MANLY P. HALL | The 20th Century's Greatest Philosopher (Documentary)

This documentary examines the life and teachings of Manly P. Hall, the most significant philosophical teacher of the 20th century and the most underrated historical figure of modern times.

Hall was a philosophic scholar and lecturer who emerged almost fully-formed as a Plato-like sage in Los Angeles in the early 1920s. Still, it defies explanation how published perhaps the greatest work of philosophical scholarship in modern history, The Secret Teachings of All Ages (1928), at the ripe young age of 27.

There was something more to the man than him being merely a prodigy or genius - an Inner Light shone brightly out through him, and it was this Inner Light that gave Manly Hall his unmistakable greatness.

In this documentary by philosopher Alexander Sachon, author of “Manly P. Hall: The Maestro of Esoteric Philosophy” (2023), the viewer tracks Hall’s rise as a teacher, while also examining the central ideas at the heart of the system of philosophy he taught with unvarying precision over his lengthy 70-year career. The video also explores Hall’s deep connection to the institution of the Mystery Schools, as well as to the Scottish Rite branch of Freemasonry.

Most importantly, it features over 30-minutes of rare archival footage of Hall lecturing during the last year or so of his life. In this footage, Hall lays out his conclusions about what the essential meaning of Life is and what mankind’s place in the Universe ultimately amounts to. Whether you’re new to esoteric philosophy or a longtime student of Manly Hall’s work, this deep dive into the life of the Maestro is essential viewing.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00:00 An Introduction to Manly P. Hall (ft. Alex Sachon and Mitch Horowitz)

06:52 “The Search for the Essential Meaning of Life” (1989) | Clip 1

13:56 The Principle of Unity (ft. Alex Sachon)

15:22 “The Search for the Essential Meaning of Life” (1989) | Clip 2

19:27 Ambassador of the Mystery Schools (ft. Alex Sachon and Peter Dawkins)

22:49 “Success is the Accomplishment of the Necessary” (1989) | Clip

26:43 The Mystic Philosopher (ft. Alex Sachon)

28:37 “Victory of the Soul Over Circumstance” (1990) | Clip

36:09 Personal Testimonies (ft. Peter Dawkins, Ronnie Pontiac, and Stephan Hoeller)

41:13 “The Search for the Essential Meaning of Life” (1989) | Clip 3

NOTES:

• If you enjoy this documentary, check out this Substack page for the full archive of Alex Sachon’s other Manly P. Hall material, which includes links to his books, podcasts, and other documentaries that Alex has published on Hall over the years.
• Alex’s website: www.alexsachon.com
• See also Alex’s philosophical non-profit Salomon’s House, which this documentary is being released in conjunction with: www.salomonshouse.org

CREDITS:

• Luke Storey’s The Life Stylist Podcast: lukestorey.com/lifestylistpodcast
• Killah Priest’s Podcraft Podcast: kppodcraft.com (Official artist portal: killahpriest.tv)
• Ronnie Pontiac: linktr.ee/ronniepontiac
• Peter Dawkins: peterdawkins.com (Zoence Academy: zoence.co.uk | Francis Bacon Research Trust: fbrt.org.uk)
• Mitch Horowitz: mitchhorowitz.com
• Alexander Sachon: alexsachon.com (Substack: thewisdomtradition.substack.com)
• Stephan Hoeller (The Gnostic Society): gnosis.org
• Passing the Lamp: A Memorial Video on the Life of Manly P. Hall (VHS)
• For music credits, see the YouTube or Substack page for this video.