I just saw this last night. I had some interruptions, so I need a second viewing. I wanted to put down some thoughts to return to later. The end and parts along they way seemed to imply some Crowley-ism (the mere presence of Jagger is almost enough). I also watched Roegs "the man who fell to earth" the night before, which is far and away my favorite of his work that I've seen. Bowie is also heavily into Crowley/Kabbalism and that movie is up to interpretation (is he alien, foreigner, time traveler, channeling spirit/knowledge, Telepathic, etc). It's said that the Beatles and Stones were into Crowley too, as well as Jimmy Page. In fact, the entire British invasion is tied to the Tavistock institute. Parts of this movie very much reminded me of Bowie's character and black magick, though very different movies overall. The many hints of magic mushrooms also clue you in to psychedelic, inter-dimensional, all-is-one type themes. This echoed when Jagger morphs into the boss, Chaz into Turner and visa versa.
I think there are different levels of interpretation.
There was also a theme of Feminine vs. Masculine throughout. The gangsters wrote Poofter on Chaz's wall in red and while he is beat and whipped he flashes back to being sexual with women (was that just a performance?). There were flashes to his childhood (romance?) with another young boy and the boss mentions a relationship of Chaz's being double personal. I was a little confused at that point, but was he referencing that Chaz had a homo relationship with the bookie? or were they just good buddies?
Then later one of the women with Chaz talks of masculine/feminine parts of the persona/soul, but I can't recall specifics now. Jagger of course is blatantly androgynous (like Bowie). Chaz is hyper-masculine in the beginning...and later achieves a balance with some help from his new friends.
I'm just spit-balling thoughts in case anyone else had the same observations and wants to elaborate.
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