Upon entering a VR machine, Professor Oliver Haddo, a modern Cambridge scholar, becomes possessed by the spirit of the infamous occultist Aleister Crowley, as the machine's program has been corrupted by a former follower of Crowley. Resurrected 50 years after his death, Crowley begins his occult practices anew, seeking a new "scarlet bride" whom he can marry in an occult ceremony which will increase his power.
Cast
Simon Callow as Professor Oliver Haddo/Aleister Crowley
Kal Weber as Dr. Joshua Mathers
Lucy Cudden as Lia Robinson
Jud Charlton as Victor Nuberg
Paul McDowell as Symonds
John Shrapnel as Aleister Crowley
Terence Bayler as Professor Brent
Mike Shannon as Alex
Bruce Dickinson as Crowley's landlord and as a blind man
Production
The film was originally proposed in 2000 and was to have been produced by Terry Jones' "Messiah Films", but was later adopted by Focus Films. David Pupkewitz and Malcolm Kohll produced the film, with Ben Timlett and Justin Peyton of Bill and Ben Productions and Duellist Film Production in association with MotionFX and E-Motion. Executive producers are Andy Taylor, Paul Astrom-Andrews and Peter Dale. Warner Music released the film's soundtrack in the UK, while Edward Noeltner's Cinema Management Group handled international sales. The film received its world première at the Sci-Fi-Londonfilm festival on 4 May 2008. According to Rockerparis, Iron Maiden lead singer Bruce Dickinson was in Paris, France, on 26 November to promote the film's DVD release. The screening and press conference were held in a private cinema in front of Europe 1 radio near the Champs Elysées. Dickinson, who has a small cameo role in the film, has stated that, "On several levels, I think it will be nice for them to see somebody from Maiden doing something else that gets the band's name out there and also potentially gets a bit of respect for heavy metal and all the rest of it....But, in addition, I think they'll just enjoy it. It's a rollicking good story."
Reception
stated that "The look and feel of Chemical Wedding is evidently an homage to Hammer and early 1970s Brit horror-fantasy in general: that is to say, cheap. And though aiming to titillate, the execution is so naff it might as well be renamed 'Confessions of a Cabbalist'." Horror.com praised the film, calling it "a mixed bag of tricks to be sure, but it's worth a look for the curio factor. "
