Marking the 100-year anniversary of the birth of Thomas Merton (b. 31st Jan. 1915 to a New Zealand father and American mother), a new feature length documentary, directed by Morgan Atkinson, has been released this year: The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton (thanks to my good friend Steve Georgiou for bringing its release to my attention). It features excerpts by the likes of the Dalai Lama, Richard Rohr, and James Finley (author of the very very good book Merton’s Palace of Nowhere), excerpts in which they recollect on the significance of Merton (or recollect an encounter with him or his writing). Atkinson previously directed an earlier documentary, the excellent Soul Searching: The Journey of Thomas Merton (2007).
“The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton is the story of Merton in the last year of his life, embarking on his greatest journey. It’s a story of adventure and search that takes the viewer from his home at the Abbey of Gethsemani, across America in the turbulent year of 1968 and finally to Asia for meetings with the Dalai Lama and other spiritual seekers. The purpose of the journey? As always with Merton he seeks a fuller union with God. He believed serving as a bridge between west and east was one way in which his call could be lived out. The Many Storeys and Last Days of Thomas Merton celebrates the triumph of all that was gained by his journey, reflects on the tragedy of what was lost with his death and considers why Merton’s life and work challenges us today.”
You can purchase the DVD here (USD$37 plus P&H if outside the US. They will post to the likes of New Zealand).
If you’ve not heard / ‘seen’ Merton, here’s some spliced together snippets (totaling 3m 28sec) from his final lecture in Bangkok. It was delivered just one hour before he died of electrocution (10th Dec. 1968) His subject was "Marxism & Monastic Perspectives."