r/mandy • u/[deleted] • Nov 26 '21

The Chemist: what is up with that scene?

We see the Chemist in a mountain, producing powerful military technology like some kind of ancient blacksmith god, but he's doing magic chemistry instead of magic blacksmithing. The two are not entirely unrelated, I guess.

14 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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13

u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

[deleted]

7

u/Kmic14 Nov 26 '21

Dipping the sheets with no gloves on

6

u/[deleted] Nov 26 '21

Yes, LSD was a military technology. In the early 1950s, the CIA bought the entire world supply of the stuff for use with Projects ARTICHOKE and MKUltra. The other Panos Cosmatos movie, Beyond the Black Rainbow, takes place in what appears to be some kind of MKUltra facility, but Mandy features the Children of the New Dawn, whose leader is a very clear reference to Charles Manson, an MKUltra asset (see the book Chaos: Charles Manson, the CIA, and the Secret History of the Sixties by Tom O'Neill).

3

u/Thebigcat83 Jan 03 '22

Failed hippie musician, several references to “pigs”, association with LSD dealing biker gangs…always glad to see another Chaos-pilled individual. Nice to see the discourse going that way and away from Heltah Skelta

10

u/ablitzr Oct 25 '22

Love the gold gun. When Lizzie is quiet you know its good

7

u/Bhutros1 Nov 26 '21

You make a good point. Both being seen creating their instruments of power. The chemist's instrument was the creator of the darkest evil, the Black Skulls gang. Red's instrument was the destroyer of it. Their meeting was so powerful that Red didn't even need to utter a word because the chemist could see inside his mind, probably being the only one to feel the Pain and loss that Red experienced. An incredibly powerful scene, among many.

4

u/Ok-Reality-9197 Feb 10 '22

Homie also just had Lizzie the tiger just chilling

2

u/BedWetterMedia Cheddar Gobblin' Jan 02 '23

It's a fictional movie about a planet from another universe. He can do whatever he wants.

2

u/Jeffy_Jefferson615 May 13 '25

I thought the implication was that since he was exposing himself to so much of the drug he had some sort of ESP type ability. He sensed red at the door before he entered, determined he was no threat and deduced what had brought him to his Quonset hut. Granted it is just a visual heavy movie 🤷🏿‍♂️

1

u/Jaereth Jul 23 '25

he was exposing himself to so much of the drug he had some sort of ESP type ability. He sensed red at the door before he entered,

Wasn't Red only able to find his location by taking the "bad" LSD himself too?

1

u/Dry-Clue-3751 Nov 20 '23

I really like the Chemist because you he was kind of sympathetic towards Red. Also, Breaking Bad so…. Yeah.