The ‘Temporary Temples’ outfit, led by Steve Alexander and Karen Douglas, has been busy of late, producing ‘65 Days’, a DVD documenting the UK crop formations of 2003 in a creative multi-media presentation, and a new book, ‘Charley Knoll’, recording the experimental endeavours of the East Midlands crop circle team in the early 1990s. The DVD is reviewed by TANIA WOODWARD and the book by GEOFF HINTON…


‘65 DAYS: THE CROP CIRCLES OF 2003’ (DVD)

‘65 Days’ is a journey through the 2003 crop circle season, documenting the highlights of these spectacular images. It is not only visually stimulating, but at the same time provides a unique emotive, almost meditative experience.

The way in which the crop circles are approached and offered is like a gift for our unwrapping and delight. Combining the stunning beauty of Steve Alexander’s still photography, cinematography and the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, the deeply held wisdom of the circles is revealed as they manifest in the magical landscape.

This unusual format engages communication with the circles, evoking a heart-knowing and a longing, aching, yearning for joining with the awesome beauty of it all. The black and white cine film presents the dream, the idea, and then the colour stills ‘fix’ the form.

Something in this film spoke to my heart, and as I listened to the beautiful words of Paul Bura’s poem, tears streamed down my face; “…the beauty of these circles feeds mankind’s soul….”

I found ‘65 Days’ to be a truly heart-expanding experience. Providing an inquisitive, enquiring viewpoint, it is yet another wonderful perspective on this amazing phenomenon. What it is not is a documentary, a fact-filled critique of the formations. What it is, however, is an evocative, seductive, awe-inspiring journey through these sacred ‘temporary temples’ in our ancient landscape.

Sit back, relax, open-up and enjoy!

TANIA WOODWARD


’65 Days’: 50 minutes approx. Prices (inc. postage): UK: £16 / Europe: £18 / USA: $33 / ROW: £19. See website (foot of page) for purchase details.


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CHARLEY KNOLL: AN ARCHETYPAL CROP CIRCLE ADVENTURE (book)

There is much in the crop circle world that gets forgotten. For instance, this year it was telling that when a formation appeared gratuitously overlooking the M25 in Surrey, many remarked what a good place it was for one, surprised that the location had never been utilised by the phenomenon before. In fact, that field HAD been graced with a previous formation – in 1993. But this had been forgotten in the mists of time, to all but a few who have stayed the course of at least a decade in the research arena. People come and go, and those relatively new to the phenomenon sometimes forget how many things have occurred before their time, and don’t explore the archives.

This new book by Karen Douglas is a timely reminder of another cerealogical event which took place in 1993 and perhaps hasn’t had the recognition it deserved. On 7th July of that year, the best crop formation ever to have appeared in the East Midlands area of England materialised in the shape of a huge and elaborate cruciform design at a place known as Charley Knoll in Leicestershire. Beyond its scale and detail, what set it apart from other formations of the time was that it seemingly arrived in response to a number of carefully planned meditations and skywatches by the East Midlands crop circle research group, involving a whole causal nexus of synchronicities and cosmic coincidences, strange sightings and experiences.

This nicely and subtly presented account of the whole story behind the Charley Knoll incident is told by Karen Douglas in a straightforward and engaging manner. It would have been easy to sensationalise such a tale and present it in a Hollywood style; instead, the reality is allowed to speak for itself and spin its own magic by gradually building up a picture of events which leaves the reader in no doubt that the group in question experienced a profound metaphysical interaction with the phenomenon far beyond chance.

This is also perhaps the greatest hymn to a single crop formation yet published. The book is full of beautiful diagrams, photos and details which record the agriglyph for posterity once and for all, indelibly and lovingly. Printed in a rather charming blue ink throughout, and with its attractive but understated cover clearly not aimed at the shock value market, this will be welcomed by many as an honest and valuable record of one more potentially important chapter in the annals of crop circle research, which, now documented properly, can be put into the context it deserves.

GEOFF HINTON


‘Charley Knoll’: 52 pages. ISBN: 0-9537446-5-5. Priced £7.50 (UK) + p&p. See website (below) for overseas prices.


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For online ordering and details of these items, go to:

www.temporarytemples.co.uk