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Populär Culture Review
fortune, misfortune, and spiritual opportunities that in the case o f Harry
Angel have irrevocable consequences. The numbers o f the two dice— six
and two— reveal these notions.
The first die shows the number two, a number that signifies unity
as well as its “movement away ffom unity” (Greer 494). Number two,
thus, expresses dualism until its meaning o f unity coincides with its
opposing notion o f Separation. In this sense, number two can also be
perceived as an antagonistic number as it can oppose its initial meaning.
From a spiritual perspective, the antagonistic force o f number two is
num ber one, a num ber often linked to God the Father. Hence, “the Devil,
“telling always no,” and the Evil which it personifies, have the number 2
for its Symbol” (Desrosier, Two online). Consequently, number two
represents the bad opposing the good, the spiritual opposing the secular,
the virtuous opposing the evil, the honest opposing the deceitful. The
allusion to duality, false appearances, and moments o f Separation play an
important role in Parker’s film. Throughout the entire movie, Louis
Cypher pretends to be nothing eise than Harry A ngel’s employer. Only
too late does Angel realize that he has been fooled and that his own
identity and unity o f the seif have been jeopardized by what initially
seemed to be a Professional engagement with Louis Cypher.
The symbolic articulation o f the number six, which finds
representation in the increasing manifestation o f evil as the film
progresses, Supports the film ’s domineering notions o f deception,
imperfection, sin, and evil (see Desrosier, Six online). Moreover, it is
“the number o f the test” that requires choices and decisions to be made
by the person tested, in our case, Harry Angel (Desrosier, Six online).
Adding the two numbers together, we obtain the number eight, the
number symbolizing finality, “immutable etemity” and self-destruction
(Desrosier, Eight online).
Here we can conclude that the individual dice as well as the
combination o f the two provide the viewer with inside knowledge about
the exceptional and unique rules o f a very peculiar game that Harry
Angel is unable to win. It is a game in which evil, camouflaged by a
business suit, wins over good and decides upon life. It is a game initiated
and won by the Devil.
Voodoo Dolls and Magic: Voodoo Dolls in Angel Heart
The notion of game and play is also attached to dolls. They are
playmates that often become a child’s companion, confidant, and
talisman. They are lifeless beings that sometimes seem to acquire