Moloch in popular culture

See also Moloch (disambiguation)

The Canaanite god Moloch was the recipient of child sacrifice according to the account of the Hebrew Bible, as well as Greco-Roman historiography on the god of Carthage. Moloch is depicted in John Milton's Paradise Lost as one of the greatest warriors of the rebel angels, vengeful and militant.

In the 19th century, "Moloch" came to be used allegorically for any idol or cause requiring excessive sacrifice.[1] Bertrand Russell in 1903 used Moloch to describe oppressive religion, and Winston Churchill in his 1948 history The Gathering Storm used "Moloch" as a metaphor for Adolf Hitler's cult of personality .

Historical fiction

Gustave Flaubert's Salammbô (1862), a semi-historical novel about Carthage, depicts the practice of child sacrifice to Moloch.

In Giovanni Pastrone's silent epic film Cabiria (1913), substantially based on Flaubert, the heroine is saved from being sacrificed to the idol Molech.[2]

Allegorical

In Allen Ginsberg's 1955 poem "Howl", Moloch is used as a metaphor for the American city, thus aligning McCarthy-era America with the demon. The word is repeated many times throughout Part II of the poem, and begins (as an exclamation of "Moloch!") in all but the first and last five stanzas of the section.

Moloch (Молох) is a 1999 Russian biographical drama film directed by Alexander Sokurov. It portrays Adolf Hitler as a humanized figure, living life in an unassuming manner during an abrupt journey to the Bavarian Alps.

Eponymy and other references

Literature

  • In the dystopian novel The Secret of the League (1907) by Ernest Bramah, Moloch is the name of a prototype flying-machine that goes off course and is eventually lost.
  • In Isaac Asimov's short story "The Dead Past" (1956), the plot hinges on a historian's obsession with exonerating the Carthaginians of their supposed child sacrifice to Moloch.
  • In Robert A. Heinlein's novel Job: A Comedy of Justice (1984), the main characters join a church pastored by "Reverend Dr. M. O. Loch."
  • In Walter Moers's The 131⁄2 Lives of Captain Bluebear (1999), the great ship is called the Moloch.
  • Moloch is one of the names given to Corky Laputa in Dean Koontz's novel The Face (2003).
  • Moloch played an important role in Jeff Lindsey's novel Dexter in the Dark (2007).
  • Moloch is a character in the Felix Castor novels written by Mike Carey (2007 and following).
  • In Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant (2007), Moloch is the name of a vampire living in Ballymun.
  • In Wayne Barlowe's novel God's Demon (2007), Moloch appears as an infernal general to the ruling demonic legions, ruling under Beelzebub. His relationship with Hannibal particularly focuses on his demands for child sacrifice from his followers.
  • In Dan Brown's novel The Lost Symbol (2009), the principal villain's backstory reveals that he renamed himself Mal'akh after the angel Moloch in Paradise Lost. The villain also performs a black magic ritual to allow the angel to descend and possess him, as he gains extra powers after the ritual is complete.
  • In Patrick Rothfuss' children's book "The Princess and Mr. Wiffle," Moloch is the proposed name for a kitten which is subsequently and symbolically eaten by the Princess.

Comics and anime

  • Alan Moore's Watchmen features a retired underworld crime boss who once adopted the name Moloch the Mystic (real name Edgar William Jacobi) and wore the robes of a magician.
  • Moloch von Zinzer is a supporting character in the webcomic Girl Genius.[3]
  • The cartoonist Paul Mavrides depicts a serious/comical Moloch in Anarchy Comics #1, in a piece entitled "Some Straight Talk about ANARCHY".[4]
  • In Marvel Comics, Moloch was the antagonist of Marvel Fanfare #52, in which a cult of "hill-people" attempt to sacrifice the Black Knight to him.
  • Also from Marvel, Molek was the name of an Arabic spirit of vengeance in Jason Aaron's run on Ghost Rider.
  • In Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san, Moloch is the demon of violence, and is implied to be the strongest demon summoned; however, in all of his incarnations, he is exorcized or killed before he can display any of his power. His appearance is that of a bull plushy.
  • In "The Chapel of Moloch", Hellboy travels to Tavira, Portugal in order to investigate an ancient medieval chapel dedicated to Moloch. In the Hellboy comics, Moloch is also presented as a bull-headed creature.

Film and TV

  • In Fritz Lang's silent film Metropolis (1927), Moloch is a vision of a demonic machine. His face overlays machinery, and the hero, Freder, has a vision of workers being dragged by chains into the fires inside Moloch's mouth.
  • "Moloch", an episode of the BBC television series Blake's 7 (1980).
  • Moloch is a character in Stargate SG-1 who demands all female children be burnt alive at birth. He is killed in the episode "Sacrifices", written by Stargate actor Christopher Judge in a missile strike.
  • The primary villain of the 1996 animated series Project G.e.e.K.e.R. was named Moloch; he was voiced by Jim Cummings.
  • Moloch the Corrupter is the name of a character in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode "I, Robot... You, Jane" (1997).
  • Moloch is characterized as a "war machine" in the television series Spellbinder: Land of the Dragon Lord (1997).
  • Moloch (depicted as a horned demon) is the primary antagonist in the first two seasons of the 2013 TV series Sleepy Hollow.
  • Moloch, described as the God of Sacrifice, is used by a family to get rich in the Supernatural season 12 episode The Memory Remains. He is killed by protagonist Sam Winchester with the legendary gun known as The Colt.
  • Moloch is a central character in the 2013 film Lord of Tears.
  • In the 2008 film AM1200, the financial firm Sam Larson and Harry Jones work for is called Molech/Milcom.
  • In the 2005 musical movie Reefer Madness, Moloch is portrayed by Alan Cumming in a musical orgy scene. Although the role is only credited as "The Goat Man", the character is summoned by "Moloch" chants.

Video games

Music

Bands

Songs and lyrics

  • The American powerviolence band Man Is the Bastard made a song called "Moloch", using the words from the Ginsberg's "Howl" as lyrics.
  • Appears in the song "Molochwalker" off the album Noctourniquet, performed by The Mars Volta.
  • "Good Morning, Great Moloch" by Current 93
  • Moloch is mentioned in the song "The Child Must Die" by the black metal band Watain.
  • "Mr. Shiny Cadilackness" by Clutch
  • Singer-songwriter Jude refers to Moloch in his song "You Mama You".
  • Moloch is mentioned in the song "Feeding Moloch" by the Swedish melodic black metal band Naglfar.
  • Moloch is the central theme of Rise And Fall Of The Moloch Master Machine: Gear And Fear Generations In An Ambient Industrial Era[7] the second album by industrial ambient technoi(d)se act TechnoIDSFear TRanscEndDor.[8]

See also

  • Moloch horridus is the scientific name of a kind of horned lizard also known as a thorny devil.

References

  1. ↑ Lives of Victorian political figures: Volume 2, Christine Kinealy, Michael De Nie, Carla King - 2007 "370, L 5: Moloch: in popular mythology, an idol who devours his followers' children, "
  2. ↑ Architecture for the Screen: A Critical Study of Set Design - Page 115 Juan Antonio Ramírez - 2004 "The "Temple of Moloch," as recreated for Cabiria (1913), an influential Italian "super" production of the period. The horrific portal to the temple, a gigantic mouth with shark-like fangs, clearly establishes the voracious character of a merciless, pre-Christian god requiring endless human sacrifice."
  3. ↑ http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20120817
  4. ↑ http://libcom.org/files/Anarchy-Comics-1.pdf
  5. ↑
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ Rise And Fall Of The Moloch Master Machine: Gear And Fear Generations In An Ambient Industrial Era
  8. ↑ TechnoIDSFear TRanscEndDor
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.