1999) Movie Clip 4K. (2019). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOdOF_x-VSA&t=47s
Prometheus - Alternate Opening Sequence. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNm2AvrkE4w
Serial Experiments Lain 01 [Bd] English subtitled. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8nbEGDR4Yg
Snowpiercer (2013): Mason's Speech. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_47ph6EvQPU
Tears in the Rain - Blade Runner (9/10) Movie Clip (1982) Hd. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU7Ga7qTLDU
The Chasing World Trailer (2015). (2015). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aylZ5oS-PY
The End of Evangelion: The Third Impact (Original English Dub). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQaafNForNs
TV Tokyo. (1995, October 4). Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Warner Bros. (1982). Blade Runner.
Shochiku. (1995). Ghost in the Shell.
TV Tokyo. (1998, July 6). Serial Experiments Lain.
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. (2016). Moana.
20th Century Fox. (2012). Prometheus.
CJ Entertainment. (2013). Snowpiercer.
Shochiku. (2015). Tag.
Warner Bros. Pictures. (1999). The Matrix.
Fuji TV. (2002, October 9). Haibane Renmei.
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