The Omen [1976] (DVD)

Some films, regardless of when they were made, where they were set, or what they are about, are just scary. full stop scary. "The Omen", released in 1976, is one of those films. Regardless of the dated special effects, 70s outfits, and reliance of a healthy fear of the devil, "The Omen" still doles out chills and thrills to a more sophisticated, and more jaded (and less religeous) audience. Plot. ~~~ Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) and his missus Katherine (Lee Remick) were in a hospital in Rome, having a baby. Unfortunatly, the baby dies, and Robert, not wanting his missus to be devestated, takes a priest up on his ...  Read the complete review

Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) is the American ambassador to Rome, and on a dark night, his wife (Lee Remick) gives birth to a child which takes one breath, and then dies. Convinced that his wife will never get over the shock, a priest offers to allow Thorn to adopt an orphaned child as if it was his own, and his wife will never know. Thorn is then transferred to the UK, and things start to go a little awry. As young Damien grows up, he starts to attract misfortune - his nanny throws herself from the roof of the family home during a birthday party, the replacement (Billie Whitelaw) is a psychopath, and he throws a fit when he approaches a church. I don't need ...  Read the complete review

The Omen is probably one of the few films I ever found remotely horrifying, not because of people getting their heads chopped off or throwing themselves off buildings, but because of the thought of the devil himself (or his son) living among us. Film only Review == Synopsis == The Thorn Corporation and family are one of the richest and most influential families in the world Robert Thirn is the newly appointed American Ambassador to The UK. But money can't buy health, and when Mrs Thorn (Katherine) goes into labour with their first child all their money can't stop the baby being still born. Mr Thorn (Robert) can't bear to ...  Read the complete review

The 1970s were pretty much dead as far as horror movies were concerned...decent ones that is, being mostly Exorcist and Dawn of the Dead rip-offs and wannabees and never coming even the slightest bit close. There were a few exceptions, although none more effective than this one from Richard Donner(also of Lethal Weapon fame) which took the idea of the Exorcist a step further and had the Antichrist himself in the body of a child. Again religious iconography is used to fiull effect here to deliver the shocks, heightened by a powerful musical score which really builds up the tension. Today it looks a little on the dated side, but its still one of the better movies of its ...  Read the complete review

Horror Films and the 70's dont exactly walk hand in hand, there are only really a couple of these films that come to mind, The Exorcist, Dawn of the Dead and of course The Omen. The latter of the 70's were cluttered with Zombie films trying to cash in on the success of the dead series, but in 76 came a film that was very different from the usual crowd. Richard Donner (who would go on to direct all the Lethal Weapon Films) gave us a film that, at the time, was as memorable as the Exorcist and again used religion to cause these scares. Not relying on blood, as with the Exorcist, but instead using psychological thrills to cause the scares that the viewer loves. ...  Read the complete review