Wednesday, September 19, 2012

ROCK Sex: Rene Magritte > THE EXORCIST > THE POSSESSION



ROCK Sex says possession is 9/10 of the law.

Today, how a fine artist inspired THE EXORCIST poster.

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A night stroll on the studio backlot in SUNSET BOULEVARD (1950)


Belgian Surrealist painter Rene Magritte provoked creative tension by combining familiar things in unfamiliar combinations.

In a series of paintings called "The Empire of Light / L'Empire des Lumiรจres" (1950-'54), the jarring tension comes from a daylight sky resting over a night street scene.



Director William Friedkin saw these images in a book shared by actor Ellen Burstyn while filming THE EXORCIST (1973).

It inspired this classic scene in the film and the iconic poster that came from it; a subtly transgressive image of the forces of light (a shadowed priest, below) confronting the forces of darkness (a lit window, above).




That poster clearly haunts this poster for THE POSSESSION (2012).



The Magritte painting also inspired the cover for the Jackson Browne album, LATE FOR THE SKY (1974).



The scene from the film was also homaged on THE EXORCIST TV series (Season 1, 2016).




© Tym Stevens



See Also:

MAGRITTE = The Beatles > Jeff Beck > THE EXORCIST > Jackson Browne > Styx > TWIN PEAKS

Astounding Science Fiction > Queen

PLANET STORIES - Whip It Good!

"Electric Ladyland" - Peggy Moffitt > Janelle Monae


2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY - Its Transcendent Influence on all Pop Culture, with Music Player!


The Real History of Rock and Soul!: The Music Player Checklist


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