The Wormwood Star

I'm a big fan of director Curtis Harrington, who specialized in weird, stylized, and downbeat films. Knowing virtually nothing about the subject of this short, an obscure artist named Marjorie Cameron, I found myself wondering what the hell Harrington was trying to achieve here. There's no plot, merely a few lingering shots of Cameron, a beatnik/occult poetry recital/score, and endless meandering shots of her soon-to-be-destroyed canvases. What you can see of Cameron's artwork was undeniably beautiful - but the roving camera obfuscated the full view of most of the paintings and the dialogue was merely psychobabble (heavy emphasis on the first syllable).

It's wonderful that the film has survived and is in such great shape, so for fans of Cameron who are watching it in the proper context, I'm sure this obscure little avant-garde film is a must-see, but as a fan of Harrington... well, I got infinitely more enjoyment out of his later (reluctant and half-assed) directorial efforts on craptastic '70s & '80s Aaron Spelling TV shows like "Charlie's Angels" and "Dynasty." The rest of his early shorts are awesomely offbeat and visceral but this one was too unstructured and, quite frankly, tedious for my tastes.

This one is even harder to categorize: essentially a documentary revolving around obscure artist Marjorie Cameron, who apparently inhabited the same social circles as notorious mystical figures Aleister Crowley and L. Ron Hubbard. The appealingly-coloured film basically incorporates (and alternates between) casual footage of the evidently eccentric lady, her stylized canvases (many of which she would reportedly destroy herself not long after!), and a few choice (albeit unidentified) poetic ruminations spoken in voice-over by the subject of the piece – all of which is accompanied by a surprisingly (but, under the circumstances, not incongruously) grandiose score! Needless to say, some knowledge of the cultural scene being depicted is required for full appreciation.

Marjorie Cameron -- credited simply as "Cameron" -- recites poetry and exhibits some of her colored drawings in this short film by Curtis Harrington.

Cameron was one of those individuals around the fringe of Hollywood, with occasional small movie roles, and offering some sort of art-filled counterpoint. Given the drawings and the poetry, She looks to be a competent artist, whose drawings remind me of Aubrey Beardsley, albeit without the overtly sexual component, and whose poetry suggests a similar era and mindset.

This was the same year that Harrington got "real" work in Hollywood, as an assistant to a producer on THE HARDER THEY FALL. Foot in the door, he became a successful, if minor player.

Occult symbols, mystical poetry, beautiful artwork, and foreboding music. With great economy, Curtis Harrington, paints a portrait of the artist Marjorie Cameron. There is a seeking for truth in the universe and the truth within oneself here, and Cameron's gaze into the mirror and at the viewer is piercing.

My transcription of the poetry; I loved how Harrington matched its verses and tone with what he was putting on the screen:

Seven times I rap upon the mighty door of the subterranean vault - open, open!

I stand without in the drafty and damp corridor that approaches thy lair.

Seven times resound my summons on the stony door and the dead stern caves and cursed the midnight hour.

Come thou forth, I bear a lamp for this terrible darkness, thou shall behold that face known in dreams.

Mine eyes are terrible and strange, but thou knowest me.

Behold my garments are of rich cloth and I bear the air of a land of bounty beyond the sea.

Come forth, thou art in the shadow of the light I bear, and thy garments reek of the dead and the sun misplaced.

We shall ascend the stair that is fraught with unwholesome things.

The stone rolls before me, and into the blazing vault of the night of nights, we go forth as Light.

Dark Star, I seek you in all the endless rooms of the universe.

I have entered the maze of chaos and searched the promise of no end and no fulfillment.

But I have seen your helmeted head flashing gold from all the bloody triumphs and sunsets of the world.

I have heard your voice singing lonely songs of desire in the whirlwind.

I remember the artistry of fingers that held the rose in wonder.

Your musical throat sounding the hymn of love seeking since the birth in the crashing star nebulae.

Singing limbs of muscle and star-foam pursued and pursuing.

Radiant Warrior, how long?

Beloved God, how long?

How long, how long?

The Wormwood Star (1956)

** (out of 4)

Have you heard of artist Marjorie Cameron? If not then you'd think watching this documentary from Curtis Harrington would help you learn more about her but that's certainly not the case as this nine minute short is quite confused on what it's actually trying to do. The film offers up a very good and captivating music score and there's a little narration but the majority of the running time is dedicated to various images, which I'm going to guess are the work of the subject. The camera slowly pans in and out on these images throughout the running time. Yes, that's pretty much all that happens in this film that manages to be rather boring considering its short running time. There's really nothing bad here but at the same time there's certainly nothing good enough to make you want to recommend this to anyone other than the director's die hard fans who must see everything that he did.