"The Angel" and the Future of LDS Cinema

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

… while he was hovering above the water? I was thinking that this angel being more game-theory savvy than his peers might have used the water barrier to sneak his message in before the women had a chance to use the test.

“I, the Lord, have decreed, and the destroyer rideth upon the face [of the waters], and I revoke not the decree.”

It’s possible the writers gave us a ‘deep lore’ hint by having the apparition appear and hover over the waters, ha.

[Limnor]

So perhaps the handshake test isn't so ridiculous after all, and once again something profound comes out of Chapel Mormonism whereas Internet Mormonism fails to get on the board. For the typical biased thinker, there is a huge risk in using the test before hearing what the messenger has to say. But once you hear the message, the psychological fortitude required to use the test has only increased, as no doubt, the angel will exploit your weaknesses. How many Utah Mormons upon attempting to shake hands with a sitting president and if they should feel nothing, would ever change their mind?

So it goes: “God told me you are destined to become a king and a god. Shake my hand if you doubt me.” ?

[Tom]

The Salt Lake Tribune published an article on the film: https://tinyurl.com/eyx7mwtx (spoiler alert)

Just a couple of (hopefully) spoiler-free observations:

The story takes place somewhere in the Utah Territories in 1881.

The rhythm of the sparse conversation between the husband and his wives is a little bit King Jamesy and Quaker-like – typical of that genre of stories in the 19th century.

Wife Number 1 appears to be the prettier of the two, with olive skin and dark eyes. Personality-wise, she seems to be stronger and more assured than her plainer, fair-skinned sister wife (who is also happens to be pregnant.)

The husband is of the rugged variety. Unfortunately, he has no issues with a public display of affection that clearly favors Wife Number 1. This is as obvious to the viewer as it would have been for the spirit who directs Human Resources from his preternatural jumbotron. The husband is not long for retribution.

Wife Number 1 laments to her sister wife that it might be better if they all move back East, where there “is more water and less barbarism.”

Of the books on the shelf of their tiny cottage, the one that can clearly be identified upon pausing is “The Stories of A. Conan Doyle.” Doyle was a Scotsman and a Catholic who eventually turned towards spiritualism in his declining years. His first book, “A Study in Scarlet,” which first introduced Sherlock Holmes to the world, dealt with the Mormons and polygamy and the Danites – 'The Avenging Angels.' However, it came out in 1887, six years after this story takes place. (Uncertain if Doyle had any published works before that.)

In their cottage is also a painting of Joseph Smith kneeling down before an angel.

The Angel in the story appears to be associated with water. He’s also wearing what looks like a gray apron. The outline of it is indistinct. My eyes are shot so I was unable to tell whether the gray is the natural color of the fabric or whether it might be a black apron overlaid with a thinner white outer garment.

Wife Number 2 is reading from The Book of Commandments, Chapter 129, “Three Grand Keys by which Good or Bad Angels or Spirits may be Known.”

At night, Wife Number 1, after glancing at an empty cradle prepared for the future child of Wife Number 2, opens a trunk. At first, one sees what appears to be a weathered, green grimoire with a gold leaf, 6-pointed star on the cover. From it, she takes out a newspaper, “The Anti-Polygamy Standard,” dated sometime in 1881.

Given the time limits, I thought that this was a charming little story with high production values. Being so heavily Mormon-coded may be a feature rather than a bug for a wider audience. It adds to the mystery.

I appreciate the good observations. I noticed that the first wife’s reflection literally replaces the image of the angel in the painting when she walks in. The second wife’s reflection takes the place of the image of Joseph Smith in the painting. The first wife seems to play an angelic role by delivering a message to the second wife.

The painting (lithograph?) is an anachronism. It’s dated to 1886.

[malkie]

Is it just me, or does the Jesus figure angel seem to have disproportionately small feet and head?

[Tom]

There’s also something unusual about Moroni’s right forearm. It looks like he’s been injecting oil between annual visits to Joseph.

Christensen studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, but his style seems to have naïve or primitive or folk tones.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

There’s also something unusual about Moroni’s right forearm. It looks like he’s been injecting oil between annual visits to Joseph.

Christensen studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, but his style seems to have naïve or primitive or folk tones.

*Channeling Moksha* If that’s not an oil injection, it must be the most consecrated hematoma in history, or it might be the result of Moroni forgetting that poison ivy is the one thing the Sword of Laban can't actually defeat.

[I Have Questions]

Is it just me, or does the Jesus figure angel seem to have disproportionately small feet and head?

Joseph’s eyeline is lower than one would expect…

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

There’s also something unusual about Moroni’s right forearm.

Good catch. I wonder if the artist was a closeted homosexual?

[huckelberry]

There’s also something unusual about Moroni’s right forearm. It looks like he’s been injecting oil between annual visits to Joseph.

Christensen studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, but his style seems to have naïve or primitive or folk tones.

I was not familiar with this artist but Google led me to a collection of his art. It is an unusual combination of primitive or folk style qualities an successful portrait of complicated events with many people. For what ever reason every body is long thin and having small hands feet and head.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

In case anyone wasn’t catching what Tom was layin’ down: