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Title: The Story Behind Manly P. Hall’s ‘The Secret Teachings of all Ages’
Runtime: 5 min
Country: USA
Director: Jessica Hundley & Maximilla Lukacs
Placement: Honorable Mention
Competition: June, 2023
Synopsis: The Secret Teachings of all Ages: Discover the story behind Manly Palmer Hall’s magnum opus.
Renowned philosopher and lecturer Manly P. Hall’s The Secret Teachings of all Ages, a masterful encyclopedia of ancient symbols, hidden rituals, and arcane practices has remained a classic since first published in 1928. Hall’s densely detailed writings explore topics ranging from Hermeticism to Tarot, each chapter is accompanied by the vivid illustrations of artist J. Augustus Knapp and by Mihran Serailian, each taking their own unique approach to nearly 60 artworks depicting occult subject matter. The initial concept for what became known as Hall’s “Great Book”, first began in 1923 when the young Los Angeles-based orator began a months-long trip around the globe. Circumnavigating by ship, Hall visited Egypt, China and India, immersing himself in the philosophical and religious history of each country. Upon his return he spent the next seven years penning his massive compendium of philosophy and myth. Nearly a century after its release, this iconic masterwork has been reproduced for the first time from the rare and extravagant original edition.
This meticulously-restored version of Hall’s “Great Book” is also accompanied by an expansive companion book, featuring condensed summaries of each chapter of The Secret Teachings, alongside newly-discovered artworks, and rare photography from Hall’s archives at the Philosophical Research Society, the library and campus he founded in Los Angeles in 1935.