Pazuzu's Revenge?

Gee, I guess I really shouldn't curse out demons. Why so?



Talk about freaky, kiddies... I came home to find my favorite 80's framed poster smashed in pieces. It looked like something pushed it off the wall. More flakes of paint also fell off my ceiling. I grabbed what was left of the frame and backed into the wall. I really thought someone had broken into my apartment. Glass everywhere, and now the matted poster (yes, the Toasty one, RD) has scratches all over it.



There was also a weird message on my answering machine. It sounded like a garbled voice and then a busy signal. All night long my cats kept staring at the spot where the picture was. I quickly replaced the poster with an $11 purchase on eBay, but it hung securely for two years with no problems.



My listing of an out-of-print video that I've sold twice was taken down, too. I clicked on to see how the bids were doing, and that one was missing. I've never had that happen before, and the damn thing was up to $20.49 with 5 days to go. What gives? Ebay is bootleg heaven. I don't get it.



Amazing thing is, I was discussing Pazuzu yesterday in light of the latest Exorcist film (I'm being nice, Paz, don't zing me again). He was a Mesapotamian god with the power to exact revenge and destroy all things. Uttering his name, it was feared, could summon tragedy. He was worshipped and ultimately honored as a symbol of unwielding power. Not unlike the Hindu goddess Shiva, there were festivals and holy days honoring this unsettling power. Replicas of him pop up in windows in Middle Eastern stores, and his name figures prominently in the study of demonology, I learned. Weird things happened on the set of the latest film during the cave scenes. His statue is shown numerous times in this one, perhaps he's pissed off for being in such a crappy film.



Friedkin's original filming in Iran during the hot fall of 1972 included clerics and holy men. They took the excavation scenes very seriously. As you know, there are only about 7 minutes of footage used before we are introduced to the two priests, but Paz's figure looms over them in the hot sun.



All hell broke loose when they got back to Georgetown to film the bedroom scenes. Just eerie, eerie stuff. The background on this demon is very interesting, maybe even more so than the spinning head and pea soup.



Ok, Paz. You win. I'm reframing my picture, though. I promise to be nice.