Before Damien

[MichaelG]

I know that the negative connotations of the number "666" go back to the reign of Nero, but how long has it been floating around in horror films?

Was ""The Omen" the first movie to associate this number with evil, the devil, witchcraft, or bad luck?

Did it figure in the plots of any earlier films?

Anyone know?

[neverending]

Rosemary's Baby.

[MichaelG]

Rosemary's Baby.

I saw Rosemary's Baby a long time ago, but I don't remember the number "666."

Did I miss it?

[MichaelG]

Does anyone know if "666" made an ominous appearance in a T.V. pilot called "Fear No Evil" (or a T.V. movie called "Crowheaven Farm")?

[neverending]

I saw Rosemary's Baby a long time ago, but I don't remember the number "666."

Did I miss it?

Yes, you missed it. From the wikipedia entry on the film:

A few weeks later, Rosemary learns she is pregnant and is due on June 28, 1966 (6/66).

And:

At the Castavets' New Year's Eve party, Roman raises an equally cryptic toast: "To 1966: the Year One." Rosemary sees that Hutch has marked photographs and passages in the book. Using the clue given to her in the cryptic message, Rosemary deduces that Roman Castevet is really Steven Marcato, the son of Adrian Marcato, a former resident of the Bramford who was accused of being a witch and of worshiping Satan, and was a martyr to the cause

[neverending]

Does anyone know if "666" made an ominous appearance in a T.V. pilot called "Fear No Evil" (or a T.V. movie called "Crowheaven Farm")?

I assume you mean the 1970 TV movie Crowhaven Farm. No idea.

[Straker]

You might find this of some interest...

http://www.movie666.com/top-666-movie-list

[MichaelG]

Yes, you missed it. From the wikipedia entry on the film:

A few weeks later, Rosemary learns she is pregnant and is due on June 28, 1966 (6/66).

And:

At the Castavets' New Year's Eve party, Roman raises an equally cryptic toast: "To 1966: the Year One." Rosemary sees that Hutch has marked photographs and passages in the book. Using the clue given to her in the cryptic message, Rosemary deduces that Roman Castevet is really Steven Marcato, the son of Adrian Marcato, a former resident of the Bramford who was accused of being a witch and of worshiping Satan, and was a martyr to the cause
This source contradicts your source.

The 666 connection? The baby is born in the year 1966… in August. Seems odd the filmmakers would miss the obvious choice of birthing the baby in June, the sixth month, to complete the unholy triangle, but apparently Polanski didn’t feel like playing the numerology game… or did he?
www.movie666.com/top-666-movie-list

[MichaelG]

You might find this of some interest...

http://www.movie666.com/top-666-movie-list

Thank you.

According to that site, Rosemary's Baby doesnt really count.

The 666 connection? The baby is born in the year 1966… in August. Seems odd the filmmakers would miss the obvious choice of birthing the baby in June, the sixth month, to complete the unholy triangle, but apparently Polanski didn’t feel like playing the numerology game

And an avant gard film by Kenneth Anger (1972) may have been the first (but it's not clear on whether that film actually contained any direct reference to this number.)

[Robert W]

666 has no real magical meaning outside of horror flicks.

As for 1966, this was also the year Anton LaVey founded the Church of Satan.

[neverending]

This source contradicts your source.


www.movie666.com/top-666-movie-list

There is no condratiction. The wikipedia article says "she learns her baby is due on June 28, 1966."

A due date and a birth date are not the same thing.

[neverending]

Thank you.

According to that site, Rosemary's Baby doesnt really count.



And an avant gard film by Kenneth Anger (1972) may have been the first (but it's not clear on whether that film actually contained any direct reference to this number.)

There is no overt reference to the number, but Kenneth Anger was heavily into numerology, alchemy and all sorts of arcane things, so there's no telling what all he may have hidden inside the film. It's been decades since I saw a long cut of the fiolm at a university, and I do remember there was one sequence that showed repeatedly, back to back, because the number had a magical signifigance.

[neverending]

666 has no real magical meaning outside of horror flicks.

As for 1966, this was also the year Anton LaVey founded the Church of Satan.

Well, that would be a matter of opinion, wouldn't it? Crowley-ites would certainly dispute that claim.

And 1966- the founding of the Church of Satan- harkens back to the quote from Rosemary's Baby, where the man toasts to 1966- year one.

[Robert W]

Well, that would be a matter of opinion, wouldn't it? Crowley-ites would certainly dispute that claim.

And 1966- the founding of the Church of Satan- harkens back to the quote from Rosemary's Baby, where the man toasts to 1966- year one.

Well Crowley was a RHP practitioner. His use of LHP imagery had no real place in his magical curriculum, aside from the "shock value" he derived from calling himself the Beast 666.

But as far as 666 goes,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_the_Beast

The association with 666 and the Christian antichrist really has more to do Hollywood than any actual black magical practices.

And indeed, 1966 was A.S. Year One.

[neverending]

And your point is?


I thought you were trying to find out which film had the first reference to 666.

[MichaelG]

And your point is?


I thought you were trying to find out which film had the first reference to 666.
I'm not Robert W., and I am trying to find out which film made the first overt reference.

I would agree that the number has no real magical significance, but it seems to have been generally viewed as bad luck long before 1976, and I'm interested in any cinematic connection.

(What you said about the Kenneth Anger film was interesting, and I thank you--but I have no way to research that further.)

There's suppose to be a gypsy scam involving 666, and gypsies were stereotyped in a number of old horror films.

Could there be anything there?

I even remember an old WWII era movie short having to do with the devil and Hitler (the devil was played by a fairly prominent actor, was waiting for Hitler, and was a little upset at the way he was running the war "up there"), but I don't think there was any reference to this "unholy" number.

Anyway, I do appreciate all comments here.

Thank you.

[Nini_luv5]

I learned something new today ^^^