About this Event
The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House, The Harry Smith Archives, and Los Angeles Filmforum are proud to present a special event in our ongoing THE COSMIC COLLAGE OF HARRY SMITH series with a live presentation by musician, artist, and filmmaker Adam Green, followed by a screening of HEAVEN & EARTH MAGIC (1957-1962), Smith’s enduring and most widely recognized experimental classic.
Drawing from Harry Smith’s vast and enigmatic body of work, Green will deliver a richly illustrated talk, drawing on a curated array of slides and video materials, exploring the esoteric foundations of Smith’s creative practice — tracing the influence of Kabbalah, alchemy, hermetic philosophy, and symbolic systems that informed his films, drawings, and archival projects. Moving across Smith’s work as a unified field of inquiry, the presentation will consider how his deeply syncretic approach to image-making functioned as a kind of alchemical process: one that sought transformation not only of materials, but of perception itself. In dialogue with the legacy of Manly P. Hall and the philosophical foundations of the Philosophical Research Society, Green will also reflect on what Smith’s visionary methodology offers to artists today, including how he has drawn from these ideas within his own work.
Following an audience Q&A, Green will introduce the evening’s finale: a screening of HEAVEN & EARTH MAGIC, a dense, hand-animated cosmology constructed from cut-out images, occult diagrams, and fragments of found material, assembled into a kind of hermetic narrative without fixed meaning or stable interpretation. Developed over many years from an encyclopedic range of sources, the film unfolds through a series of ritualistic transformations, surreal tableaux, and symbolic operations, moving fluidly between the sacred and the absurd, the comic and the cosmic. At once playful and profoundly esoteric, HEAVEN & EARTH MAGIC discards narrative coherence in favor of an associative, initiatory experience — one that invites viewers not to decode its symbols, but to move through them.
HEAVEN AND EARTH MAGIC
Dir. Harry Smith, 1957-1962, 66 mins, USA, Unrated, Digital.
Tickets: $20 (All Screenings Are In Person Only)
Please email [email protected] or phone 323-663-2167 with any questions.
Photo by Devendra Banhart
ADAM GREEN
Adam Green is an artistic polymath — a songwriter, filmmaker, visual artist, and poet whose work blends fleshy humor, heartbreak, and metaphysical surrealism into a genre all his own. As co-founder of the antifolk band The Moldy Peaches, he helped define a generation of raw, emotionally candid music that continues to resonate globally. Since then, Green has released twelve solo albums, and In 2023 received a tribute album Moping In Style — which brought together the voices of Father John Misty, The Libertines, Frankie Cosmos, Devendra Banhart, Regina Spektor, and Sean Ono Lennon covering Green’s songs — a testament to his influence across musical worlds.
Green’s creative reach extends far beyond songwriting. His paintings and sculptures have been exhibited in galleries across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including a landmark show at the Fondation Beyeler in Basel. He has directed two full-length movies — The Wrong Ferarri (2010), the first feature film shot entirely on an iPhone, and Adam Green's Aladdin (2016), the hand-built fantasy epic which Buzzfeed called “the trippiest movie ever made.” His recent work explores the interconnected mythology of his “Houseface” universe through poetry books and graphic novels, developing a distinct narrative world that spans disciplines and defies boundaries.
Adam's portrait in event banner photo credit: Michael Leviton
Los Angeles Filmforum is the city’s longest-running organization dedicated to weekly screenings of experimental film, documentaries, video art, and experimental animation. In 2025 they celebrated their 50th year. www.lafilmforum.org
ADVISORY DISCLAIMER
With some exception, The Philosophical Research Society’s 7th House Screenings does not typically provide advisory warnings about potentially upsetting content or subject matter, as sensitivities are particular to each viewer. Please be sure to read event listings, research on the web, or visit Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com for thorough info on content and age-appropriateness. If you have any specific content advisory questions, please email [email protected].
CONTENT DISCLAIMER
The views, opinions, and thoughts expressed within exhibited works are solely those of their creators and may not represent those of the Philosophical Research Society (PRS), its affiliates, or any individuals associated with PRS. Screenings are intended for educational and entertainment purposes.
ACCESSIBILITY
PRS wants all guests to be able to enjoy our events safely and comfortably. If you require any accessibility accommodation, please reach out to [email protected] before showtime and we will be happy to assist you.
REFUND POLICIES
All sales are final. There are no refunds for PRS events , except in the event of a medical emergency, including but not limited to a positive COVID-19 test. Ticket exchanges may be granted on a case by case basis, pending circumstances.
In the event that PRS is forced to cancel an event entirely, tickets will be refunded or vouchers offered for a rescheduled event.
PARKING
Limited parking is available onsite at PRS in both the front lot (entry from Los Feliz Blvd. when heading east), as well as street parking on Griffith Park Blvd. and (after 7 PM) on Los Feliz Blvd. We encourage attendees to consider carpooling, walking or biking to events if possible, and please be considerate of our Los Feliz neighbors when parking.
PRS EVENT POLICIES
- We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
- Events are subject to change without notice, including guest speakers and/or performers.
- We encourage you to arrive at least 30 min. before the scheduled event start time to find parking, enjoy the Bookstore and take your seats.
- Please turn off all mobile devices before the show. Talking and texting are not allowed during the events.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Philosophical Research Society, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States
USD 23.18
