“Nefarious”: Screwtape Meets Hannibal Lecter

Michie · Jul 2, 2023

Reading “The Screwtape Letters” can be a creepy and unsettling experience because C.S. Lewis does not merely take us into the head of the human who is experiencing temptation, but into the malevolent mind of the devil himself. This same psycho-dramatic technique is employed by the directors of the recently released horror film, “Nefarious,” in which a serial killer appears to be demonically possessed.

Perhaps the darkest of all C.S. Lewis’s works and probably the strangest is The Screwtape Letters in which the narrative voice is that of a demon giving instructions to a junior devil. Throughout its pages, Screwtape teaches Wormwood, the novice demon, how to work and worm his way within the mind and emotions of his human victim, offering suggestive rationalizations and excuses for sin. The satanic mission of this demonic duo is nothing less than to lead their victim into temptation as a means of bringing about his damnation. Their actions are the very inversion and perversion of the prayer of the Our Father, which are designed to deliver us to the evil of “Our Father Below”.

Reading The Screwtape Letters can be a creepy and unsettling experience because Lewis does not merely take us into the head of the human who is experiencing temptation, but into the malevolent mind of the devil himself. This same psycho-dramatic technique is employed by the directors of the recently released horror film, Nefarious, in which a serial killer appears to be demonically possessed.

Continued below.

"Nefarious": Screwtape Meets Hannibal Lecter

Reading "The Screwtape Letters" can be a creepy and unsettling experience because C.S. Lewis does not merely take us into the head of the human who is experiencing temptation, but into the malevolent mind of the devil himself. This same psycho-dramatic technique is employed by the directors of...

theimaginativeconservative.org

Michie · Jul 2, 2023

Has anyone seen this yet?

chevyontheriver · Jul 2, 2023

Michie said:
Has anyone seen this yet?

Not my most favored genre but a deacon recommends it specifically to me. So maybe some day.

Michie · Jul 2, 2023

chevyontheriver said:
Not my most favored genre but a deacon recommends it specifically to me. So maybe some day.

I live in the woods so streaming it is not possible but I’m very curious about it.

WarriorAngel · Jul 2, 2023

I have zero desire to investigate such things...
I've got my reasons.

BUT I will say this... people need to think mostly on 'holy' things.
Jesus spoke of hell a few times and much more on Heaven for a reason.

I seldom speak to people on punishment but rather the beauty of the Lord's love.
I got my reasons.

Wolseley · Jul 2, 2023

I haven't seen it but I've heard about it. I plan to see it, though, just to see what it presents.

I was intrigued by the preview I saw, where the psychiatrist mentions that mankind has made progress in that we eliminated slavery---and the demon laughs at him and says, "There are more people in the world held in slavery right now than there ever has been, James. Where do you think all those abducted young women go every year?"

That's enough right there to make you stop and think.

Michie · Jul 2, 2023

Wolseley said:
I haven't seen it but I've heard about it. I plan to see it, though, just to see what it presents.

I was intrigued by the preview I saw, where the psychiatrist mentions that mankind has made progress in that we eliminated slavery---and the demon laughs at him and says, "There are more people in the world held in slavery right now than there ever has been, James. Where do you think all those abducted young women go every year?"

That's enough right there to make you stop and think.

Yes. I’m interested to see it. Just got to figure out how given my location.

mourningdove~ · Jul 2, 2023

Michie said:
Has anyone seen this yet?

Today was a restful day, so I decided to watch it. (On Amazon Prime)

imo, the movie is very good.

I no longer watch horror films, so I was avoiding this one ... till I heard it discussed abit on Dan Burke's Spiritual Direction podcast on Youtube. He had the director of the movie on his program. I only listened enough to hear the director say that the movie isn't a horror film, but by 'appearing' as one they hope it may appeal to unbelievers who happen to like viewing scary movies.

The story is presented clearly, not a bunch of dramatic, scary effects, etc., though a few scenes are intense.
It is the story of demonic possession and the actor did a very good job of portraying a person possessed.
(Maybe he will get an award for his performance; seemed pretty 'spot on' to me.)

The actor portraying the psychiatrist did a very good job of portraying how modern psychiatry today tends to see things.

Back a few decades, seems Protestant film makers went thru a period of producing Christian movies that were meant to be evangelistic.
Sometimes the movies were scary, like "Escape from Hell", etc. Watching them as a Christian always left me deeply thinking, wanting to draw nearer to God, and yes, fired up for evangelism. This movie also leaves me feeling these ways.

Alot is explained in the movie, as it progresses ... things that many of us theologically understand. Unbelievers watching this may not 'get' all that is being said, but I do think some will still get the message ... that demonic possession happens, and is not a pleasant experience. So in that sense, it can also be evangelistic.

Modern psychiatry is quick today to define evil, abherrant behavior as mental illness. While there is real mental illness, there are also real cases of demonic oppression and possession. This movie does a very good job of showing the difference.

Back years now, many Protestant churches stopped preaching or teaching about the devil, the need for spiritual warfare, etc.
But to Catholics still believing in angels, demons, spiritual warfare, the battle between good and evil, and the like ...
this will probably be considered a good movie.

It's a very serious movie, but I don't regret watching it.

Bob Crowley · Jul 3, 2023

I've read "The Screwtape Letters" a couple of times. Unlike the reviewer I didn't find that "... reading “The Screwtape Letters” can be a creepy and unsettling experience ...". If anything i found it humorous in parts, but I did think it portrayed Lewis at his most imaginative.

He himself said that he didn't enjoy writing it, and for a long time refused any sort of sequel. Finally something pushed his button and he wrote "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" which was actually one essay in one of his apologetic books.

He added that he would have liked to write something where an archangel was giving advice to an angel to counteract Screwtape's chicanery. But as he remarked "... who could write it?" since it would have to reek of heaven's response to demonic maneuvering. We're far more attuned to subterfuge and propaganda - you only have to read about politics to see that.

But the OP's topic reminded me of a brutal murder than took place in Brisbane in 1989 dubbed the "Vampire Murder" when 4 women killed a man and drank his blood. The ring leader was a woman named Tracey Wigginton. She'd been very much mixed up with the occult.

Tracey Wigginton - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I remember reading an episode in the news sometime where the psychiatrist who was interviewing her said her voice suddenly dropped to a basso profundo and snarled "I'M BIG TRACEY". He said he was almost propelled against the back wall if I remember rightly.

I think that was more than just mental illness.

She was released in 2012, but from around 2019 she suddenly started posting images of vampires and other occult phenomena on Facebook.

Unfortunately the demonic still appears to have a strong hold on her. I can only hope she doesn't end up hurting someone else.

mourningdove~ · Jul 3, 2023

I didn't find Screwtape Letters to be creepy or unsettling either.
I thought it was very creative.

Few years ago, my husband and I went to Playhouse Square to see Max McLean perform Screwtape Letters live.
Was really really good. Humorous, while also 'informative'. (And not creepy at all. lol)

I really see very little comparison between Screwtape Letters and the movie Nefarious (< which is definitely not humorous!) ...
except that both portray a demon speaking.

Maybe some people just find all things demonic to be creepy ...

Michie · Jul 3, 2023

mourningdove~ said:
Today was a restful day, so I decided to watch it. (On Amazon Prime)

imo, the movie is very good.

I no longer watch horror films, so I was avoiding this one ... till I heard it discussed abit on Dan Burke's Spiritual Direction podcast on Youtube. He had the director of the movie on his program. I only listened enough to hear the director say that the movie isn't a horror film, but by 'appearing' as one they hope it may appeal to unbelievers who happen to like viewing scary movies.

The story is presented clearly, not a bunch of dramatic, scary effects, etc., though a few scenes are intense.
It is the story of demonic possession and the actor did a very good job of portraying a person possessed.
(Maybe he will get an award for his performance; seemed pretty 'spot on' to me.)

The actor portraying the psychiatrist did a very good job of portraying how modern psychiatry today tends to see things.

Back a few decades, seems Protestant film makers went thru a period of producing Christian movies that were meant to be evangelistic.
Sometimes the movies were scary, like "Escape from Hell", etc. Watching them as a Christian always left me deeply thinking, wanting to draw nearer to God, and yes, fired up for evangelism. This movie also leaves me feeling these ways.

Alot is explained in the movie, as it progresses ... things that many of us theologically understand. Unbelievers watching this may not 'get' all that is being said, but I do think some will still get the message ... that demonic possession happens, and is not a pleasant experience. So in that sense, it can also be evangelistic.

Modern psychiatry is quick today to define evil, abherrant behavior as mental illness. While there is real mental illness, there are also real cases of demonic oppression and possession. This movie does a very good job of showing the difference.

Back years now, many Protestant churches stopped preaching or teaching about the devil, the need for spiritual warfare, etc.
But to Catholics still believing in angels, demons, spiritual warfare, the battle between good and evil, and the like ...
this will probably be considered a good movie.

It's a very serious movie, but I don't regret watching it.

Thank you! I’ll be watching it asap.

Justin1029 · Aug 17, 2023

Michie said:
Has anyone seen this yet?

Yes!
This movie hit me really hard, and the first time I watched it, I had to pause it several times to take deep breaths and regroup. I have experienced various levels of spiritual warfare my entire life, but especially intensely last year from March 31 to August 20. The morning of August 20 I woke up with joy and peace and realized that Abba/Jesus Lord and Savior/Holy Spirit had completed my deliverance. My testimony video is on YouTube under my name, Justin Sturz. I would be happy to discuss it and any related issues with anyone on these forums.
In Christ Alone.
Job 13:15a = "Though God slay me, yet will I trust Him."

“Nefarious”: Screwtape Meets Hannibal Lecter

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