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THE EVIL TRUTH
The religious cult aspect of Silent Hill's story was greatly influenced from real religious beliefs
that are still practiced today. Although not entirely from one religion, the mysterious cult of Sammael was conceived
of several traditions from around the world.
Let us first look at one of the most influential in Silent Hill's dark secrets, Jewish mysticism.
At one point in the story, Dahlia says, "I was shocked to hear the talisman of Metraton was being used." What in the world
would shock an evil follower of hell? I'll explain: In the world of Jewish mystics, Metraton came to hold
the rank of the highest of the angels, despite his absence from the scriptures. One interpretation of his name is "one who
occupies the throne next to the Divine throne" - God's right-hand man. In a number of traditional sources, Metraton is said
to have been the prophet Enoch, who was taken up to Heaven and transformed into an angel of fire. He is said
to have 36 pairs of wings and at anywhere from 13-18 ft., he was the tallest of all heavenly beings. In his heavenly angelic
status, Metraton became better known as 'Lesser YHWH." In Hebrew, the letters YHWH stand for the most
sacred and unpronounceable name of God. So, why is Dahlia so surprised? Someone is using the Key of Metraton - the
enemy of their master, Sammael.
Now this leads us to our villian - the one who's behind the whole thing. Sammael answers
to many names such as Satan, Beelzebub and even Dragon. He is defined is the angel of poison or more familiar is his title
of "the father of lies", given by Christianity. Children were sacrificed to Adramelech, a demon under Sammael's command
in ancient times. What kind of poisons do we find in Silent Hill? Poison of the mind leading to insanity, poision
of the body with White Claudia, poison of the truth which leads a determined father on a path of fear and deception. According
to Jewish mysticism, in the legend of Talmud, Sammael meets another being cast out of Heaven by God. It is the demon, Lilith.
(Remember the Lilith door in "Nowhere") Together, Sammael and Lilith are said to have each seduced Adam and Eve and the seductive
serpent was Lilith, not Satan. His new companion becomes his wife and together they become a power couple of evil.
Lilith is believed by many cultures to be the essence of female evil. However, Lilith
has also come to represent the fight for women's equality and free sensuality. A good example of this is the annual Lilith
Fair, a concert to celebrate lesbianism. Here is another interesting, if not eery point - in the Talmud, Lilith is said to
love children. If a baby smiles during the Sabbath, it is believed that Lilith is amusing it. Could Lilith be influencing
the demon children that fill the school?
The planets in our solar system were named after angels - a little known fact. When Harry discovers
the Crest of Mercury, etc. this is referring to the angel, not the planet or car. Likewise, in the "Nowhere" sequence,
Harry will encounter rooms and puzzles that are named for angels and constellations. (Hagith, Ophiel,
Phaleg, the constellatiotion puzzle, Solomon, Crest of Mercury, Aratron,
Melchior, Bethor, Disk of Ouroboros) Flauros, by the way,
is an angel too. I found this description: "He giveth True Answers of all things, present, past and to come...he destroyeth
and burneth up those who be the Enemies of the Exorcist should he desireth it...he governeth 36 legions of spirits."
Okay, now here's where it gets really creepy. The more research I did on the influences
of Silent Hill, the more references I found to The Free Masons. Now, we all know they're subject to a lot
of bad press and the like, but the more I learned, the more I was seriously creeped out. Check out these disturbing similarities
between the Masons and Silent Hill: 1) Harry Mason and his wife adopted Cheryl, which means she was literally "adopted by
the Masons." 2) the mark of Sammael, which we find all over town, is similar in nature to that of the Masons. The
pyramid with all-seeing eye is seen on our own American currency - check out the back of the dollar bill. The decisions
made about what our currency, flags and many others looked like were made by prominent members of the Masons. 3) when
initiated as a Mason, one must first swear to secrecy. That's not bad, but the punishment is mutilation - much
like the bodies we find hanging around town. 4) the Masons meet in secret but the members are prominent citizens
in town - much like the cult meets in the secret "church" behind the Green Lion Antique Shop.
For more about the Masons and other influences for Silent Hill, check out the links on the right.
THOSE CREEPY LITTLE TOUCHES
The creators of Silent Hill placed little touches throughout the game that assist in setting the
scene. Perhaps you've caught some of these in game play...
- At the restaurant where you meet Cybil and pick up the radio, there is a poster on the wall next to
the pinball machine. It's pixilized, but if you look closely, it is a man holding a shotgun saying, "Study, Dammit!"
While Stephen King was a student at the University of Maine, he was a columnist for a newspaper called the Maine Campus.
One semester during finals week, the Campus published a two-page fold-out of King holding a shotgun saying, "Study, Dammit!".
That fold-out is what you see on the wall.
- In the elementary school, posters hang on the wall which appear to portray ghosts, dogs, a crucifix,
etc. There are also reports of signs saying "You?", "Who Are You?", "Why?" and "9109 CUT." (Not sure what the significance
of that last one is.)
- Also in the elementary school, there are signs saying "Warning - Hell is Coming." (see picture above)
- In the library reserve of the school, there is a poster that says "A Woman Came Down From the Planet
Vulcan." I have also seen posters throughout the game that say "The Martians Have Landed."
- In the police station, there is a poster that says "Drugs". It shows a man, whose face is superimposed
with a skull. This is similar to the end of the original "Psycho", where a skull is superimposed over the face of Norman Bates.
- The gas station is called "Shell," but the 's' is blurred so that it appears to say "hell" instead.
- At the hospital, there are posters that appear to have a red-headed girl on them. Could this be a
sign that Lisa is still alive? There is also a calendar picturing a young girl with short, dark hair...Alessa/Cheryl?
- On your way to the hospital, just past the bridge, you will pass the Konami Burger,
an obvious gesture of homage to the game's distributer.
- The hyper blaster is rumored to be Konami's official lightgun!
- In the secret church behind the Green Lion, "NO GOD" is scrawled on the wall.
- The Hearby Inn, owned by Norman Young, seems to be an obvious reference to the Bates
Motel from "Psycho." (i.e. Norman Bates)
- The fact that Harry can run around on a killing spree with the chainsaw is not unlike Ash from "Evil
Dead 2." (Gimme some sugar, Baby!) Harry and Ash have similar clothes, too...hmmm...
- Throughout the town, we run into Spanish-speaking businesses. This makes it seem all that much more
realistic. One example is "Virginia's Bodas: Servicio Completo de Bodas" (Complete Bridal Services).
- There is a business called simply, "Jim Beam." The logo, painted across the wall, is the same as the
whiskey label. We could all use a drink after surviving this town! ^_^
- In Alessa's room (in Nowhere), there are some dolls at the foot of her bed that appear to be either
the child zombies or aliens from the UFO ending...
- At the hospital, the fourth floor disappears. In Japan, the number four is pronounced "shi", which
is also how you pronounce the word for "death." It is bad luck to give presents that have four pieces to them and often
hospitals or hotels do not acknowledge a fourth floor at all.
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HORROR IN THE STREETS
Most or all of the streets featured in Silent Hill are named after famous horror writers:
1) Finney - Jack Finney, author of "Time and Again"
2) Bachman - Stephen King's pen name, author of several titles you know
3) Bloch - Robert Bloch, author of "Psycho"
4) Matheson - Richard Matheson, author of "I am Legend"
5) Ellroy - Jack Ellroy, author of "The Black Dahlia"
6) Bradbury - Ray Bradbury, author of "Something Wicked This Way Comes"
7) Levin - Ira Levin, author of "Rosemary's Baby"
8) Sanford - John Sanford, author of the "Prey" series
9) Simmons - Dan Simmons, author of "Song of Kali"
10) Crichton - Michael Crichton, author of "Jurassic Park", "The Lost World" and "Eaters of the Dead"
(among many others)
11) Koontz - Dean Koontz, author of "Phantoms"
12) Wilson - F. Paul Wilson, author of "Nightworld"
All of these authors have written a book or series with concepts that were used in Silent Hill.
READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP...
There are several references made to movies and music throughout the game:
'Out takes' sequence following the 'GOOD' ending:
The music used is similar to Angelo Badalamenti's work for "Twin Peaks."
Cheryl Mason mimics the pose from the cover of "Trainspotting"
Dr. Kaufman dances like the Man From Another Place from "Twin Peaks."
Midwitch Elementary: The three teachers' names listed at the reception desk
are three members of Sonic Youth.
In the girls' bathroom in the stall where you find the shotgun, you will see "The Monster Lurks"
by Leonard Rhimes. Although my research tells me this book does not really exist, we later find the book in the library which
indicates the study of poltergeist activity, especially in adolescent girls. This is a reference to Dean Koontz's
"Phantoms", in which the main characters find the message "Timothy Flyte, 'The Ancient Enemy'" which also turns out to be a
book and clue, etc.
In the classrooms you will find blood-stained metal floors with bloody chains hanging from the ceilings.
This, along with the idea of alternate demensions, is very similar both visually and conceptually to "Hellraiser", especially
the 2nd one.
We come across small, child-size wheelchairs. I recommend checking out "The Changling". It's a movie
about a composer who is haunted by memories, but more so by the ghost of a little boy...and his wheelchair. In one memorable
scene, the main character finds a little red ball, then tries to get rid of it. It keeps coming back. I found
it very interesting to find one in the store room next to a wheelchair...
The very name "Midwitch" is derived from the story of "The Midwitch Cukoos" - the
basis for the movie "Villiage of the Damned."
Nowhere: Somewhere there is a box that says "Psychick TV" - an 80's industrial band.
(I've yet to find this)
Just after you see the ghosts of Dahlia and young Alessa, Harry goes across a landing and down some
stairs. That camera shot is identical to one from "Psycho." (Both versions, interestingly)
Streets of Silent Hill: Around town you will find various band posters such as Portishead,
The Big Beat and Ultra. (Portishead has a kind of meloncholy yet alluring sound to them, much like this game. The other bands
I have never heard of.)
On the garage door just East of Jim Beam, RED RUM is scrawled. This is obviously a reference to Stephen
King's "The Shining" in which a small child is tormented by ghosts of the past...hmmm....sounds familiar....
There is a business called Crabs. On the wall next to it are some posters for Stephen King's "Pet
Cemetary."
The newspaper vending machines sport headlines saying, "Bill Skins Fifth", from "Silence
of the Lambs."
Lakeside Amusement park, especially the eerie music and empty, spinning rides in the dark, is reminiscent
of Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes."
In Central Silent Hill, there is a marqee that appears to say 'Shoot' on one side and 'Ezekiel' on
the other. Ezekiel is an angel.
Across from the Green Lion Antique Shop is Mushnik's Florist. In the window hangs a sign that reads,
"Look on the phantastic new plant Audrey Junior." This is a reference to the man-eating plant from "Little Shop of Horrors."
Nearby are some movie posters for Stephen King's "Carrie." A teenage girl with psychic powers that is driven to kill...hmmmm....Alessa?
The three keys for the eclipse are the scarecrow, woodsman and lion. (The Wizard of Oz.)
Resort Area: This one is obvious - South Park.
In the Hearby Inn, there appears to be a Ferrah Fawcett poster hanging on the wall. When you examine
Kaufman's room, you can look into the shower, where the curtain is slightly pulled back. We are told "no one inside." Creepy.
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UNFINISHED BUSINESS?
As you get further into the game, it will become apparent that nearly all the scenes depicted
in the opening sequence will return as plot points. Not all of them,
however. After the game's completion, we still haven't seen 1) Dr. Kaufman and Lisa arguing 2) Lisa laughing 3) Alessa waking
up and smiling 4) An old southern-looking house during a flood and 5) Dahlia running through what appears to be a temple,
then looking back in either surprise or fear. Is there something you do to "unlock" these plot points in the story? Are they
part of the story in a different version of the game? Perhaps scenes that did not survive the editing process. Who knows?
If you do, please share!
In the Midwitch Elementary chemistry equipment room, we find Glucose and Distilled Water. These are
two of the ingredients needed to make a bomb. Rather than blending in with the rest of the items, Harry is allowed to not
only identify them, but is told that he has no reason to take them...
The diner next to Hearby Inn is only locked, not jammed or unresponsive.
There is a shop on Simmons St. that doesn't open.
There is a boat below the Indian Runner that you cannot get to.
In Kaufman's motel room, Harry finds a magazine sitting on the coffee table. It appears to be porno,
but is too pixilized to make out. We are told "you don't need to look at this right now."
If you examine the wheel at the front of the boat, it will also tell you that you "don't need to
worry about this right now."
When you examine the engine at the "_hell" station, it makes us think that we may need to use it
later, but we don't...there is an ambulance parked next to the Alchemilla Hospital, but we can't get to it...
At the hospital on the first floor, the door leading outside by the elevator is always jammed and
at no part in the game are we able to open it.
In the Nowhere level when you examine the alter on the third floor, Harry notices that there is something
in the sacrificial cup. Although after reading the botany book we assume that it's resin from White Claudia,
we don't really know, do we?
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