The members of Temple of Athene Lodge No 9541 met on Monday 9th December to hear a talk given by W. Bro Andrew Farleigh ProvGLDO (Middx), SLGR, SLGCR, MetAGInsp, which everybody found extremely interesting. His talk discussed freemasonry as it has featured in the cinema since 1915 and even possibly earlier.
In this entertaining lecture, he highlighted about twenty-two films and TV programmes that featured Freemasonry. There was plenty of Masonic imagery on show – and several movie/TV clips that were shown and for those who were familiar with them were still a source of amazement. Andrew demonstrated that Masonic symbols are also to be found in clear view in a major animated film and how Masonry achieved “product placement” status on the big screen. Indeed, in the late 1950s there was a tv series called Robin Hood starring Richard Greene. In one episode there was an amazing revelation about freemasonry which strictly was way ahead of its time possibly, certainly in English freemasonry and at the time. The following clip is a treat to behold:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KjlHzbvIcc – Robin Hood and Speculative Freemasonry. Watch to the end. (This is a YouTube Clip, and you may need to skip the ad).
This episode was televised recently on SKY Channel 328 (Talking Pictures)
He also disclosed that there was a “Hidden Masonic Temple” in the heart of London that has shown cult horror movies. This is the Temple at the Andaz Hotel which was built around 1912. It was at one time a regular meeting place for freemasons under the auspices of the Great Eastern Hotel, Liverpool Street – https://www.hyatt.com/andaz/longe-andaz-london-liverpool-street/weddings/the-masonic-temple It is possibly the most wonderful masonic venue ever, certainly in the UK.
Andrew explained how Freemasons Hall has generated significant revenue from the film industry and how our iconic headquarters has featured in quite a number of blockbuster films. You’ll see the vestibule outside the Grand Temple fully featured and even see the inside of Temple Number 10.
This was a light-hearted and easy-to-hear lecture with plenty of visual stimulus and entertainment value. If you are looking for a lecture that really entertains and educates – this is the one.
The lecture was supported by a fully illustrated PowerPoint presentation.
The Following links will provide the back ground stories to the particular films with masonic imagery and storyline.
https://www.thesquaremagazine.com/mag/article/045-lights-camera-brotherhood-freemasonry-in-movies/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Treasure_(film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_Hell_(film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Would_Be_King_(film)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047094/ Hobsons Choice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sons_of_the_Desert alludes to a quasi-masonic type of Institution – Sons of the Desert.
