Occultism in Pop Culture: From Movies to Video Games
Occult themes are everywhere in pop culture — from Marvel’s Doctor Strange to video games like “Dishonored” or “Control.” But how accurate or distorted are these portrayals? And what can we learn by analyzing them?
Movies & series
In Doctor Strange, magic is often depicted as flashy spells and literal energy projection. That dramatizes for effect. But the show hints at deeper layers: astral projection, alternate dimensions, and the illusion of reality.
Video games
Games like Control embed occult symbolism (Service Weapon, Altered World Events). Players experience mystery by navigating anomalies. The game’s structure mimics occult layering.
What these portrayals get right/ wrong
Right: they evoke awe, mystery, archetypal symbolism
– Wrong: oversimplify ritual as “wave your hands, zap stuff,” or omit the inner work
A fun mini‑exercise
Pick a scene from a movie or game with occult imagery (a ritual circle, glyphs, ghost portal). Pause and ask: What are the symbolic correspondences? What unseen principle might this represent?
As an example, in Suspiria (2018), the dance ritual is deeply symbolic of embodied magic, sacrifice, and cyclical rhythms. I once wrote a breakdown of its occult symbolism in a blog post — you can read it via our site’s knowledge base.
I encourage forum members: post a movie or game scene you like with occult flavor, and others can help decode its symbolism and critique the portrayal.