Review of Crowley (1987) by Necro — 23 Feb 2010

Synopsis: Aleister Crowley's soul is inserted in the body of a college professor, who knew Crowley as a youth, during a virtual reality experiment gone awry. Crowley then proceeds to make sure he is reborn with his occult knowledge into a new body.

PROS.

The actor playing Crowley (Simon Callow) is a revelation.

Good Cinematography.

CONS.

Low-Budget.

Hokey Story.

Weak Performances.

Forced Iron Maiden.

Final Analysis: Bruce Dickinson, lead singer of Iron Maiden, wrote this. While I appreciate Iron Maiden's musical endeavors, I don't care if they make movies. I got this because, as will become more abundantly clear, I am interested by the supernatural and the occult, observationally only. Aleister Crowley is a gargantuan figure in that world. So, this movie piqued my curiosity. A film about Crowley could go several different avenues, I know that originally this was to be a period piece, but the budget to do that and pull it off couldn't be secured. They brought Crowley in to the modern world and when, and only when, Crowley, is on the screen, this movie is captivating. The actor playing Crowley, Simon Callow, delivers an amazingly staggering performance, fearless and uninhibited. Oscar Worthy. They demonstrate the perversity of Crowley well. Its a shame such a good performance is lost in such rudimentary story and convoluted narrative. The 40% really is just because of Simon Callow, everyone else couldn't act.

NOT TOO GOOD.