The Omen
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Movie Reviews of The Omen
Movie Review: Classic horror thriller receives deluxe treatment
Summary: 5 Stars
Richard Donner's classic horror film "The Omen" scared the heck out of me when I saw it at 16. I hadn't seen "The Exorcist" yet (although I did see it the next year). This supernatural horror film creates a sense of forebodding and craftsmanship that many film directors have forgotten how to do. Featuring a powerful performance by the late Gregory Peck (whom I met once and what did I ask him about? Not "To Kill a Mockingbird" or "Spellbound" two other films I admire. No, I had to ask him about shooting "The Omen" silly 21 year old that I was)and a sharp, powerful score by Jerry Goldsmith, "The Omen" continues to horrorify to this day because of the craft that went into making the film.
We open on June 6, 1976 a US diplomat Robert Thorn (Peck)rushes through Rome to get to the hospital as his pregnant wife Katherine(Lee Remick in another nicely textured performance)goes into labor. Their son is stillborn but the priest at the Catholic hosptial offers to let Thorn adopt a child whose mother has died at the hospital. What he doesn't know is that the child is the anti-Christ bearing the Number of the Beast (666).
After Damien reaches his fifth birthday, strange things begin to happen including the death of many around the boy. The Thorns take in a new very strange nanny (Billie Whitelaw)into their home. Things go from bad to worse for the Thorns and all those around them as the boy discovers his destiny.
This new anamorphic widescreen transfer looks marvelous. There's a number of terrific extras including a 45 minute documentary on the making of the movie featuring new interviews with some of the cast and crew. There's also a great commentary track from director Donner and editor Stuart Baird. The late Jerry Goldsmith provides interesting insights in a short featurette where he discusses his favorite musical themes from the film (which was nominate for an Academy Award).There's also the original theatrical trailer and a new stereo mix of the soundtrack.
For a frightening night at the movies catch "The Omen" the best of the three films produced in the trilogy.
Movie Review: "Dear God, Give me Strength.."
Summary: 5 Stars
The Omen is a great movie, but what I want to talk about is the commentary part of the disc; Even if you're not the type who usually cares to listen to commentaries, this one is worth it. Director Richard Donner and Stuart Baird, the editor sit down for a leisurely chat about the making of the film. The commentary adds a lot, and makes you appreciate the film even more. One thing that particularly comes through is how much of a role the casting played in the film, and how the COMMITMENT of the cast mattered so much. In the hands of lesser talents, The Omen could have come off as so much camp, but director Donner chose people who could play it straight and who would feel, not so much that they're in a "horror" picture, but more of a psychological suspense thriller. And it worked. From the leads, (Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, Billie Whitelaw, David Warner) all the way down to the bit players (Leo McKern) the actors are totally credible and interwoven into the story. Donner and Baird lavish praise even on certain actors who had only one or two lines! They're pretty funny, making light-hearted fun of the arguments Thorn has with Mrs. Blaylock, but even in their joking you realize that Peck/Thorn is at the center of the film and its his relationships with other characters (Remick, Whitelaw, Warner, and little Harvey Stephens) that drives this film as opposed to blood and gore. That's what's at the heart of the film; the timeless story of a man battling seemingly insurmountable odds. Donner and Baird praise their own work too, as well as the cinematography and Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-winning score. And they never stop reminding us that the whole shebang cost $2.25M, a low budget even by 70's standards.
The ending is pretty comedic too; Donner jokes about telling Harvey/Damien not to smile at the end of the film ("Don't you smile Harvey!"), but in fact, both Donner and the audience know that it's Harvey's innocent smile while holding the hand of the President of the United States, that puts the perfect capper on the film. That smile alone was worth [money amount]
Movie Review: Excorcist-Schmexcorcist
Summary: 5 Stars
1976's "The Omen" has always been my favorite horor film of all time. I found it more frightening than "Halloween", "Friday The Thirteenth" or even "The Excocist", simply because it does not frighten you with blood and gore (despite bloodshed every now and then). It is meant to frighten you with the plot, which, while fictional, seems disturbingly realistic."The Omen" stars Gregory Peck and Lee Remick as Robert and Kathy Thorn, wealthy political figures who have everything they want... except a child. When Kathy unknowingly gives birth to a stillborn baby, Robert quickly adopts another child in place of the real child, which Kathy apparently never finds out about. Young Damien seems like the perfect child, but strange mortalities soon arise when Damien turns five. First, his nanny hangs herself at his 5th birthday. Next, a priest who tries to watn Peck about his son's birth mother is impaled by a lightning rod. These strange deaths attract the attention of a photographer, ably played by the grossly underrated David Warner. Together, Warner and Peck go looking for Damien's real mother. A new nanny, played with fervor by Billie Whitelaw, comes along, knowing who Damien really is. Remick's character soon suffers a miscarriage, and she and the photographer both meet an untimely end. Peck receives seven daggers from an aging archeologist named Bugenhagen. Peck then realizes his son's true identity, building up to a terrifying closing sequence.
Overall, "The Omen" is a horror masterpiece. The acting is superb, Richard Donner directs exceellently and Jerry Goldsmith's score is breathtakingly scary (I'm still haunted by the music played in the opening credits). Extras include a making - of documentary and trailers.
Movie Review: The movie spawned and brought from hell straight to a DVD!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
this movie is undoubtably the scariest movie of all time. with jerry goldsmith's score it is a masterpiece. it is a true psychological thriller, you can not watch a showing of the omen and be the same person you were, you will look at life and god and religion so differently. the movie isnt a real jumpy kind of scary movie, its the type that horrorify you by watching it and thinking of it, what if it is true! just think the movie is about a couple adopting the anti-christ, the devil's son, and having finding out this realizing he must be stopped. imagine satan's son is walking among us as we speak, he could be our next door neighbor, our child, our sibling, our friend, or our leader, like our president. and george bush isnt the devil so leave that example out, dont worry bill is out of office, the devil dosnt rule us now,lol. but just imagine that's the horror and magic and susspense of the omen. it is a spine shiver of a film, if you dont own it buy it i tell you it could save your life, soul, or end up to be your favorite film, this movie is more like a guide than a film. it will guide you to defeat satan and his army. this film is the best of its series, and it is a true classic, with to die for acting, especially the nanny, or the demon i should say. but it is a great movie, if your not convinced yet to buy it for the money, than go rent it than come back and buy, cause you'll have to have it! beware though, after watching this film your life will change in some way, whether it be a little or alot, so be warned. the 666 will change your view on life, god, satan, heaven, and hell. BUT BUY IT SO YOU CAN OWN THE SCARIEST MOVIE EVER, O YEA THE EXORCIST IS WUSSY COMPARED TO THIS FILM SO IF YOU THINK THAT'S SCARY, TRY THIS FILM ON FOR SIZE! THANKYOU.Movie Review: The nightmare begins!
Summary: 5 Stars
Harrowing and spellbinding tale about the life and times of Demian, the Devil sender, whose evil presage will become dark aged for all the mankind, in case he wins the battle. The number 666 will be the fatidic number easy to identify.
Demian is the legitimate son of an American Ambassador (Gregory Peck)who at first can not accept that awful truth but gradually the overwhelming weight of the evidence will convince him. His wife (the unforgettable and beautiful Lee Remick) eventually will be one of the fatal designees of the satanic majesty.
This smart script caught the febrile imagination of a great audience who, having been spelling by The Exorcist two years ago, expected a new kind of terror. The names of George Romero (The night of the living dead)or Dario Argento (The cat with nine tails) remained in atmosphere zero, due the market exigencies demanded supernatural origin.
This movie also catapulted to Sam Neil who made an absorbing embodiment of this malefic creature in human form.
Demian will survive despite all the efforts of his own father, after he got all the evidences to find him guilty and made his own justice .
The special effects were astonishing. We still remember the priest `s death fulminated in front of the church; and the decapitation of the Second priest who had found important clues to eliminate Demian The impressive sequence in the cemetery in Rome's surroundings still remains a classic.
Solid script , splendid cast and dazzling direction have made an absolute classic through the years.