Pazuzu Statue from The Exorcist Movie | 6" Resin Replica Collectible Figure

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The demon mask used in the movie Onibaba (1964) inspired William Friedkin to use a similar design for the makeup in the shots. In these shots, the demon is played by actress Eileen Dietz, who underwent makeup tests for the "possessed Regan", wore one of the alternate make-ups in her role as the demon. Plaque for protection against the female demon Lamashtu- https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/plaque-protection-against-female-demon-lamashtu

Before confronting the demon inside Regan, Father Karras had a brief glimpse of Pazuzu while dreaming about his mother. The term "demon" in the modern day always carries with it the connotation of evil but this was not so in the ancient world. The English word "demon" is a translation of the Greek word daimon which simply meant "spirit". A daimon could be good or evil, depending on its intentions and the results of a visitation. In ancient Mesopotamia, as in other cultures of the ancient world, demons were often sent by the gods as punishment for sin or to remind one of one's duty to the gods and others in one's community. Demons were not always evil and even those who were, like Pazuzu, were still capable of good deeds. Demons in Mesopotamia With the demons cast, from a Christian perspective, as Satan's henchmen, any one of them could have possessed her. Perhaps Pazuzu, with his reputation for scaring away evil, was simply the most dominant when the right channel of communication was opened up. This is where the ouija board comes in, offering a cautionary tale against the dangers of using occult items for a bit of a lark. As Christianity.com warns: The sound of the demon leaving Regan's body is actually the sound of pigs being herded for slaughter. This alludes to a story in the New Testament where Jesus cast out several demons, collectively called Legion, from a man and transfers them into the bodies of pigs. The pigs are then drowned, similar to Father Karris dying after accepting the demon. Gorillaz - Désolé ft. Fatoumata Diawara (Episode Two)". YouTube. 2022-03-25 . Retrieved 2022-03-26.In The Raid, Jason sees effigies in a shepherd’s hut. These symbols, as you’d later notice, match the ones that are etched on the temple’s walls. The ancient Assyrians and Babylonians regarded Pazuzu as an evil demon of the underworld who could control the wind, bringing famine during the dry seasons and storms and locusts during the rainy season. Ancient humans tried to offset Pazuzu’s destructive nature by offering prayers to him, hoping that he would contain the winds and use them for more benevolent purposes. Pazuzu’s Dichotomous Nature As such, not all demons were necessarily evil, and even those who were, like Pazuzu, often had several layers of complexity to their personalities. Depictions Of Pazuzu In Ancient Mesopotamian Art And Culture The Exorcist is widely regarded as one of the most influential horror movies of all time. Even now, half a century after its release, it continues to terrify audiences, in large part due to its horrifying practical effects and iconic antagonist: Pazuzu. Baphomet Antiquity Figurine: Satanic Demon Occult Goat of Mendes Statue - Pagan Ornament for Home Decor

In the novel, the possessed Regan has diarrhea and frequently relieves herself. Because of this she has to wear diapers. It is also frequently mentioned in the book that her bedroom has an almost unbearable stench. McCambridge had to sue Warner Brothers for credit as the voice of the demon. William Friedkin, on the Diane Riehm Show (NPR, 29 April 2012) said that originally she didn't want a credit, saying that she wanted the audience to believe the voice was Regan's. However, after it was released she changed her mind, and was given the credit. Much later in Brothers and The City, Salim and Jason reach a gargantuan cavern where all the vampires seem to be nesting in cocoons. This area is buried underneath Naram-Sin’s temple, meaning that these creatures have been here for thousands of years well before the rise and fall of the Akkadian Empire.

He is imagined as an especially frightening figure capable of scaring off any lesser demon or ghost. Pazuzu is represented in statuettes and engravings with bulging eyes in a canine face, a scaly body, snake-headed penis, the talons of a large bird, and enormous wings. In the opening scenes of The Exorcist he is depicted accurately in the life-sized statue the priest looks upon in the ancient city of Hatra. Dantalion, Duke of Hell Demon statue Pagan statue Satan statue Wooden Demonolatry Daemon Devil statue Pagan altar Wood carving Occult Gothic One theory posits a connection in their names as well - that Bes, like Pazuzu, could have been derived from the king name Bazi [28] - although Pazuzu's name has not yet been proven to have originated from Bazi, [23] nor, it is speculated, has Bes's name been proven to be of foreign origin. [28] Other protective demons [ edit ] Bazi, as named in the Tell Leilan version of the Sumerian King List, was a king of Mari. [32] The name is followed by that of the succeeding king, Zizi. Bazi's name is preceded by Anbu, his father, who was suspected to have inspired the god Anbu, which later conflated into Hanbu. [33] (Pazuzu's father.) The theory goes that, given the connection between Anbu and Hanbu, it could be that the name Pazuzu is a construction of the following kings names: Ba-zi-Zi-zi. [34] Absorbed functions of Humbaba [ edit ]

Another speculation is that rather than Bes and Pazuzu having a common origin point, Pazuzu was an offshoot of Bes. [23] In popular culture [ edit ] Author William Peter Blatty based the character loosely on Gerald Lankester Harding, the British archaeologist most well-known for excavating the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in modern-day Palestine, as well as overseeing their preservation and study. With this source of inspiration, it's fitting that we first meet Merrin on a dig, and his encounter with the Pazuzu statue takes on greater significance when we later learn that he previously conducted an exorcism in Africa that almost cost his life. In Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, Pazuzu (sometimes Fazuzu or Pazuza) was the king of the demons of the wind, and son of the god Hanbi. He also represented the southwestern wind, the bearer of storms and drought. Pazuzu is the demon of the southwest wind known for bringing famine during dry seasons, and locusts during rainy seasons. Pazuzu was said to be invoked in amulets, which combat the powers of his rival, the malicious goddess Lamashtu, who was believed to cause harm to mother and child during childbirth. Although Pazuzu is, himself, an evil spirit, he drives away other evil spirits, therefore protecting humans against plagues and misfortunes. (In the film, when the Iraqi museum curator sees Merrin looking at the amulet, he says, "Evil against evil".) Nineveh. The demon in the film is very specifically intended to be Pazuzu. Yet the surprise of encountering this demon from The Exorcist in the British Museum is actually an insight into why this is such a memorable film. There is obviously a vast amount of literary and theological material behind it, similar to the densely specific apocalyptic plots of comparable films such as The Omen and its sequels. But what's so clever and haunting about Friedkin's film is that while all these complex intimations are there, the least hint of explication has been ruthlessly edited out. There is no long-winded explanation offered by anyone for what is happening. Everything is suggested, rather than explained, and connections are left hanging in mid-air. Why, for example, does the possession take place in Washington DC? Is there a political implication - or not? We are never told. And yet Watergate-era Washington is brilliantly portrayed, in a way that makes the film's location seem significant.

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The gospels of the New Testament depict Jesus Christ routinely driving demons from various individuals and the Book of Acts, Revelation, and others describe demons in the service of God's adversary, Satan. In the letter of I John 4:1 in the New Testament the writer admonishes his readers to test every spirit to see if it is of God, and to reject it if it is not. Accomplished radio actress Mercedes McCambridge was responsible for voicing Regan while she was possessed. The voice is enough to give audiences the chills, but creating it wasn't an easy process. While I was researching for information on the demon Pazuzu, I was quite surprised at how little information there actually is on this demon, since he is the star demon of the Exorcist movies. Pazuzu was portrayed as the demon responsible for human possession and devastating mayhem in all of the Exorcist franchises movies. The first Exorcist movie involved some truly special prosthetics and practical effects to really bring this demonic possession to life. It's one of the strengths of the movie, with its aesthetic helping to genuinely sell the narrative being told. But it was so complicated to put together. Pazuzu is known to us today largely due to The Exorcist, but the widespread prevalence of his iconography throughout the ancient world shows that even in his time, he was a well known and fairly popular demon. Pazuzu is also the only prominent Mesopotamian demon or deity to make its way into Hollywood films — and there may be several reasons for this.