Documentary Film

Thought someone may enjoy watching this,
if you have the time!
Tarot is towards second half.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/secrets-of-the-playing-card/

I really loved this. Once I started watching I couldn't stop!

Thank you for posting that, poivre. For anything who doesn't have time to watch all 45 minutes (and it is fascinating), they start talking specifically about tarot after 18.50.

Good, thanks Le Fanu!

I wasn't sure if this would be of any interest to anyone.

I thought is was good.

Fantastic, thanks for linking it! I enjoyed it thoroughly

~Yira

Poivre, thanks so much for sharing that documentary - I found it fascinating! The part about the women leaving a playing card (or half a card) with their infants was heartbreaking. Might have to watch it again when I'm not quite so tired.

It was heartbreaking..my 15yo son watched with me, and even he got sad about it, and imagined out loud giving up our newest family member because we couldn't feed her..(my granddaughter/his niece, whom he adores)

Rough times back then..now there's a way no matter what, if you swallow your pride and take the help

~Yira

Oh gosh yes, that about the Dutch Orphanages was incredible. I shall remember that use of playing cards forever!

I was pleased to see I recognised all the tarot cards used (I dreaded seeing a stunning one which I couldn't quite place and which would haunt me forever!), but what edition of Thoth is it that they use?

It looks like the images and writing of the plates from the Book of Thoth, but were these ever issued as actual cards with large borders? They appear quite distinctly on the documentary as cards, not pages.

History Channel did a great job as usual. Thanks for posting, poivre . And thanks Le Fanu for sending it over to me

Le Fanu said:

Oh gosh yes, that about the Dutch Orphanages was incredible. I shall remember that use of playing cards forever!

I was pleased to see I recognised all the tarot cards used (I dreaded seeing a stunning one which I couldn't quite place and which would haunt me forever!), but what edition of Thoth is it that they use?

It looks like the images and writing of the plates from the Book of Thoth, but were these ever issued as actual cards with large borders? They appear quite distinctly on the documentary as cards, not pages.

Click to expand...

Maybe it was the Via Tarot?
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/via/

Thanks for posting this, poivre!

The information about regular old playing cards was really enjoyable. They did okay on the tarot portion - at the very least I wish they had taken footage of cards other than Death, Devil, The Tower, and more Devil Some of the decks they showed were very beautiful and I really wanted to see more of each deck. I was also disappointed that Pamela Coleman was completely omitted and the Waite/Coleman deck was only briefly mentioned, in favor of the more sensationalistic Thoth deck.

The producers do get extra props for debunking the whole, "GYPSIES FROM EGYPT DID THE TAROTS!!!" myth.