Demons

A demon is a malevolent supernatural entity. Many demons come from an implied Judaeo-Christian tradition where they are minions of The Devil, although there are also numerous depictions of demons from other religions, in particular in Japanese and Chinese beliefs.

Frequently screen demons are associated with The Occult and Black Magic. The first major depictions of demons on screen came with The Exorcist (1973) and its creation of the Possession film. Here the demon was seen as an evil entity possessing an innocent and spitting taunts and obscenities until it could be banished by a member of the priesthood. Depictions of demons possessing people and being exorcised by Catholic priests have been numerous since then, all drawing on the cliches established by ‘The Exorcist.

Many modern works create pantheons of demons, which can be fought by various heroes steeped in occult knowledge or be encountered in sword and sorcery works. We have even had a number of demon superheroes with the likes of Ghost Rider and Hellboy.