View source for The Necronomicon in Popular Culture

== References to the ''Necronomicon'' ==
[[Image:necronomicon-1.jpg|thumb|''[[Necronomicon Ex-Mortis]]'', from the [[Evil Dead (1981 film)|Evil Dead]] trilogy of films]]

Many [[fantasy]] and [[horror fiction|horror]] writers have mentioned the ''Necronomicon'' in their own stories. The ''Necronomicon'' has also become part of [[popular culture]], influencing [[band (music)|bands]], [[filmmaker]]s, [[television]] writers, and [[video game]] developers.

* Various writers in the school of the Cthulhu mythos have "quoted" from the ''Necronomicon'', among them [[Clark Ashton Smith]] and [[August Derleth]].

* The movie ''[[Necronomicon (1993 film)|Necronomicon]]'' is based on Lovecraft's stories.

* The [[Stephen King]] book ''[[The Eyes of the Dragon]]'' includes a reference to a book "bound in human flesh" that the magician Flagg cannot read for too long for fear of losing his sanity. It is also referenced as a very long book.

* In a passage in [[Gene Wolfe]]'s [[novel]] ''Peace'', a book of [[necromancy]] being forged by a character is not named but its form suggests the popular image of the ''Necronomicon''.

* [[Neil Gaiman]] and [[Terry Pratchett]] created a parody of the ''Necronomicon'' called  the ''[[Minor Discworld concepts#Necrotelecomnicon|Necrotelecomnicon]]''&mdash;the book of [[phone number]]s of the dead.

* [[Andrzej Sapkowski]] mentions a [[Polish language|Polish]] translation of the book titled ''&#377;wierzcyad&#322;o Maggi Czarney Bissurma&#324;skiey'' in his short story "Tandaradei!". It is also mentioned under its original title in his novel ''Bo&#380;y bojownicy'' (''God's Warriors'').

* [[Sergey Lukyanenko]] employes the ''Necronomicon'' in ''[[Night Watch (Russian novel)|Night Watch]]''.

* The ''Necronomicon'' appears in ''[[Illuminatus! Trilogy|The Illuminatus! Trilogy]]'' by [[Robert Anton Wilson]] and [[Robert Shea]].

* ''[[Necronomicon (H. R. Giger)|Necronomicon]]'' was the title of a book of paintings by the [[Swiss]] artist [[H. R. Giger]] (published in [[1978]]). It was appropriately titled considering his particularly sinister style of blended machinery and flesh. 

* In [[Sam Raimi]]'s popular movie trilogy, ''[[Evil Dead (1981 film)]]'', ''[[Evil Dead II (1987 film)]]'', and ''[[Army of Darkness(1992 film)]]'', the ''[[Necronomicon Ex-Mortis]]'' appears as an evil book of magic. In the first film of the trilogy, [[Ash Williams]] hears a recording of an academic reading from the book which eventually leads to his later trouble.

* [[Science fiction]] author [[Neal Stephenson]] derived the title of his book ''[[Cryptonomicon]]'' from the ''Necronomicon'' featured in the ''[[Evil Dead]]'' movies, not knowing that the name had originated from Lovecraft.

* [[Metallica]]'s song "The Thing that Should not Be" contains lines derived from a quotation from the ''Necronomicon'': "That is not dead which can eternal lie/ And with strange eons even death may die" (shortened to "Not dead which eternal lie / stranger eons death may die").  [[Beatallica]]'s "The Thing that Should not Let it Be" is thus also derived from the ''Necronomicon'', albeit second hand.

* In ''[[The Simpsons]]'', [[Bob Dole]] reads from the ''Necronomicon'' at the [[Republican Party]]'s headquarters.

* In ''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy]]'', Billy steals Grim's copy of "The Bad Book" to raise Yog Soloth.

* In an episode of ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]'', Frylock almost gives Meatwad the ''Necronomicon'' instead of the [[Bible]].

* In an episode of ''[[Justice League Unlimited]]'', [[Shayera]] and [[Wonder Woman]] come across the ''Necronomicon'' shortly after entering Hades' library. Minutes later, Felix Faust casually mentions the book by name.

* In an episode of ''[[The Venture Bros.]]'', Dr. Orpheus refuses to swear on a Bible before taking the witness stand in court, instead preferring to take the oath on the ''Necronomicon''.

* In a level of the video game ''[[Max Payne]]'', Max encounters the ''Necronomicon'' and ''[[Paradise Lost]]'' among people who believe in the somewhat unrelated [[Norse mythology]].

* In ''[[Castlevania 64]]'' for [[Nintendo 64]], the option menu is a book entitled ''Necronomicon''. The book also appears in the video games ''[[Tales of Phantasia]]'' and ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]''.

* ''Digital Pinball: Necronomicon'' is a [[Japan|Japanese]] video pinball game for the [[Sega Saturn]] console.

* In ''[[Megatokyo]]'', a [[webcomic]], one of the characters finds a book called ''Necrowombicon'', said to be used to make ''[[Daikatana]]''. The ''Necrowombicon'' has its origins in the webcomic ''[[Penny Arcade (comic)|Penny Arcade]]''.

* In the humorous [[film noir]] movie ''[[Cast a Deadly Spell (1991 film)|Cast a Deadly Spell]]'', [[Fred Ward]] plays the private detective H. Phillip Lovecraft, who is hired by a questionable character to retrieve a book called ''The Necronomicon''. The book has been stolen from the latter's personal library.

* In ''[[Defense of the Ancients]]'', the ''Necronomicon'' is an item that increases the Intelligence statistic and allows the player to summon two soldiers with [[wikt:necromatic|necromatic]] powers. It is mainly useful to [[mage]]s.

* In [[1971 in literature|1971]], science fiction author [[Larry Niven]] published a humorous short story called "The Last Necronomicon".

* In the comic ''[[Van Von Hunter]]'', there is a book called ''Notdanecronomicon'' which when touched without first saying "all clear" summons an undead army.

* In the webcomic ''[[Sam and Fuzzy]]'', there is a book called "the necro-deatho-bookikon" referred to as mainstream satanistic garbage.

* In the webcomic ''[[Movie Punks]]'', there is a book called the ''Punkronomicon'', which is used for picking up goth chicks in clubs and bars.

* In the 2nd edition ''[[Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay]]'' core book, there is a very thinly-veiled reference on page 219 to the ''Necronomicon'': "Another such volume is the ''Book of the Dead'', written by the mad Arabyan prince Abdul ben Raschid ... Only the most strong-willed can read these books and retain any sense of sanity. These forbidden tomes tell of the horrible secrets of the beyond, of the dark insane dreams that the dead dream in their eternal rest."

* In the song "Twisted", rapper [[Tech N9ne]] threatens to make a [[Christian]] read their kids the ''Necronomicon'' on [[Christmas]].

* In the ''[[Wild Arms]]'' video game series, the ''Necronomicon'' is a piece of equipment that can greatly increase the user's magic statistics.

* In the fourth of Sierra's ''[[Quest for Glory]]'' series, ''[[Shadows of Darkness]]'', the ''Necronomicon'' is set upon an altar, bound in human [[skin]], and written in [[blood]]. A derivation from tales of the ''Necronomicon'' relate to [[concentration camp]]s.

* The [[Nintendo GameCube]] game ''[[Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem]]'' is heavily inspired by Lovecraft's works. It features a major item called the [[Tome of Eternal Darkness]], an evil book made of flesh and bone and "bound together with the oddest magickal incantation."

* In the 13-episode horror anthology series [http://www.mastersofhorror.net/ Masters of Horror], the ''Necronomicon'' is featured in the second episode, an adaptation of Lovecraft's "The Dreams in the Witch House".

* The tombstone on the front cover of [[Iron Maiden]]'s seminal Live album "[[Live After Death]]" contains the quote "That is not dead / Which can eternal lie / Yet with strange aeons / Even death may die"

* ''[[Succubus (1968 film)|Necronomicon - Geträumte Sünden]]'' (1967) is the title of a feature film directed by [[Jesus Franco|Jess Franco]]

* In Dan Abnett's ''[[Eisenhorn]]'', the ''Necronomicon'' (called the Necroteuch) is one of the worst books of Chaos in existence. If someone picks it up, the person holding it will be mesmerized by it and will be unable to do anything but stare at the book. It corrupted and caused the death of the entire Saruthi race. It also distorted the way physical dimensions acted near it.

* Porndeath/Grind band ''[[Lividity]]'' from USA, have also referred to the ''[[Necronomicon Ex-Mortis]]'', as an intro to one of their songs from their '' [[Age of Clitorial Decay]] '' release. The intro talks about how the book was inked with blood, the same blood that used to flow in all the rivers at that time, and how it got lost.

* The US musical group [[Nox Arcana]] released an album in 2004 entitled ''Necronomicon.'' The predominantly instrumental music ranges from ominous orchestrations with a Middle Eastern influence, evoking mystical reference to the [[Mad Arab Alhazred]]. Vocals consist of various "otherworldly" chants, including ritual phrases from the ''Necronomicon'' according to Lovecraft. The ''Necronomicon'' cd booklet also contains fantasy artist [[Joseph Vargo|Joseph Vargo's]] rendition of [[Cthulhu]] and several pages from the ''Necronomicon'' book as well as other illustrations of [[The Great Old Ones]].

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