THE BEYOND. Fulci's delves deep into the occult in this film: water; tunnels; unearthly beings; corridors and the dissolving of the physical and spiritual self to be reborn as other are constant themes running throughout the film. As is the idea of the Abyss, here shown as 'the beyond', a place only those of purist spiritual intent are meant to explore as they travel up the Cabalistic Tree of Life to merge with God. Some never get that far, happy to spend their time playing in the slime that is the Qlipoth and the Tunnels of Set, some fall in, never to escape. Most never bother to take the first step. "The Beyond" in many ways echoes all the pitfalls and follies of the occult quest in all it's confusion, stupidity and beauty.
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