Runic correspondences for motion pictures.
| Rune | Correspondence | Discussion |
| Fehu | Wall Street | We must always be cognizant of the fact that money can cause problems between men. For this reason, the movie Wall Street, which is a condemnation of the greed of corporate greed in the 1980’s is an excellent representation of the negative side of Fehu. |
| Uruz | Urban Cowboy | Uruz has an aspect to it about what happens when raw physical strength goes out of control. The motion picture “Urban Cowboy” is an excellent example of how when getting all-ingulfed by the masculine macho strength, it can be destructive in nature. |
| Ansuz | Field of Dreams | When we think of Inspiration, it has an aspect to it that once we acquire the knowledge, we just “know” that it’s true. This idea of acquiring knowledge “out of nowhere” and knowing that its true is represented by the movie Field of Dreams. |
| Thurisaz | Glengary, Glen Ross and Disaster films | Thurisaz has a distinct feature about it in that it can represent difficulty in life. It can be about bad things happening that are outside of your control. Glengary, Glen Ross represents bad things happening in your life that are destructive. Also, the broad theme of Natural Disaster Films represents the concepts of Thurisaz. |
| Raidho | Gumball Rally | Raidho represents a trip, and where you end up is less important than how you get there. While the movie covers this aspect about “how you get there” the objective is simply getting there any way you can. So for Raidho, the movie Gumball Rally is a good example. |
| Kenaz | Documentaries | When we think of Kenaz, we think of knowledge, and the gift of knowledge. For that reason, rather than pointing a specific movie in this case, I’m going to point to Documentaries as this idea of the torch of knowledge that we carry with us. |
| Gebo | It’s a Wonderful Life | Gebo, the gift, and the obligations that come with it. Its a Wonderful Life reminds us of the gifts that have been given us, and how we should cherish them.
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| Wunjo | Groundhog Day | When we consider movies and the concept of joy, we encounter a problem, because a movie solely about joy isn’t a movie at all. However, when we consider that Wunjo has an aspect to it where if we become satisfied with joy, we don’t progress, we then come to the movie Groundhog Day. This is a movie where a man repeats the same day over and over. He starts of by being really unhappy about repeating, but ultimately becomes happy that he’s living the same day over and over again. It’s not until he realizes that he needs to move forward that he can break out of the cycle. |
| Hagalaz | V for Vendetta | Hagalaz is the classic rune of destruction. We normally think of this rune with extremely negative consequences. However, it is possible that we destroy something just because its “bad” or needs to be destroyed. The movie V for Vendetta is about the destruction of the existing government structure purely because its evil, without there being anything in the movie about what remains afterwards. |
| Nauthiz | A Streetcar Named Desire | What do we need to survive day to day? What can’t we survive without? A Streetcar Named Desire is about Blanche Dubois’ exploration of what she truly needs in life. |
| Isa | Shawshank Redemptions | Isa represents the ice, or the inability to move, it can represent the issue of being stuck in a set of circumstances that we cannot get out of. However there’s also a lesson to be learned with Isa in making the most of what we have at the time. The Shawshank Redemption reminds us to have patience, and make change when it’s appropriate. |
| Jera | National Treasure | When we think of Jera, we think of the year, and the concept of cycles, we think about the hard work we’ve done, and how we’ll reap the rewards for it. Its about suddenly reaping that reward that we’ve strived for for so long. National Treasure is a representation of this concept of a family, for generation, trying to reap the rewards for their work, and finally accomplishing it. |
| Eihwaz | Casablanca | Eiwhaz represents personal strength, and the tree Yggdrasil. It represents that stoicness that holds “things together.” It’s about being there, despite how tough it gets. So I turn to Rick from the film Casablanca, who, despite how bad things got, was always there. |
| Perthro | Blade Runner | Perthro represents mysteries, fate, and things we cannot understand. Blade Runner, where characters in the film are destined to die, just because of who they are, and for no other reason, represents this idea of fate. However, we’re reminded that fate can be changed, as one of the characters we assumed was going to die, gets a second chance. |
| Algiz | Die Hard and Schindler’s List | Algiz is the shield, it’s about protection. When I began to think of Algiz in terms of movies, I concluded that it had to be a movie about law enforcement or firemen, and how they protect us. This concept of Algiz also seems to relate to protection from those we might not normally expect to protect us. With that in mind, Die Hard is a perfect example of someone who protects others, without even knowing who they are. One could also look to Schindler’s List as an excellent example of the concept of Algiz. |
| Sowilo | Pride of the Yankees | Recognition, honorifics, the idea of being rewarded in a non-monetary fashion for your accomplishments. These are all concepts that surround Sowilo. While a historical figure, Lou Gherig, from the Pride of the Yankees represents to us that financial compensation is not the only way to be recognized for what you do. |
| Tiwaz | Twelve Angry Men | While traditionally Tiwaz represents agreements and promises, there is a strong justice component about it. When we think of the concept of Justice, and the efforts it takes to get justice, the film Twelve Angry Men comes to mind, and how twelve men, after significant effort, realize that our individual perceptions of justice are colored by our past. |
| Berkano | Tootsie | New Directions, new skills, taking on new tasks, this is what Berkano represents. However it’s building on what was, without destroying it. With that Tootsie is an example where someone who is stuck, takes a completely new direction without destroying what was in the past. |
| Ehaz | The Lord of the Rings and The Wizard of OZ | Ehwaz represents the journey, and the fact that what happens along our trip is more important than where we end up. The Lord of the Rings (all three films as a whole) is an excellent representation of this. The Wizard of Oz is another excellent example. |
| Mannaz | Philadelphia | Relationships, not amongst our family members, but within our community, our reputation, and how others perceive us. These are all representations of Mannaz. Philadelphia, A story of a man who has an excellent reputation that is destroyed because of secrets that come out about him, reminds us that our reputations are a combination of what we build inside of us, but how others perceive us. The latter is something we cannot control. |
| Laguz | On Golden Pond | We normally think of Laguz, and the lake as the concept of healing in a physical sense, however, the power of Laguz also represents spiritual healing. It also represents things that are beneficial to us physically and spiritually. On Golden Pond represents the idea of a place being able to heal us, in this case, spiritually. |
| Inguz | The Godfather | When we think of movies that are about family, and our obligations to family, one movie always comes to mind, and that’s The Godfather. This gives us an excellent example of family, our obligation to it, and how a family must bind together. |
| Dagaz | The Sound of Music | When we think of Dagaz, we think of a rebirth, the ending of something old, and the beginnig of something new. While the movie concludes at the beginning of “something new” The Sound of Music is about the destruction of that which we have become comfortable with, because we do so for our own good, and the following of a new path. |
| Othala | Gone with the Wind | There are many many movies which can represent the concept of family, and hearth. However, Gone With the Wind represents this so well, with the concept of the Southern Plantation, and the willingness to do anything to protect it. |