Born of Fire (1987) Online

Unusual and violent activity is observed on the surface of the sun during an eclipse. A dormant volcano erupts in Turkey. A musician (Peter Firth) is haunted by a strange melody. These are the starting points of what turns out to be a surrealist journey into arabic mythology.

After meeting an astronomer (Suzan Crowley) who observed the strange activity on the sun, Firth visits his mother on her deathbed. She tells him of the Master Musician, a mysterious being living in Turkey, where his father, also a musician, died a long time ago.

Firth takes off for Turkey, to face the demons of his father's past and find this mythical Master Musician. His trip takes us deep into the heart of arabic mythology, into a world inhabited by Djinns and Shaytans, respectively born of Air and Fire. He will learn many things about his father's life that will bring him to the brink of insanity.

Directed by Jamil Dehlavi and filmed on location in Turkey, the cinematography of this film is so gorgeous you could watch it with the sound off. The plot isn't so important as the powerful symbology of the imagery (for example, the eclipse is represented by a skull covering the sun). It must be said that the director does very little to explain the many references to the mythology. But this isn't a weakness as it sent me on my own quest to find out more about it.

Not for the impatient viewer looking for a cheap thrill, but definitely recommended for the serious viewer seeking a heightened adventure into the surreal.

This movie had the honor of being the world's first and only Islamic horror movie. Horror films I've seen from Pakistan and other Muslim countries were little more than rip-offs of Western horror. But this one delves into Islamic mysticism. We are taken into the world of the Djinn (spirits) and Shaytan (devils). Quotes from the Qur'an and Sufi poet / master Jallaludin Rumi and "dhikr" (rememberence / chants) by Bilal the Muezzin change the total feel of this movie to one that, unlike Western horror movies, owes nothing to the Christian tradition. There were some flaws. Some of the symbolism got a little strange and obscure, and baffling inserts made some of the editing a bit amateurish. But all in all its a good movie. Perhaps some other director will make a movie that shows the essence of Islamic spirituality.

Unusual and violent activity is observed on the surface of the sun during an eclipse. A dormant volcano erupts in Turkey. A musician (Peter Firth) is haunted by a strange melody. These are the starting points of what turns out to be a surrealist journey into Arabic mythology.

After meeting an astronomer (Suzan Crowley) who observed the strange activity on the sun, Firth visits his mother on her deathbed. She tells him of the Master Musician, a mysterious being living in Turkey, where his father, also a musician, died a long time ago.

Firth takes off for Turkey, to face the demons of his father's past and find this mythical Master Musician. His trip takes us deep into the heart of arabic mythology, into a world inhabited by Djinns and Shaytans, respectively born of Air and Fire. He will learn many things about his father's life that will bring him to the brink of insanity.

Directed by Jamil Dehlavi and filmed on location in Turkey, the cinematography of this film is so gorgeous you could watch it with the sound off. The plot isn't so important as the powerful symbology of the imagery (for example, the eclipse is represented by a skull covering the sun). It must be said that the director does very little to explain the many references to the mythology. But this isn't a weakness as it sent me on my own quest to find out more about it.

Not for the impatient viewer looking for a cheap thrill, but definitely recommended for the serious viewer seeking a heightened adventure into the surreal.

First the good ... The landscapes and architecture in the film are absolutely beautiful which makes it all the sadder that nothing was made of them This folly ( of the uninteresting kind ) plays out like a flat episode of 1980s Doctor Who ... Peter Firth does his best with what he has to work with, but with a director that obviously hasn't got a clue he isn't able to salvage anything. The story and script may well have come from a really interesting source but the writing and assembly is completely incompetent Somebody mentioned that it could be played and appreciated silent ... I think they are right ... It would be more worthwhile silent as it would seem like there was a possibility of something good going one here Oh and the lead actress ... Well ... It seems like she may have just stepped out of "Acting for television - 1 " ... Abysmal The little man however was fabulous

Born of Fire (1983) is pushed as being an "Islamic horror movie" but it has nothing to do with horror. Far from it, it's more of an opaque, religious/surrealist art film. What it is, is a metaphorical journey that examines the duality of good and evil in man.

A Flautist (Peter Firth) is having dreams of the end of the earth, he meets up with a bewildering astronomer (Suzan Crowley) who predicts the eruption of fire that will destroy the earth.

The locations in Turkey resemble some far away planet, complete with odd caves and strange mountains formed by wind and water. There's not much dialog, which helps tremendously in the amorphous and obscure details.

The Master Musician fills in as a tempter or crudely, a "devil", who lives in a fire cave underground. Nabil Shaban as The Silent One is an interesting character, as he is deformed but kind at heart.

The scenes have a strange artistic merit, especially to note is a skull transposed over a bleak moon. The film is along the lines of Alejandro Jodorowsky (The Holy Mountain (1973), El topo (1970)), Andrzej Zulawski (Na srebrnym globie (1988) On the Silver Globe (USA)) and Federico Fellini (Satyricon (1969)).

I didn't like the quotes from the Koran towards the end, as they diminish the enigmatical nature and reduce the ending to religious determinism. Other than that this is a unique and beautiful film.