Nicolas Cage has his Sun in Capricorn with strong Aquarian progressions. Mars 25° Capricorn 33' is exalted in the First House, providing the kind of energy necessary to succeed in the film industry where constant demands are made on survival reserves. Luna in the Midheaven 26° Libra 13' is an indication of mobility, scope, and adaptation in the arts, public relations, and cinema. Libra is the sign of the orator, attorney, and diplomat and the Moon favors mediation and confidential exchange. Chemistry is further augmented by Sagittarius rising, a fiery sign with a dedication to defend freedom of speech, non-censorship, and liberty of thought and action in general. National Treasure and the sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets, are very important original contributions that reflect opinions held personally by Cage. Dominant departments of life are the First House that describes appearance, adherence to conventions (or not), and behavior when alone, and the Fourth House that governs domestic matters, the kiva, and the psyche seat of power.
Capricorn is the tenth zodiacal sign that generally provides an umbrella for activity in all other departments of life. The energy is dedicated to endeavors that serve to spiritualize matter in order to minimize the expenditure of raw materials on the way up the mountain. Capricorn is symbolized by a glyph resembling the knee cap, a reference to Mars [action, initiative, creative energy] exalted therein as the ideal model for constructive use of energy. When Capricorn is positive the native does the right thing in the right way for the right reason.
The Sun in Capricorn bestows focus, consolidation, and the tendency to search deeply into matters that reside beneath the surface. Miners, archaeologists, aesthetics, treasure hunters, those who search for and control wealth inside the earth are often born under this zodiacal ray. The corresponding Tarot Trump is The Wheel, an exoteric representation of Divine Law and properties of the changing world, time and space - that require management.
In astrology today, this earthy sign is represented by two symbols: the sure-footed mountain goat destined for the heights, and the sea-goat with a dual nature, at home on earth or in the sea. In the Hebrew zodiac, the sign was symbolized by the supposed god Pan and meant the Emblem or Horn of Plenty. This sign was dedicated to the Tribe of Zebulun and was symbolized as "the Giver." Those born under the sign of the Goat are more or less pushed from place to place in life until they learn their real mission; but when they do grasp their opportunities, they make rapid progress. In some systems, this goat has been associated with the scapegoat, saddled with the woes, trials, and guilt of the entire community. Capricorn has some very impressive and powerful weapons that are able to work in public view yet remain undetected by the mortal eye. They include the raw materials provided via time window schema.
The ruler is Saturn, the Safety Urge, Lord of Time, and zodiacal taskmaster. Life lessons are learned through the process of clearing lead, the ore of Saturn. Sagittarius on the ascendant adds restlessness to the nature, the observation of 'greener grass' on the other side of the fence that keeps things moving. Sag actually lightens the more somber Capricorn Sun normally preoccupied with caution, the 'measure twice - cut once' approach. Saturn utilizes the structural designs best suited to facilitate movement and minimize the use of reserved materials. Capricorn first leans toward the pillar of severity [crystallization] and gradually shifts to the central pillar as the need for adjustments surface. In fact, Capricorn could play the before and after part of Scrooge in Dickens', A Christmas Carol... the theme of the story referencing sociability [Venus, antidote for Saturn] in a way similar to our experience of the 'return of the light' each Winter Solstice.
The result is the Saturn-like flow chart that usually guarantees energy conservation, augmented power, and gradual ascent up the ladder. Transcending the laws of physics, the Saturn blueprint for authority can permit one to send and receive energy in one act, especially when the Sun is deposited in the Ascendant. Just as Joseph interpreted the dream of Pharaoh, who filled secondary grain silos during the seven years of plenty, the plan includes preparation for the seven years of famine. The operation may be engineered without suspicion, anxiety, or even pubic awareness. Alternately, one stream of energy can flow toward the centre of the pattern, and simultaneously, another parallel stream can move outward from the centre. The ability to travel both traffic lanes simultaneously is known as dual consciousness - a technique Capricorns can master if they so choose. There are many ‘small houses’ in nature built on a similar arrangement [labyrinth, snail shell, sea shell] so the balance of energy will often adhere to an echo of the nautilus shell.
Capricorn rules the 'highest' part of individual consciousness [Midheaven - how you are viewed in public life] that includes reputation, credit rating, official records that may be accessed by others. The sign opposite Capricorn is governed by the Moon. Moonchild governs the deepest part of individual total consciousness [Nadir, or door to the monad during level 8 sleep state]. Of the twelve signs in the zodiacal girdle, Capricorn and Moonchild [anciently Cancer] are two signs opposite each other that are the most alike. Saturn governs the annual cycle and Luna governs the cycle by the month. The sign of the Winter Solstice, father time's shortest day each year, when the light returns, is Capricorn. Luna governs the sign of the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year when mother nature's bounty is on full display. The earth sign triad: Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn, usually make effective time-keepers, carry loads like overladen worker ants,
and in any business, can do best managing overhead, charges, and expenses.
Symbols
There are two animals attributed to Capricorn: the Sea-Goat, part sea creature, part goat, and the Mountain Goat, able to ascend the steep mountain pass to the heights. The earth element as climber of the solitary cliff, Capricorn, and the water element as those at home on the ocean, Moonchild, are both magnetic and considered introverted. Capricorn is also the lighthouse that stands high on the rocks, a beacon for ships in distress caught in a stormy sea. By extension, this pattern also embraces the 'watchers' who, in ancient times, lived on the beach looking out for the coming of the Messiah. Tradition has it that John the Baptist was probably among one of these 'tent-dweller' sects who were waiting for a sign.
The symbols for the sign of the Moon have been transformed since the beginning of the warrior pantheon. Originally, Moonchild was symbolized as a guardian-warrior who protected the astral body and other subtle energies that feed the spirit life of the native within the dream environment. Now the symbol for Moonchild is the shellfish or crab that moves forward by walking sideways. The use of armor is retained by the image of a shellfish, however the functional defender is considered less etheric and more focused on a physical world. Cage has his North Node 11° Moonchild 11', in the Seventh House of the ambassador, lawyer, orator, and general. One of his best portrayals as a defensive strategist is
Guarding Tess, with co-star Shirley MacLaine as non-retired First Lady, Tess Carlisle.
Aquarius signifies how humans evolve
guided by oversoul, and rise above the material
(ascended, no death). The native lives for true independence and soul expression for and through others. In August 2000 Cage's progressed Ascendant 0 Aquarius, conjunct Altair, the eagle eye, could have prompted his decision to take on the Donald/Charlie role in, Adaptation.
Cage first acquired contact with the electric intensity of Aquarius via his competitive Sun (power, will). The vibe transformed his public image as a player on the scene at age 15.
Career goals changed with a new stage name - from Coppola to Cage. August 14th 2001, a second identity statement would 'firm up' Cage's change in self-wish. He sealed his commitment to a recent inner transformation of identity blueprints and 'jumped in' the cement with both feet (and hands) in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. That year Cage also enjoyed various and sundry expressions of appreciation and admiration from his peers. Several award ceremonies designed to honor Cage and his contributions to the film industry developed. One of them, a TV special hosted by Samuel L. Jackson gave many of his entertainment world friends a chance to honor Cage's work in film.
"Adaptation is about obsession: for an orchid, for writing, for finding something or someone to obsess about. As Donald tells Charlie, 'You are what you love, not what loves you.'
Few scripts toss more challenging balls in the air, and Jonze juggles them all with artful, light-stepping ease. It's magic." (November 28, 2002) - Rolling Stone [PETER TRAVERS] November 19-04
National Treasure
Herbs and plants traditionally associated with Capricorn and which have both medicinal and nutritional uses are Amaranthus, Hemp, Holly, Ivy, Knotweed, Mandrake, Moss, Nightshade, Quince Tree, Red Beet, Rue, Slippery Elm, Sage, Senna, Solomon’s Seal, Tamarisk, Thyme, Vervain, Wintergreen.
Saturn: Cypress, Elm, Pine, Willow, Yew.
It is a well settled postulate in astrology that those whose destinies are related to the celestial pattern marked by Capricorn possess within themselves a kind of spiritual citadel, which Theresa of Avila called “the interior castle.” This is perhaps the level of awareness sought for in the Ghost Rider sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, though these scenes in the film are staged in Eastern Europe. The appearance of Ghost Rider on screen is the same as in the American comic book series. Ghost Rider has evolved from the original Western figure in supernatural cowboy mode [seen in the first film] to a 3D superhero carried on a chopped bike designed to make Satan himself envious.
Capricorn Countries include: Afghanistan, Albania, Borneo, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Cyprus, Greece, Hesse, Illyria, India the Punjab, Isle of Wight, Lithuania, Macedonia, Manchuria, Maui, Mecklenburg, Mexico, Morea, The Orkney Islands, Parts of Persia about Circan and Maracan, Samoa, Southwestern Saxony, Styria, Thrace, Wyoming Cities: Antibes, Appalachian Mts., Bonne, Bradenburg, Brussels, Cologne, Constance, Delhi, Feyence in Province, Haddington, Keighley, Marseilles, Oxford, Port Said, Prato in Tuscany, Salisbury, Tortona, Trier
Trump XVIII The Moon refers to intersections, often where the visible and nonvisible worlds interact, and to 'common ground', where parallel universes and their properties bleed through and influence each other. This trump is frequently mistaken as a description of dual consciousness - or an individual who is able to maintain several identities simultaneously, as in the case of eastern masters. Modern sci-fi, paranormal, and fantasy films often draw on the properties found at the same dimensional level as Trump XVIII though the best representations still seem to be found in the collector's silent film library. The people who navigate the space of the astral plane or etheric plane are attached to their vessel and environment but are usually viewed apart from the trump itself. All you need to understand Trump XVIII is a little lemon juice, a hair dryer, and one of the original documents penned by the framers. We can discover another world that co-exists with our own. It resides intact, right under our nose.
Check the following note from IMDb:
Nicolas Cage is one of three actors (with Lee Marvin [Cat Ballou (1965)] and Peter Sellers [Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)]) with an Oscar nomination for playing multiple characters in a film. In Adaptation (2002), Cage plays two characters, (Donald and Charlie). Marvin is the only one who actually won one for a double role.
Trump XVIII THE MOON
Bedrooms of Sirius Black and Regulus Black, Emma Cravin, and Anakin Skywalker are discussed.
Without adding spoilers for those who are going to see Knowing, the bedroom decor of John Koestler's
[Nicolas Cage] son, Caleb Koestler [Chandler Canterbury] is transformed during a paranormal event that sets up the final act of the film.
THE NINTH HOUSE
Nicolas Cage has two power-packed transfiguration planets [Uranus 9° Virgo 50' rx conjunct Pluto 14° Virgo 07' rx] in his Ninth House of the higher mind, a possible inclination for the Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider character. Ghost Rider, long a comic book favourite of the action star, suggests the shapeshifter facet of Cage’s Ninth House, natural home of Jupiter with his wayfarer persona in the world of mortals. [Records of top box office Cage flicks put Ghost Rider (2007) at #6 and Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011) at #12.] Ghost Rider - first transformation 4:05
The retrograde status of both planets in the Ninth indicate that changes of mental consciousness aid spirituality, probably through film work, dreams, and research of topics that concern secret, hidden, and arcane mystery lore. Season of the Witch (2011), The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010), and Next (2007) refer to the esoteric element as part of his quest for knowledge. The National Treasure (2004) - National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) franchise looks into the secrets of the Masonic Lodge [European and USA: North and South] the inner circle of our American founders.
Essentially, Cage performs the duties of the Hierophant, though his medium, cinematic projection, modernizes mystery play delivery systems as they were performed in ancient temples. The Ninth House is the home of the Teacher, Hermit, and Scholar, often linked with the philosopher Diogenes, who went in search of an honest man. The following four Cage films that uniquely refer to the realm of Pluto, Dis Pater ‘The Rich One’, as far as the subterranean treasure cache, cavern of precious crystal and gems, or buried ruins [of the mind and soul] vary from the career-profession to storyline.
These films, listed in chronological order, spotlight themes that rest hidden beneath the surface and suggest widening concentric circles. Beginning with the 1994 film, Guarding Tess, Cage plays the head of a security detail assigned to protect the First Lady (Shirley MacLaine) who is kidnapped on their watch. The Rock (1996) is an action-suspense drama about the search for deadly missiles stashed in the underground maze on Alcatraz Island. Cage co-stars with Sean Connery as members of an elite stealth Seal team, sent in to disarm the missiles and free the hostages. The Oliver Stone film, World Trade Center (2006), reports the heroic actions of first responders following the terrorist strike on 9-11. Cage takes part in the rescue attempt looking for trapped victims who are wounded and caught in the collapsed foundations of the Twin Towers.
Knowing (2009) is an apocalyptic story about rescuing the human race from oblivion. The future of our race may be determined by forces beyond our understanding at this time in history, however some aspects of the story have been described in the Old Testament. There is an emphasis on clan karma, as referenced in Cage’s Fourth House of domestic matters, reincarnation, and national prophecy.
THE FOURTH HOUSE Jupiter, natural ruler of the Ninth House, is deposited at 11° Aries 23', and operates in the Fourth House. This portion of the chart reveals the deepest part of the total self, matters that pertain to transmigration and clan bonding, and the realm of dreams – REM follow the level 8 sleep state. The Sun in Capricorn is close to a 5° square with Jupiter, so external interests that move favourably are hardly noticed and little real thought is given to the point of the benefit's origin. Luck is accepted as an ordinarly factor of life. When rough, uneven conditions manifest or losses occur they too will be accepted ‘with a shrug of the shoulder’ as something to be endured, but the spiritual lessons involved will not be discerned as readily as one who is trying to ‘lift the veil’ and discover the mysteries hidden in nature.
Saturn, the Lesser Fortune and force of crystallization in creation, is the planet ruler of Capricorn – both planet and sign are directly linked to the idea of “Fate” and the Tarot Trump known as The Wheel of Fortune. Saturn gives a strength of purpose which enables the difficulties to be overcome and brings about a realizing of earlier desires and wishes. The position is favourable even though it may cause the acceptance of the principle of Fate more than may be admitted to others.
Nevertheless, it helps to take a realistic view of affairs and strengthens honesty of thought and purpose. The altruistic side of the nature is drawn out and there will be an interest in the educational, reformative, social and public sides of life. Positions of trust and responsibility can be held in connection with these various interests, and efforts should be made to advance affairs in these directions and to let the natural ambition have as full expression as possible. Here the “Aquarian’ or ‘New Age’ influence is present as a modifying or ‘colouring’ factor.
Jupiter is a business planet, known as The Greater Fortune [luck], and he combines with both planets in the Ninth House to produce an unusual chemistry that might partly explain massive contradictions between the critics‘ rating of Cage’s filmography and box office receipts. For example, many critics rate Raising Arizona and Adaptation as the two best Nicolas Cage films. But Raising Arizona appears #31 on the best total grossing film list. Adaptation ranks only slightly higher at #29.
I was surprised to see two of my personal favourites, The Rock and Moonstruck, listed respectively by some critics as the 7th and 8th best Cage films, have the same peculiar relationship between critical acclaim and financial success. The Rock comes in #3 in the finance department and Moonstruck is listed as #18 for the total gross taken in.
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Gary Poulteras, and Ronnie Gene Blevins
Screenplay: Gary Hawkins, based on the novel by Larry Brown
Excerpts from the overview:
... Cage plays Joe Ransom, a man who we can see has had a dark and brutal past even before we learn any of the details. He drinks and gambles, keeps an exceptionally nasty bulldog as his only real companion and has a long-running feud with a local tough guy (Ronnie Gene Blevins) that grows more violent with each exchange. On the other hand, he is reasonably friendly and gregarious to those he trusts and inspires a lot of loyalty in return, especially in regards to the road crew of day laborers that he employs to poison trees on behalf of a local lumber company.
One day, a new kid named Gary (Tye Sheridan) shows up looking for work and Joe is impressed with his strong work ethic. He begins to take Gary under his wing and soon discovers that he is squatting in an abandoned house with his mother, sister and his father, Wade (Gary Poulter), a monstrous and abusive drunk whose idea of a hard day's work is smacking his son around and taking the kid's earnings for himself. Joe does what he can for Gary and a real friendship develops between the two but at a certain point, it becomes painfully evident that he can either ignore the boy's plight and watch him go down into the darkness that once consumed him or step in to save the kid, even at the cost of everything that he has struggled to achieve …
Green returned to his low-budget roots last year with the amiable comedy-drama "Prince Avalanche" and with "Joe," he firmly reestablishes himself as one of the great American filmmakers of our time. With its rural setting and a narrative structure that is more interested in developing character and mood than it is in going from plot point to plot point, this material is right up Green's alley but rather than simply going through the familiar paces in the hopes of reestablishing his artistic credibility, he finds new ways to challenge himself as a storyteller. Although the basic plot, adapted for the screen by Gary Hawkins, may sound fairly familiar, he approaches it in a manner that is both shockingly intimate in its details and borderline mythic in terms of the emotional upheaval that the characters go through—you might have to go back to Charles Laughton's classic "The Night of the Hunter," another Southern Gothic masterpiece of note, to see anything like it.
KNOWING - night, outside Koestler [Nicolas Cage] home
Title:
Ghost Rider (Widescreen Special Edition)
Director:
Mark Steven Johnson
Release Date: February 16, 2007
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Sam Elliott, Wes Bentley, Donal Loque, and Peter Fonda
Soundtrack more sinister than popcorn: Ghost Rider 5:35
Summary:
In order to save his dying father, young stunt cyclist Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Mephistopheles and sadly parts from the pure-hearted Roxanne Simpson, the love of his life. Years later, Johnny's path crosses again with Roxanne, now a reporter, and also with Mephistopheles, who offers to release Johnny's soul if Johnny becomes the fabled, fiery Ghost Rider, a supernatural agent of vengeance and justice. Mephistopheles charges Johnny with defeating the despicable Blackheart, Mephistopheles' nemesis and son, who plans to displace his father and create a new hell even more terrible than the old one.
Nicolas Cage says it remains important for him not to play any one type of character, and Ghost Rider and World Trade Center continue to define him as an actor. Cage wants to remain a challenged performer.
He says he is, "always trying to stay interested in the work, and that means I do not want to get stuck in one style. I want to be natural yet abstract, operatic and I also want to be a ballad. I do not want to do just do one kind of character or one style of acting."
Cage continued in an interview about the Ghost Rider, "Well, he was a man who is just trying to take a negative and turn it into a positive, like we all do. We have been talking about that here today with The Weather Man.
I try to take movies and do something positive with any negative feelings I have had. Johnny Blaze is a superhero who had a very horrible thing happen to him and he is taking that negative and he is going to make something positive out of it no matter what. In that way, I guess, I am Ghost Rider."
Cage was quoted, "Oh yeah, absolutely. I enjoyed the image of the skull on fire when I was a boy and the mythology of it, the Faust-like storyline was so original for a Marvel comic book character. There really is no other one quite like Ghost Rider, and thats why I think he is fresh. I think its time for a new kind of superhero. I am speaking to the Ghost Rider fans to STEP OUT! We all know who we are."
Favorite Cage comic book character is Ghost Rider and that's because he has always liked monsters.
"I just liked them. When I was a kid I fantasized about being able to turn into the monster to scare the bully away. And I think little boys and girls when they see the werewolf movies, like The Wolf Man, its very exciting. Monsters are fun to play and with Ghost Rider, I got a chance to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. I got to be in a horror film in the grand sense of The Wolf Man and a comic book-based movie. Ghost Rider, The Hulk, those were my real introductions into the comic book world. They stimulated my imagination so much."
Summary:
Despite being an obsessive compulsive agoraphobe, Roy Waller (played by Nicolas Cage) is one of the best grifters in the business. He and his partner/prototege Frank Mercer (played by Sam Rockwell) are currently running a 'water filtration' scam and swindling dozens of unsuspecting victims. While each con only nets them a few hundred dollars, business is booming and Roy has put away quite a decent nest egg.
Tim Popple - from a review of Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men
... on this smaller canvas, set in one city across a short period of time, Scott crafts a film that bleeds style from the first frame.
The film concerns a pair of con men, or 'matchstick men' Roy and Frank (Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell respectively) and their small-time cons. Frank yearns for the long con, but Roy is happier with the smaller cons they do. To complicate matters, Roy is an obsessive-compulsive replete with multiple-door-openings, facial tics, and popping an unspecified illegal pill. When his regular supplier leaves town unexpectedly he finds himself unable to operate normally. Frank comes to the rescue and finds a shrink who can help. And then Roy discovers he has a 14-yr-old daughter...
What makes this film that little bit special is that where other films will concentrate on the cons themselves - (cf. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and the TV series Hustle) - this film is primarily about Roy, and his relationship with his newly-found daughter, Angela. Certainly, we see the cons themselves, including a delightful scene where Roy and Angela con this sweet lady with a lottery scam. In the ensuing meeting with his shrink, Roy reveals that far from feeling ashamed at bringing his more-than-willing daughter into this life of crime, he actually loved it, and there's a genuine sense of bonding there.
While his daughter unexpectedly stays the weekend, Roy has agreed with Frank to do one long con, involving currency exchange and a greedy, selfish businessman...
Title:
Gone in 60 Seconds Director: Dominic Sena
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Giovanni Ribisi, Angelina Jolie, T.J. Cross, William Lee Scott
Summary: Kip Raines (Giovanni Ribisi) is a cocky young car thief working with a crew to steal 50 cars for a very bad man whose nickname is "The Carpenter." Being young and cocky, Kip messes up, so it's up to his big brother, Randall "Memphis" Raines (Nicolas Cage), to come out of car thief retirement and save him. With a cast that includes Robert Duvall, Angelina Jolie, Delroy Lindo, Cage, and Ribisi, it would be easy to say this story wastes all their talents--which it does, but that's not the point. This is a Jerry Bruckheimer film. A good story and complex characters would only get in the way of the action scenes and slow the movie down. No, Gone in 60 Seconds (based on the cult 1974 film of the same name) is not about the stars as much as it's about cars. Fast cars.
Rare cars. Wrecked cars. All cars. Too bad director Dominic Sena (Kalifornia) doesn't come across as more of a gearhead; he seems less interested in fast cars than fast cuts. But is this movie fun? Absolutely, and it's fun because it's so stupid. With pointless car chases and hackneyed dialogue in one of the most predictable plots of the year, Gone in 60 Seconds is a comic film that's not quite a parody of itself, but darn close.
--Andy Spletzer
Nicolas Cage's
Superman Comic Nets Record $2.1 Million at Auction.
The actor's fabled copy of Action Comics No. 1 was stolen from his house in 2000 and only recovered in April 2011, when an unidentified man bought the contents of an abandoned Southern California storage locker.
Some Nicolas Cage films with themes related to two
powerful Cage conjunctions:
Mars with Peacock and Venus with Saturn:
