Join this week’s guest Sirius White author of the Antidote to Magical Thinking and I on the seventh episode of In Kino Veritās — a podcast where the guest picks a film, we both watch, and discuss.

We don’t simply review films but dive deep into their themes, characters and cultural context. In this episode we explore the 2019 Horror? Psychological Thriller? Comedy?… film The Lighthouse.

Where you can stream The Lighthouse

(Use your local library to get a physical copy for free)

Main Points

* Who’s Sirius White? – Sirius White, Substack writer and Tortuga Society member, his work on the tension between knowledge and wisdom, the removal of societal fictions, and uncovering power through self‑understanding. Influenced by his work with Dr. Christopher Hyatt.

* Film Choice & Rationale – Selected Robert Eggers’ The Lighthouse (2019) over The Witch for its ambiguity, mythic depth, and refusal to provide clear answers.The performances of Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, the descent into madness, and the film’s mesmerizing black‑and‑white cinematography.

* Open Interpretation vs. Pretension – We both agree the film succeeds in open interpretation without falling into meaningless “art for art’s sake.” Avoids the pitfalls of overindulgent abstract cinema by grounding itself in character, setting, and historical authenticity.

* Eggers’ Style & Historical Accuracy – Discussion of Eggers’ commitment to realism (e.g., restored real boat, Nova Scotia filming, authentic lighthouse set, period‑accurate dialect). Connection to his other works (The Witch, The Northman, Nosferatu).

* Aspect Ratio & Cinematic Restraint – Shot in 1.19:1 “square” frame, enhancing claustrophobia and face close‑ups while keeping focus on a single location. Feels almost like a stage play, allowing acting and dialogue to dominate over CGI spectacle.

* Sound Design & Atmosphere – Minimalist, diegetic‑heavy soundscape with constant foghorn as a “clock” motif. Avoids manipulative scoring; supports the salty, damp, isolated 1890s world.

* Symbolism & Mythic Layers – Potential readings include Prometheus, Proteus, Saturn/Kronos, Lucifer, Tarot’s Tower card, and Oedipal father‑son power struggle. Discussion of the lighthouse as phallic/illumination symbol and the dangers of forbidden knowledge.

* Ambiguity of Reality – Mermaids, tentacles, and protean transformations could be hallucinations from isolation/alcoholism or literal supernatural events. Film never confirms either way.

* Power Dynamics & Gaslighting – Willem Dafoe’s character as a protean manipulator, constantly shifting stories, recontextualizing events, and gaslighting Pattinson’s character. Control shifts over the film, culminating in Pattinson’s dominance.

* Masculinity, Loneliness & Bodily Needs – Honest depiction of male isolation: sexual frustration, homoerotic tension, alternating intimacy and violence. Alcohol as both bonding agent and destructive force.

* Confession & Storytelling – Characters share past sins obliquely; Defoe’s accounts are artful and mutable, Pattinson’s more direct. Raises questions about identity, memory, and self‑narrative.

* Ending & Interpretation – Pattinson gains access to the light in a final act akin to mythic theft of divine fire, followed by a Promethean punishment: lying on the rocks, entrails eaten by gulls. Ambiguity remains—hallucination or reality?

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