[Sofia]

The Exorcist or Batman… loooool! yes, very good work, fatherb! Never thought that the bats’ ears matched Merrin’s hat.

Witch, I’ll post a capture of the winged lion-head. 🙂

[colombiancannon]

Interesting subject. Let me add some apples into the basket and say that the drawings of the owls is a foreshadowing. Owls can turn their heads completely around just like the demon Reagan. Go figure.

[Witch of Endor]

Colombia, another stroke of genius with the owl. Of course the owl can only face its head backwards and then return to the normal state. Regan can spin her head in circles indefinitely. Go figure. I always wondered why it wouldn’t make the skin on her stretch and turn into a screw like configuration. Maybe someone should write a book entitled physics of the Exorcist. Now that would be a neat little read.

[fatherbowdern]

Well, I think Colombian is actually on track because we do see Regan turning her head in a 180-degree position as she is speaking to Chris in Burke’s voice at the end of the crucifix masturbation scene. “Do you know what she did? Your cunting daughter.”

Also, the 360-degree head spin is just a part of where the demon continues to play mental warfare with Karras; e.g., reminders that he killed his mother; he left her alone to die; she’ll never forgive you; the appearance of Karras’ mother on Regan’s bed when he enters the room alone, yadda, yadda, yadda …

I do agree the physics of most actions would be impossible without killing Regan, but that’s just a part of the twisted fun the demon is having on the priests before he strikes down his real targets … Merrin and Karras.

FB

[Sofia]

The winged lion-head drawing:

“most actions would be impossible without killing Regan, but that’s just a part of the twisted fun the demon is having”

Yes, exactly! Her head turning around was an illusion that Karras and Chris had. The Demon made them having it.

[fatherbowdern]

Great shot of the winged lion, Sof.

Make want you want of the following:

1. Biblical Descriptive Interpretation:
The winged lion is the symbol of St. Mark the Evangelist. This symbol comes from St. Mark’s description of John the Baptist’s voice “crying out in the wilderness” upon hearing the Word of God (Mark 1:3). His voice is said to have sounded like that of a roaring lion. This lion symbolism also appears in a vision of the Prophet Ezekiel where four winged creatures represent the four evangelists (Ezekiel 1:10). Matthew is depicted as a human, Mark as a lion, Luke as a bull, and John as an eagle.

2. The Exorcist Script:
MERRIN
Let us pray. Holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who once and for all consigned that fallen tyrant to the flames of hell. Who sent your only begotten son into the world to crush that roaring lion.

3. Regan’s drawing of a winged lion!

I am not saying conclusively that this drawing has anything to do with paraphrasing both Biblical descriptions and scriptures above, but it sure would make sense from the BoB (Brain of Blatty).

FB

[Witch of Endor]

I notice the lion also has horse-like characteristics.

[Jagged]

The winged lion is far more likely a depiction of an Assyrian lamassu. It’s for protection against demons.

[fatherbowdern]

Why would it be “far more likely a depiction of an Assyrian Lamassu?” A Lamussu has a human head, right? I have always seen the head in this drawing as that of a dog. (Although I like your theory about this drawing being a repellent against evil and makes it even more mysterious.)

Also, this drawing does reflect many aspects with different animal qualities like a lion, a horse, or perhaps even a dog that somehow ties into the scene of the fighting dogs when Merrin approaches the mount to confront Pazuzu.

From the script:
MERRIN
I think the point is to make us dispair … to see ourselves as … animal and ugly … to reject the possibillity that God could love us.

Who knows? Blatty? Friedkin? It’s a fun discussion, “ain’t it?”

FB

[ugotugotugotwhatiwant]

Has anyone pointed this out before? After Regan pukes on Karras, she slumps back on th bed, her green eyes glaring menancingly. The immediate next shot after this is of Regan’s drawings and cutouts on the basement wall. Among them is an owl with menacing yellow/green eyes. A few seconds later, Karras starts flipping through Regan’s drawings. One of them is of a tree with bats or something hanging upside down. There is a large hole in the trunk of the tree, and from the hole glare two green eyes. All of these images occur in less than a minute.

I’ll have more to say another time about Regan’s drawings. I could go on forever about them.

[Witch of Endor]

Fada, does the script describe the pictures at all?

[fatherbowdern]

Witch,

Only this:

INTERIOR- MACNEIL HOUSE- BASEMENT- EARLY EVENING

Karras is looking through some of Regan’s drawings. Chris approaches him with his sweater, now clean. She hands it to him.

FB

[Themagus01]

After you see the pictures of the owls with the green and yellow eyes, then you see The big bad wolf and little red riding hood smiling at each other. as in Pazuzu and little Reagan

[fatherbowdern]

I’ve always notice that picture, too. I wonder if Blatty wrote that into the script (although it doesn’t appear in my copy)? Just another unique move in this film.

Father Bowdern

[Faceless]

on the subject of little red riding hood,

i once read a ‘red riding hood’ was a sort of priest and the wolf represented a possessed woman.

i made a half assed search to find a reference page but no luck.

also the ‘batman’ reference amused me because i posted a list of parallells between the gemini killer and the joker.

i wouldnt doubt blatty is a huge batman fan, actually. it would make sense.

good stuff in this thread, thanks for the read.

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