Movies and Astrology: The Artist (2011)
In the vein of the topic raised in the article ‘Filmed in the Stars: Part 1 and Part 2’, I would like to have a look at the contemporary silent part-talkie movie The Artist (2011) and the the energies depicted in it. For, those energies are the ones of a new era that will prevail starting from 21st December 2020. I’m talking about the energies of the three astrological air signs: Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra.
Firstly, The Artist (2011) is a great movie. Since, to tell a story without a single spoken word is an art in itself. The art that, to my mind, every screenwriting artist should master. It is easy enough to create a string of dialogues, like Aaron Sorkin does, and call it a story. We are so used to the sound in movies that we think saying something, anything, is already telling a story. But, the dialogues alone as well as accompanying sound e.g. music do not happen out of context and setting. Context together with the setting is what matters most, not ‘rattling’ around and about. Thus, telling a story without dialogues constitutes being a genius.
Standing out of the crowd and being unique is a theme of Aquarius astrological sign. Being in the flow with Aquarius energy means to stand out with your personality, talents, and unique ways of doing things. For example, if everyone makes movies full of dialogues, then make a silent movie; if everyone makes movies full of action and computerised effects then make a movie focusing on the psychological side of the story, setting it in a stunning real life environment; if everyone makes movies about being like everyone else and fitting in then make a movie about an attractive genius misfit. And so on.
Apart from being unique in its format (Aquarius energies), The Artist (2011) movie also utilizes in its plot and visual presentation the energies of the two other air signs, Libra and Gemini.
Gemini stands for communication, finding your voice, expressing yourself, writing and singing. One of the movie’s main characters, Peppy Miller, finds herself photographed next to a silent movie star, George Valentin. The photograph makes it to the front of the newspaper ‘Variety’ and marks the beginning of her career. Now, newspapers, journalists, and news are the themes of the Gemini astrological sign. As well as communication and finding your voice. Being a silent movie, the theme of voice in The Artist (2011) is expressed in its industry setting - switching from silent era movie making to sound era movie making and being flexible with this technological advancement. Peppy Miller welcomes the change and becomes a star. But George Valentin resists it and his career goes down the hill. It is also important to note that he is a star of the silent era and thus does not have yet a voice. He has first to find it. Whereas, Peppy Miller has her unique voice figured out already.
Before George Valentin finds his place in a new era of sound making movies, he loses all his material possessions such as house and everything in it, and his money (Taurus theme), and his job in the film making studio (Virgo theme). What he had to part with belongs to the energies of the earth signs – Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo – that will go out of focus this coming December 2020.
When Peppy Miller anonymously buys at the auction the personal effects of George Valentin, she does it not to accumulate wealth but to help him out. Having risen to the highest of success herself, she remains indifferent to possessions but interested in love and comradery, remaining a humane humanist. Humanistic values are the values favoured by Libra sign.
Another element that is attributed to Libra energies is style and elegance. The Artist (2011) is not only an elegantly filmed movie which is a pleasure to watch but it also has stylish fashions of 1920s.
In order to find his voice and go with the new flow George Valentin has to switch to a different frame of mind and embrace technological advancement, communication, collaboration, and speaking his truth out. Collaborating is yet another Libra theme. Working in a team with beautiful and unique people in a harmonious environment and finding a consensus and a compromise while creating a positive change with technological advancements is what the new coming energies are about. And The Artist (2011) expresses it all perfectly.