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Influences of religion on culture and society
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Being Possessed
The idea of possession can frighten many people. What horror movie producers and directors that go into this field are counting on is that they can use it to frighten their viewers. The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning both are centered on the act of exorcism. Both demoniacs in the films are women though their fates are polar opposites. The exorcisms are also shown in different lights. This is done through special effects as well as lighting and music. The first film in the series stays with a cut and dry method of keeping mainly to the exorcism itself; however, its prequel focuses more on fancy special effects and stimulating music. The newest addition to The Exorcist series also adds in the usual Hollywood love story present in most films in our time. Prequels tend to also serve the purpose of story building, regardless of how new it is. In this case it has the duty of creating and explaining the character of Merrin. The success of both The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning was not only due to the story line, but also the mystery of it as well as its acceptance in society and the church. The exorcism itself, such as the effects and the overall focus on it were portrayed differently within The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning in accordance with the view from society in general and their expectations on how a movie should be done.
The rite of exorcism dates back many centuries. It is a practice not only practiced in Christianity but in Pagan religions as well. The main difference between the two is that Pagan exorcists rely on their own power to expel the demons rather then the Christians drawing their power directly from God to do the job (Baker, 137). This power was given to the Christia...
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...new technology back then. Movies have now been mandated by the movie making industry to take on new twists, however. The Exorcist Beginning, being the prequel to the first of the series, had to pull something new to get the viewers it needed for success. Therefore, Harlin put in the notorious love story to add a special little twist to our emotion. This in conjunction with the development of Merrin, puts the actual exorcism out of the spot light. Thus, showing how movies have been changed over time with the change in wants from society. As their wants for a good movie change, so must the actual film to acquire success. The Exorcist and The Exorcist Beginning both followed the expectations of society for their respective filming eras to become very successful movies, having their success fueled by the mixed views and conceptions of both the church and society.
To begin with, some people would say they enjoy a horror movie that gets them scared out of their wits. They go see these movies once a month on average, for fun, each time choosing a newer sequel like “Final Destination” or “The evil Dead”. King says “When we pay our four or five bucks and seat ourselves at tenth-row center in a theater showing a horror movie we are daring the nightmare” (405). As a writer of best-sel...
The growing practice of Neo-Paganism in America has caused many to turn their heads. The misunderstanding of the religion has caused many to equate the practitioners with the popular conception of typical "witches," that perform black magic rituals, satanic sacrifices, and engage in devil-inspired orgies. After many years, the Neo-Pagan community has cleared up many misconceptions through the showing that many of them do not engage in activities, and are rather participating in a religion, just as those would that participate in a Christian community. It's unacceptance continues, perhaps due to its non-conformity to the ideal of worshipping a Christian God. Through the use of ethnography, anthropologists and sociologists are able to present the public with a much different view than what we are bombarded with in popular media.
Whenever mentioning demon worship themes in movies, people often think about classics The Exorcist (1973), and The Omen (1976). However, these films are well-known thanks to the clearance of Rosemary's Baby (1968)- a story full of tragic, filled with injustice and disregard women. The film revolves around a frail young woman and a lonely journey against the dark forces in her own home.
Every cultural tradition and major religion has formed the idea of possession and has had the need for some form of exorcism. Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Islam’s, Buddhists and scientists all have different views on exorcism. Although these religions believe in the idea of exorcism, science proves to have different explanations to this phenomenon.
The first stage of the genre cycle is called the primitive stage. During this stage of the cycle, the genre of horror is very new. Filmmakers are trying to decide what makes a horror film a horror film, while audience are figuring out what they should expect every time they see this kind of film. For example, Todd Browning’s Dracula is the basic, stripped down blueprint for many monster-horror films today. It features the “bad guy” accompanied by the “good guy”. After several horrifying events, Van Helsing kills the vampire, Dracula, and good prevails, again. Thus, establishing that in horror films no matter how grue...
vulnerable to the Devil’s blandishments. A lurid picture of the activities of witches emerged in the popular mind, including covens, or gatherings over which Satan presided; pacts with the Devil; flying broomsticks; and animal accomplices, or familiars. Although a few of these elements may represent leftovers of pre-Christian religion, the old religion probably did not persist in any organized form beyond the 14th century. The popular image of witchcraft, perhaps inspired by features of occultism or ceremonial magic as well as by theology concerning the Devil and his works of darkness, was given shape by the inflamed imagination of inquisitors and was confirmed by statements obtained under torture. The late medieval and early modern picture of diabolical witchcraft can be attributed to several causes. First, the church’s experience with such dissident religious movements as the Albigenses and Cathari, who believed in a radical dualism of good and evil, led to the belief that certain people had allied themselves with Satan.
People are addicted to the synthetic feeling of being terrified. Modern day horror films are very different from the first horror films which date back to the late nineteenth century, but the goal of shocking the audience is still the same. Over the course of its existence, the horror industry has had to innovate new ways to keep its viewers on the edge of their seats. Horror films are frightening films created solely to ignite anxiety and panic within the viewers. Dread and alarm summon deep fears by captivating the audience with a shocking, terrifying, and unpredictable finale that leaves the viewer stunned.
Vodou is an actual religion and not something that should be demonized. The spelling of Vodou as Voodoo in itself is demonizing the actual religion with another belief by associating the system known as hoodoo, due to ignorance. It should actually be said and spelled Vodou (Voe-dou). Vodou has been a source of intrigue and fear for many since it’s first mentionings in the texts of 1800th century missionaries. For most people the first time hearing about the religion comes from hollywood movies. Unluckily these films portray the religion as a barbaric practice involved with witchcraft and devil worship. In reality Vodou is steeped in the history of the Caribbean and its origin country of Haiti. The religion tells the story of its home country,
Unearthed skulls dating back to 6500 BCE have been discovered by archeologists to have large holes drilled into the sides of them. (1) The purpose of the drilling was to release the demon spirits that ruled inside these unfortunate beings. (2) The thought at the time was that strange, disruptive, or unexplainable behaviors demonstrated by individuals was a direct consequence of demons controlling the persons soul. These behaviors were seen not as a medical condition of any kind, but primarily relating to bad morals. There are Biblical references that Jesus cast out devils in those demonstrating irrational or crazed behaviors. Of course there are also Biblical reference that describe maniacal behavior that Jesus also healed and those individual were thought to simply be ill.
For as long as humans have communicated, they’ve written and listened to horror stories. Whether it’s the old Mexican folktale of “La Llorona,” or even Stephen King’s “IT,” of the cosmos of any genre of tales, horrifying stories have been one of the most successful of all time. Why? The characters within these works often transform into better people by the end of the story, grasping the need for change in all those who watch it. Characters often face horror throughout their development in a narrative. These experiences often change the mentality of these characters, transforming them into “new” people. In works such as “The Cask of Amontillado,” by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Birds,” by Alfred Hitchcock, and “Why we crave horror movies,” by Stephen
For many centuries to the present day, Christians have lived in fear of witches. They were known as to be the devils child who only practiced black magic and thought of as the Christians “persecution”. Witches have been known to mankind since the 1200’s. Throughout the 1400’s, the examination of witches was more focus and moved from the Jews. In the church’s law, it was stated that the belief of existence and practices of witchcraft was “heresy”. Because of what the Christians believed, churches would then torture and hunt down anyone who they thought were witches and killed the many women and only a few of the men. They even made them make the confession of flying through the midnight sky, being in love with the devil himself, practicing black magic and even turning into animals.
Horror films are designed to frighten the audience and engage them in their worst fears, while captivating and entertaining at the same time. Horror films often center on the darker side of life, on what is forbidden and strange. These films play with society’s fears, its nightmare’s and vulnerability, the terror of the unknown, the fear of death, the loss of identity, and the fear of sexuality. Horror films are generally set in spooky old mansions, fog-ridden areas, or dark locales with unknown human, supernatural or grotesque creatures lurking about. These creatures can range from vampires, madmen, devils, unfriendly ghosts, monsters, mad scientists, demons, zombies, evil spirits, satanic villains, the possessed, werewolves and freaks to the unseen and even the mere presence of evil.
Prior to open practice of Satanism, the Roman Catholic church used Satanism as a label for individuals and groups who held views or ideologies that conflicted with those of the church. This was an attempt to delegitimize their opponents and to strengthen the Church’s following. While these accusations were initially harmless and limited to heretics, they became increasingly frequent and extreme. These wild accusations spread to rumors of violent rituals claimed to be performed by Satanists which built up to widespread fear and panic. Ultimately, this would result in events like the Salem Witch Trials where innocent people were put to death due to false suspicion of individuals performing witchcraft and becoming possessed by the Devil. Ironically, while the church merely intended to bolster both its image and following with these accusations, the widespread panic that resulted put Satanism on the map, and “several scholars identify fundamentalist Christianity as one of the major influences shaping and driving the” onset of the Satanist movement (Underwager and Wakefield, 281). This sheds light on the true relationship between the conflicting belief systems of Christianity and Satanism. Although the two are at odds on even the most basic levels, their relationship is largely codependent. Christianity uses the fear surrounding Satanism and the
a dull grey colour as if it had lost the will to live and stopped
Since the release of George Melies’s The Haunted Castle in 1896, over 90,000 horror films have been made. However, none have been more frightening and influential than that of Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. Each a product of horror’s 1970’s and 80’s golden era, the films have a reputation of engulfing viewers in fear, without the use of masked killers, vampires, or other clichés. Instead, Kubrick and Spielberg take a different approach and scare audiences on a psychological level. The Shining and Jaws evoke fear through the use of three different film aspects: the use of a “danger” color, daunting soundtracks, and suspenseful cinematography.