If in the 80s in the genre of horror reigned (well, mostly) slashers, the 70s could boast almost the greatest variety of subjects. Each topic became the basis for endless imitations, borrowings and parodies. A movie about obsession? Please - the cult "Exorcist". Space horror? "Alien" Ridley Scott. Yes, the same slashers, although they gained the most popularity in the 80s, blossomed in the 70s - "Halloween" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" will not let you lie. A lot more can be remembered - and the first films on Stephen King, and Fulci with Deodato, and Romero ... However, in the 70s, another classic horror story began – about the devil’s boy, the Antichrist. Yes, there was “Rosemary’s Baby” back in 1968, but, you will agree, the films are completely different.
So, before us is the mystical horror Richard Donner "Omen". Mr. Donner will later become a very respected and famous director who will give the world such hits as Superman, Lethal Weapon (all 4 parts!), Maverick and others. However, it was the Omen that was a breakthrough for him. By the way, all the studios refused the script, and only XX Century Fox gave the go-ahead for the shooting - and even then on the condition that many scenes will be softened or simply removed. As a result, the creators decided to focus on suspense and psychological stress.
American diplomat Robert Thorne (played by Gregory Peck) learns that his baby has died in childbirth. The priest offers the hero to adopt a boy who was born at the same time as the deceased child of Robert. Thorne doesn’t dare talk about replacing his wife, so they just start living happy lives. Well, the further mix is known to everyone - the boy is not of this world, so five years later he begins to bring his order to the world. Over time, Robert comes to what is what, and he is faced with a difficult choice. On the one hand, this is his son, on the other hand, this is not his son, and what to do in this situation?
In fact, what to beat around the bush – before us a real classic, another film that started not only the entire franchise, but also spawned hundreds of imitation films. However, only a good plot for a successful film is not enough. Richard Donner is very confident in directing the film. Yes, the first hour is less dynamic than the second, in some ways it is even slow. But it is in the first half that the pressure of the atmosphere occurs.
Secondly, I want to mention the creepy (in a good sense of the word) music of Jerry Goldsmith, for which he received an Oscar. Musical compositions perfectly suit the scenes where they play. And finally, I want to note the excellent acting - and not only Gregory Peck, but in general the entire cast, including the little culprit of the celebration.
As for the disadvantages, yes, in my opinion, they are also, although not very significant. Mostly, I can attribute them to some illogical (or even stupid) moments. For example, the death of a priest in the first part of the film – the scene is filmed as if the hero has enough time to just step aside. I know it was a plot engine, but why did he die like that? And I would have kicked out the new governess after the first disobedience. But all right, nitpicking is nitpicking.
In general - a good and high-quality movie, moderately creepy, but more just interesting. And it is good not because it was shot a long time ago and it is considered to be a classic (remember “The Amityville Horror”, which ... I do not even want to remember), but because it really successfully came together strong directing, high-quality script and good actors.
In the 90s, there were a lot of horror films and a lot of those that were remembered. But to my regret, I did not see Omen, watching it for the first time I can say that it is a great disappointment that only now I have come to him. Better late than never.
The picture of 1976 now looks in one breath. She is really creepy, she scares with her tension, her plot, you look and just plunge into this horror that is happening. Most of all, the play at the time of the little boy Harvey Stevens, who manages to play absolutely evil with such a kind expression, although not always.
I really liked Richard Donner’s work. When you watch a film, you can not say at all, you do not leave the feeling that the movie was shot not so long ago, very high-quality, so sincere and so natural. Heroes believe, plunge into this horror and wonder what you see. The music in the film delivers it more with its gloomy atmosphere.
I really liked Gregory Peck and David Warner. Although I initially thought that David’s character was an ordinary photographer and was unlikely to get much development, it turned out not to be so. Because of the circumstances, they come together and try to uncover the truth, and I really liked the way the characters acted together. There was a lot of tension and a frightening atmosphere.
Gregory Peck. For me, Robert is by far the most important character. From the beginning to the end, he’s a hero you want to watch. Despite how impressive the boy was, it was still very interesting to watch Robert's drama. He was in pain from the beginning, and the opening monologue was very good. Sometimes the truth is literally under his nose, but he doesn’t see it. I could not leave the feeling that he began to act strongly must happen some sad event. I liked the balance between the calm Robert and what he became.
David Warner. I have always been associated with the Titanic. He will play that role 21 years after the film. He's much younger here. His character is very curious and seeks to get to the truth, not just a photographer. I loved it throughout the film.
Harvey Stevens. As a child, he was certainly talented, of course, it is a pity that his acting did not receive a worthy continuation. If you take this role, then in his role he is convincing. I liked how he got on his mother’s nerves in the movie. It looked very natural and natural.
Omen and in 2024 looks very atmospheric, tense and exciting and conquers you. Its naturalness and realism, its history, its tension. Despite the horror, you watch the movie with great enthusiasm and interest. Sometimes it gets chilled.
I won’t go around the bush and say that “Omen” is certainly a remarkable film, but its elevation to the cult rank is still too much. Comparing it with other horror films, including earlier ones, you clearly understand that the yard was not easy 1970s, when world cinema was undergoing strong changes.
Omena is often praised for the music of Jerry Goldsmith, for which the film even won an Oscar. Later, by the way, Goldsmith will write the soundtrack to the first "Alien", and without this we must admit that music is the strength of "Omena". However, moderately strong. Choral singing, which sounds several times, is a bit annoying, as it resembles a regular prayer. That’s what I thought, but if you think about it, shouldn’t it be the other way around? If the Antichrist is the creation of the devil and the complete opposite of Christian values, then should not the song be made less smooth? Avant-garde - that's what direction would be ideal. Disharmony, gnashing or some kind of slant would convey the monstrous essence of the Antichrist much better.
The main thing that “Omen” is imprinted in memory is not even music, but a visual series, and there are just a lot of problems with it. The picture in most cases is dull and sometimes smeared, as if not a very good film was used. Films of the 1970s were generally characterized by gloom, and even more so if we are talking about horror films. But while pressuring viewers with gloom, the film loses much of its fear element. The worst part is that the Rottweilers are grinding their teeth and killing three minor characters. In a couple of scenes, it seems that dogs even bit the actors themselves, and such fearlessness, of course, deserves praise. The only trouble is that the Antichrist himself, in the plot is still a child, although it looks sinister, but this will not be enough for sophisticated viewers. Perhaps this is the case when "sharpness" and even small scrimmers would be useful.
The best thing about Omen is convincing acting (including Harvey Stevens, the youngest in the crew) and animal scenes. In addition to dogs, the director managed to shoot frightened giraffes and an alarmed flock of baboons, which is very difficult without computer graphics. And the film shows the real city of Megiddo and ancient ruins. It is interesting to look at the outdated models of cameras, which in those days were considered the latest word of technology, but these days - is already a rarity.
Trying to emphasize the hints of the presence of evil and the disasters that accompany the life of the young Antichrist, the film makes only the most inexperienced viewers shudder. I think that "Omen" is nothing more than the creation of its decade. Interesting and carefully filmed, but not claiming the title of a masterpiece.
7 out of 10
P. S. One scene from "Omena" will later be referenced by the horror film "Freddy vs. Jason."
Horror films on religious themes are always of particular interest to the public. Most often they touch on the theme of the coming of the Antichrist in our world and the beginning of Armageddon, which should put an end to the existence of all mankind. Of course, the authors approached this case with different interpretations and each brought his vision. Separate in all this galaxy is the cult mystical thriller “Omen” in 1976, which will be further discussed.
In the family of American diplomat Robert Thorne, a bitter tragedy occurs. His first and only son died immediately after birth. Unable to tell his beloved wife Catherine such terrible news, Robert secretly adopts another newborn baby whose mother died after childbirth. Five years pass, and the family idyll of the Thorns is disrupted when unexplained events and phenomena begin to occur around Damien, their son, including the terrible loss of innocent lives.
In my memory, “Omen” is the first and only horror film in the career of the legendary Gregory Peck. It is difficult to imagine that such an actor, who once played in such films as “Gentleman’s Agreement” and “Roman Holiday”, will decide to test his acting abilities in a hitherto unknown genre. And it is worth noting that Peck did his job flawlessly. In the film, he played a professional diplomat who used to maintain the image of a successful person not only in work, but also in life. But the whole idyll shattered like a crystal vase when he discovered the truth about the existence of forces whose gut is beyond human understanding. Lee Remick played the role of Catherine, Robert’s wife, who genuinely loved her role as a mother, but did not even suspect that this love, like herself, would be destroyed by the merciless forces of evil. Finally, I would mention Billy Whitelaw as Mrs. Bailey, Damien’s nanny and the Devil’s devoted servant, ready to do anything to protect her “ward.”
It should be noted that “Omen” even now perceives as a qualitatively shot mystical horror film. It well recreates the atmosphere of how a supernatural evil in an invisible way, like a virus, penetrated into the quiet everyday life of the main characters, turning it into a real nightmare. I liked how, with almost no special effects or a clear depiction of demonic forces, the director managed to simulate their presence in life. Whether it is a strong wind and a lightning strike, or an accidental ray of a car and cutting off the head of one of the characters. You might think it’s all a coincidence, but what you really understand is that it doesn’t take magic pollen or a sheaf of magical sparks for the characters to feel the full force of Hell.
In the center of the plot is Robert Thorne, an American diplomat at the US Embassy in Rome and then in London. Five years before the main events, his family is experiencing a terrible tragedy. Immediately after birth, his first child dies, which can finish off his wife Catherine, who dreams of becoming a mother. Robert decides to hide it and adopts a baby who was recently born in the same hospital. At first glance, such a coincidence might seem like a gift of fate. And indeed the next five years pass like a fairy tale.
But everything changes when Damien is five years old – that’s how Robert and Catherine decided to name the boy. During a birthday celebration, a boy's nanny commits a public act of suicide in front of young children. Then, while walking in a London zoo, a flock of baboons attack Catherine's car with Damien in it. The climax is a trip to church, which is disrupted by Damien’s sudden attack on his mother. Soon, a mysterious priest comes to Robert, who claims that Damien is not a man, but the son of the Devil himself, and that he was in the Thorn family not by chance. At first, Robert is skeptical of the priest’s statements, but when Catherine almost dies under mysterious circumstances, Robert begins his own investigation.
The only drawback of the film is the lack of any explanation as to the origin of Damien himself, as we only know that he ended up in the Thorn family not by chance. Otherwise, "Omen" makes only a positive impression, to this day remaining a full-fledged classic of the mystical thriller. So without further ado, I just recommend watching.
The film "Omen" belongs to a series of so-called old-school horrors, which still knew how to scare not so much with screamers and an abundance of blood, as with the atmosphere. This type includes the iconic “The Exorcist”, “Rosemary’s Baby”, “The Shining” and, of course, “Omen”. I watched the first three films a long time ago, and I support the view that these films can easily melt even nerves of steel with a creepy atmosphere. I couldn’t see the movie, though I heard it was no less scary than the previous three. Only recently have I been able to watch and... in fact, of all the above films, it is the least scary. Not bad at all, he just didn’t catch up as creepy as I would like.
First of all, let me start with what I really liked about the film. First, they're actors. First of all, this is Gregory Peck and David Warner, who played a couple of heroes whose chemistry you really believe in. There’s even some of the relationship elements that Richard Donner uses in a completely different genre of Lethal Weapon, where it turns out that chemistry works almost perfectly. Plus, Harvey Stevens played the role of the child of evil very convincingly. Not as strong a performance as Linda Blair in The Exorcist, or Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense, but not modern kids in horror, who, instead of catching up, only annoy. That’s why I’m more than happy with the game.
Second, Donner's production is really great. The scene when the heroes are attacked by a pack of monkeys is not a joke frightening, and another scene when the heroes of Peck and Warner are watched from the sidelines and then it turns out that this flock of Rottweilers is also set so that goosebumps run over the body. But there are some scenes that are worth admitting, now look rather silly. Thus, the death of a priest, which is supposed to be frightening, in fact turns out to be more amusing than terrible. It feels like Donner specifically wanted to be taken apart for memes, and Edgar Wright in 'Typical Cool Cops' 30 years later originally parodied her. In general, the priest himself for such a story looks too caricatured, almost like the hero of Loomis from Halloween, whose sayings about pure evil inside Myers now look quite naive. This, by the way, the film went to me less than the same “Rosemary’s Baby”, in which ridiculous moments even now 50 years later are very difficult to find.
But thirdly, the main thing that made probably 50 percent of all the scary scenes in the movie really scary for me was Jerry Goldsmith’s music, and one of the best of his career. In general, the number of memorable melodies from the films of this guy can be called almost the second after Williams. It was he who gave the music to Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, Chinatown and other popular horror film Poltergeist. However, here his musical compositions seem to have reached a peak. For example, the scene of the fall of the heroine Remick would not be a tenth of so terrible, if not for the soundtrack Goldsmith. It is his music that can be called an example of the perfect horror composition. Even when you listen to her separately from the film, she is unrealistically exhilarating. For music you can safely throw more than one point.
Why didn’t the movie scare me as much as I wanted? Hard to say. Perhaps the fact is that I have watched a lot of horrors in this century and even such a film avid lover of horror films is no longer surprising. And perhaps the fact that this film at the stage of filming received the status of "damned" for a number of frightening events that occurred, from which the hair stands on end stronger than after the film itself. Maybe it's just a matter of taste.
But in any case, the film can and should be recommended for viewing. This is still a well-made horror film, which at that time was not treated as a waste of money (although it seems that with the advent of the Eggers and Saw genre, the situation is slowly improving, who knows), and against the background of subsequent sequels and rebut, this Omen can even be called a masterpiece, although I knew films and much more frightening.
I decided to refresh the memory of a good old franchise about the son of the devil and started with the classic Omen 1976. Impressions are curious.
Well, first of all, it is not terrible vaapche, that is, at all. It is clear why - the cinema is known by heart, there are few screeners, there are more and more pressure scare. And it's quite a slow pump. It’s one thing to watch this in the 1970s and another to watch it at home in the 2020s. I mean, how did the Omen horror movie end? What's left of that?
Strangely enough, a stylish detective remains. In general, the first word that comes in the process of viewing is vintage. Because the movie was made very carefully. Everything there is authentic - architecture, interiors, costumes and hairstyles of the 70s, cars. Delicious. And since the movie is slow, that is the time to consider all this.
The movie is just leisurely, which is amazing to see from the creator ' Lethal Weapon'. But then Donner quite deliberately slows down, he needs to acquaint the viewer with the characters, cause empathy, or at first the handsome aristocrat somehow sympathize with the reluctance, also I sufferer. But towards the end, Peck still gets under the viewer's skin. The rich also cry and all that.
The plot, I think, does not make sense to retell, especially since in our spiritless society it does not cause anything but a smile. You can note the excellent operator and cool music, which periodically comes to the fore.
What else can we say about actors? Everything is good with them, everyone plays what they need, even the dog. I'd single out two. First, the kid. I don't know how the director motivated him, but the child makes faces - you really believe it. But even better face plays actress Billy Whitelaw, as governess of the Antichrist. That's who makes 50 percent of all suspense, she's got this sinister face, expensive to watch. Well, wrestling with Peck in the end, when he tried to plug her with forks, also turned out great.
In short, if the hunt calmly spend the evening for something stylish and leisurely - velki. Horror lovers walk by.
In 2006, the horror film Omen was released. I didn’t know it was a 1976 remake of the original’s 30th anniversary. Remake me, to put it mildly, did not go very far. I looked and forgot. However, interest in the original remains. And so I finally decided to watch this quadrology (and there are four films), but I will evaluate only the first part.
The wife of diplomat Robert Thorne gives birth to a dead child, and knowing that she will not bear the news, he secretly adopts another child. The older the younger Thorne gets, the more frightening things begin to happen around him. Who would have known that a boy with an angelic face was a creature of evil?
One of the few times when the remake is not much, but still better than the original. In the modern version, at least there were few visual effects, and the tone of the film is slightly darker. There's nothing here. No visuals, no hint of frightening moments - nothing at all. I don’t know why this movie has so many fans, and they are, judging by as many as three sequels, but personally I did not find anything interesting for myself. There is also an Oscar for Best Original Soundtrack. But that makes sense. The title theme is really worth it, and it would be a great fit for a hundred other similar films that are certainly better than this. At the same time, it works as an increase in the effect of gloom. There's not much to reinforce, though.
The film begins more or less intriguingly. Introductory credits to the chilling music of Jerry Goldsmith. Next comes a short introduction, and the plot begins to slowly disperse. That’s just this acceleration was only enough for 15 minutes. Fifteen minutes (!) from the two-hour picture was interesting to me. There was hope that the remake was not remade to zero, and there will be something I have not seen before. Alas. It's almost frame-by-frame. And a monotonous narrative began, which is more lulling than interesting. Long and boring dialogues about nothing, some absolutely unnecessary and constantly repeated investigations, etc. And all this for two hours.
Seeing Gregory Peck in the opening credits, I was initially delighted. Whatever the movie, the famous Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird will pull it all out. But no. Gregory Peck's talent couldn't make up for that pull on screen. The only one who was convincing on screen was Billy Whitelaw as the babysitter. She has such a type, playing villains is perfect. The others are all by.
To sum up, I want to say one thing. The film “Omen” in 2006 showed itself at the box office rather weakly and was coldly received. But compared to the original 1976, it turned out to be very fit and watchable. So if you want to get acquainted with this story, it is better to choose a remake.
It's all for you.
(About the 13th minute of the film)
Exchange
Plot. The wife of an American diplomat has a dead child. After a little thought, Robert Thorne adopts another baby with a birthmark in the form of three sixes.
Where does this mystical thriller from Richard Donner begin (by the way, it seems that Donner no longer climbed into the horror – sorry, “Tales from the Crypt” do not count)? Lies! A husband lies to his beloved wife. The priest lies to the main character about the child. Lies are everywhere. And where there is a lie, there is a devil (or Satan) walking around.
A great classic that appeared a few years after Friedkin’s The Exorcist. I'd be lying to you if I said it was easy. Donner's been rocking for a long time. Putting your hand on your heart, timekeeping can be slightly reduced (all these walks with the baby in the park, funny photos, etc.). But the second half of the film (very tough and even bloody) - pig delight, chic mysticism.
There's also a little grievance against Gregory Peck (a-hee-hee, I'm about to get killed). Don't get me wrong, Gregory Peck is a great actor. It's not even fair when you put such a mastodon in your horror. You care about his Robert Thorne with all your heart. Peck in Omena plays well, he does not know how to play badly. But let’s be honest – the actor is more suited to the role of Damien’s grandfather than the role of his father. The film was released in 1976, ie Peck here under 60 years.
I may be nagging, but this moment caught my eye. The guy for the role of Damien picked up a good (his grin will never forget). Separately note the sinister maid (actress Billy Whitelaw is beautiful). The Rottweilers are the devil's minions, cool. Goldsmith's brilliant music. Plus – a gloomy disturbing atmosphere (check out the scene in the cemetery or when the priest ran away from a thunderstorm in the street in the rain).
And most importantly, a great script by David Zellzer. “Omen” instantly entered the history of horror and took the entire franchise. I’m not afraid of these words – a very influential horror film. I definitely recommend watching. I'm sure you've seen it before.
Now it is hard to believe that such an artisan as Richard Donner, who became famous in the 80s with a series of paintings “Lethal Weapon” (which is not bad in itself, but does not claim anything serious) and finally mired in various commercial junk, began his career with “Omen”, an atmospheric masterpiece, a film of “pure fear”. Usually this picture is called the third fundamental film in the disclosure of the “devil theme” in Hollywood movies of the 60s and 70s, along with “Rosemary’s Baby” and “The Exorcist”. However, if Friedkin’s film pays tribute to the naturalism of horror films of the time, and Polansky’s work searches for the shaky border between devilry and madness, then Donner’s film is made on apothecary scales, extremely proportionately, on pure halftones, noises, whispers, small details that instill fear of the future.
Saturated with quotations from the Holy Scriptures, primarily from the Apocalypse, which she very freely, Protestantly interprets, Donner’s painting has firmly entered popular culture, giving rise to many sequels that do not stand any comparison with it. “Omen” exploits the Christian fear of the last great dictator of world history, the Antichrist, whom Ignatius Bryanchaninov has called “a genius of geniuses”, but unlike this film, he will not only be a successful businessman, but also a religious leader. The first “Omen” shows the childhood, even the infancy of the Antichrist, and all the characters are divided into those who guard it and those who try to expose it.
The theme of the “devil’s child” firmly entered the cinema since “Operation Fear” by Mario Bava and Fellini’s ingenious short “Toby Dammit”, but only Donner, who directed the script by David Zellzer based on his own story (which I read as a child, in the 90s, when we all absorbed mysticism in huge quantities), managed to twist this topic to its logical end, making it an instrument of fear. It is important that in terms of influencing the viewer, the director does not use clichés, paving new roads in the genre, and without knowing it, closes it. The tape was released in 1976, when horror films became films of disgust, when the Cronenberg star was already rising, when the fashion for slashers, gutturals, films with a lot of blood and violence began.
“Omen” is too clever for the usual horror, it has too many quotes, bookliness, fear of an educated person for the future, which he can not control. The counterculture has destroyed America’s faith in a lasting future, marginalizing Protestantism, its doctrine, and the worldview of millions of people in the name of minorities. Therefore, the Protestant looked to the future with fear, expecting the unknown but foretold in the Bible. “Omen” conveys the fear of a simple, but read in the Bible, rural Protestant (as the third “Omen” shows, Damien Thorne became a wolf from Wall Street, a financier and a tycoon, which again expresses the fear of the ordinary person before the powerful of this world, their power and power, which from his point of view is always satanic in nature).
Before us is one of the last roles of the great Gregory Peck, the actor-marker of old Hollywood, which is no coincidence, this is a metaphor for the departing old America, which is being replaced by something dark, terrible, inexorable. It so happened that the title of Donner's film is traditionally not translated into Russian, although it means - "The Sign", it is the signs of the time - the salt of this picture, which is a fiction and a terrible fairy tale only for an atheist. It is not so important that the quotes in “Omen” are taken out of context and freely interpreted, this is a very important film about the fear inherent in Christians, its essence can be expressed simply: the future will soon be uncontrollable, unusual, incomprehensible, the forces of evil will acquire such forms and such power that it will be almost impossible to fight them.
Coming out in the midst of the porn era, when the counterculture in America took the leading positions seriously and for a long time, when traditionalism and Protestantism were pushed to the margins of social life, Richard Donner’s Omen expressed, like no other horror, the fear of the average American for the future and did so in forms so refined and refined, without any violence, physiology and naturalism, that they turned out to be completely unclaimed by the genre, to the greatest regret of sinophiles and fans of smart cinema. “Omen” worked on the field of fear of a mature, even elderly American who left the historical scene, in place of him came the youth, who were frightened by Carpenter’s “Halloween”, other horrors. The era of fear of infernal forces is gone to give way to other phobias, and although now in the era of the Astral, it has revived, but it happened in a kind of stupid, primitive form. The fear of a wise man, read in the Bible, has no place here.
Superstitions have an unpleasant ability to disrupt the usual way of life and change it with obscure, but creepy symbols. And all right, black cats or the number thirteen is a common thing, right, you can argue, is it normal? But there are originals that will not go under the stairs and turn the clothes inside out: “What are you?” What do you think? This is how these things work, and sometimes troubles happen quickly: I watched a movie about frightening and regular prophecies the day before, and in the morning I went to the ambulance with a sudden seizure. Unexplained fear paralyzes the body and constrains consciousness, but hiding from an unknown threat behind seven blankets is also not good; it is more logical to understand or approach the solution of the millennial puzzle, first described in the revelation of John the Theologian (chapter 13, v. 18). If the child of Satan is destined to reign in the world of people, subduing its animal likeness - then without a combination of sixes in this case will not do, as the classics of sinister-mystical cinema claim.
On the 6th of the 6th month and at 6 a.m. there are perfectly clear coordinates where the voice of the Lord of the Underworld, tired of waiting for the reign, is directed. The exact year is not known, and it is (what a coincidence!) never said in a Richard Donner movie. There are a thousand other details, including the multicolored ties of the consul from Gregory Peck and the multifaceted tombstones in the old Jewish cemetery, but there is no specific date. There is only one indisputable fact: early in the Roman morning took the first breath of a very terrible, but seemingly unremarkable child. He lived his impeccable five years, never catching even a cold, and only in the sixth year as a leaky barrel spilled associated with him the devil. The nanny gave the baby Damien herself, hanging out in a loop; giraffes with mandrills experienced rabid psychosis at the sight of the child, and the best friend of the guy was a Rottweiler, complete with the sweetest servant of the devil. There is no mysticism in the chain of these incidents if you think about it, but it is just the usual tape that provides an effect that does not lose its penetrating power. How old is it, 42? Not a time for in a good sense old-fashioned, graphically perfect film, which has inherited all the best motives of “Rosemary’s Baby”.
The influence of the cult tape of Roman Polanski is felt everywhere, and a slightly different layout of the plot in this case is a secondary detail. Many times more important is the primordial, animal, not subject to any reasonable logic horror in a collision with a creature from the other world. The unfortunate Rosemary only in the last scene was able to look at her own child with rounded eyes, and the important diplomat Thorne and his wife had a bad five years. They watched, but could not believe, because of unnatural events with a bouquet of tragic outcomes. The saddest and at the same time magnificent - in relation to a work of art - a slightly desperate, but quite justified attempt to investigate the devil. And if you do not get a weapon against the young Antichrist, then at least understand what weaknesses the enemy has before the consul and his volunteer assistant photographer. On the acting interaction of Peck with David Warner to a large extent holds the “humanity” of the picture. Donner did not write about Satanism (unlike Polanski), but about human virtues: love, loyalty, courage and mutual assistance. These qualities are unknown to the lord of the underground citadel, and the ground for his primary conflict with the world of the living is loosened for the most obvious reasons.
The anachronism of “Omena” and its unlikeness to other films of “terrible” orientation require treating it as a valuable museum relic, about which many have heard, but not everyone decides to look into the desired hall with the exposition. Why – it is clear: damn superstitions often oppose, but having pledged not to be led to alien symbols only for the company of others, once again we have to agree: we still know very little about the rules and regulations by which our world exists. Can faith always come to the rescue of Christ? In every way, and even in the history of cinema, there have been cases when people had to live and create with the idea that God is dead, and Satan is in charge of everything. Ingmar Bergman built the plot of his first truly great painting “Prison”. In comparison with it, “Omen” does not claim much, being a quality, well-staged, slowly aging, but still a genre film. He does not provide a wide palette of views, which was once again confirmed in 2006, when the remake was released.
But the sliver of hope for a better outcome can still be seen under unfavorable circumstances like Donner’s. As long as a person thinks, he exists, and therefore is able to resist even the most inevitable. In the 1976 film, there are more victims of naivety, ignorance, or simply circumstances than insidious intriguers and predators under masks. This suggests that evil is not so numerous, and its most ardent admirers can be counted on the fingers. The verdict, proclaimed invisible, no doubt powerful, but for the time being languishing in prison by the judge is unlikely to be challenged, the lawyers have long since finished their defense speeches. Now it remains only to wait and try not to miss the fateful hour with the symbols of the three sixes, to postpone it for another couple of hundred years.
- The Lord has given you a son.
- Is it just the Lord?
There have been some really high-profile projects in the career of director Richard Donner. The most famous of which is Superman. He is also known to a wide audience and quadrology "Lethal Weapon". But the first really successful film, which became a hit, and later a cult, among fans of horror films, was Omen. I'm going to talk about him now.
American Ambassador Robert Thorne, unwilling to tell his wife the tragic news of the death of a baby at birth, adopts another child. As his son grows up, Robert begins to notice strange things. The boy is afraid of the church, and people around him die under strange circumstances.
I’ve known this movie for a long time, but my first exposure to this story came from watching the 2006 remake. Later I decided to pay attention to the original quadrology. The feeling was mixed. Still, the remake seemed to me more successful in terms of horror, but still something was missing in it. Namely, that unique atmosphere, gloom, and, probably, the actors of the original will be a little stronger in the acting plan. Take, again, the soundtrack. From the first seconds of the film, when the opening credits begin, the inflating music begins to immerse the viewer in an atmosphere of superstitious horror. You already know in what tone the whole picture will take place. Composer Jerry Goldsmith even won an Oscar for this sound. And well deserved.
"Omen" is not like all the horror films that were released at that time in the United States, since it has a pronounced note of religious motives. Of course, before that there were some films built on this theme (for example, “The Exorcist”), but in them the plot swayed from side to side, not allowing to form a common subtext. This place is much more open. And if you define “Omen” as any genre of horror, then there is a mystical thriller, with a great emphasis on mysticism. Given that the film was released during the heyday of slashers about various maniacs, it is understandable why the story of a boy with a devilish look so prominently stood out from the general mass of horror films.
Well, it is worth saying about the cast. It is much better than the 2006 remake. The main role was played by Oscar-winning Gregory Peck, known for his work in such films as To Kill a Mockingbird and Roman Holiday. I am surprised how he organically got into the skin of a genre of cinema that is not peculiar to him. This is a truly brilliant and diverse actor. I can't say anything about the actress Lee Remick, because she didn't really impress me. But Harvey Stevens really scared in his screen role. And this despite the fact that he did not even talk really in the film, but only acted out facial expressions in a larger account. I still do not understand how you can combine such an angelic appearance and a devilish spark in your eyes.
7 out of 10
- In Morte et in Nate Amplexa rantur Generationes. (Death and birth). Generations are coming together
My acquaintance with this franchise began not with the original of the 70s, but with a modern remake, released under the significant date 06.06.2006. The three sixes in the date matched the theme of the film perfectly, so it would be foolish not to take advantage of it. The remake was very good, so I wanted to get acquainted with the famous quadrology.
He was born on a special day and marked with the sign of the beast. The boy, who was adopted by a couple of Thorns, from childhood behaves a little strange. Around him periodically occur tragic accidents and deaths. And the older he gets, the more his father begins to suspect that something is wrong with the boy. He begins his own investigation.
Forty years ago, this movie was a hit. It has absolutely everything that should be in good horror. Here is a fascinating (and most importantly FREE) story. Infrequently, especially in the 70s, you will find such films about the coming of the son of the devil on earth. Of course, this track was already a little trodden by Roman Polanski, with his “Rosemary’s Baby”, but here the plot revolves slightly in a different way. The film is also full of many action scenes. The truth is not in the form they are used to see by modern viewers, but the dynamics can be traced constant. However, on some distinguishing elements of the film, it is worth paying attention to more detailed.
First of all, it's the soundtrack. That’s not for nothing here “Omen” took the Oscar statuette. From the very opening credits sounds stunning, but suggestive of superstitious horror, the music of Jerry Goldsmith. This in itself sets you up to watch something unusual and frightening. But the musical accompaniment does not end there, and during the whole tape it pumps up the atmosphere at the right moments to enhance the effect. Composer Jerry Goldsmith always knew how to get into the tone of horror films. So it was with the Gremlins, so it happened with the Omen.
Second, this picture is famous for its cast. The main role was played by Oscar-winning Gregory Peck. And performed it at the highest level. He is known as an actor who masterfully masters the art of reincarnation in almost all genres of cinema. From westerns and melodramas to horror. And then his appearance did not pass without a trace. But what struck me most was the little actor Harvey Stevens. Just a unique appearance and a perfect hit in the image. I still do not understand how you can combine such an angelic appearance and a devilish spark in your eyes.
Let's summarize.
For the plot - the rating is "excellent".
The sound is beyond praise. Naturally "excellent."
Acting is perfect. That is why it is “excellent.”
The visual of the film - as such there is nothing remarkable here. No special effects, no complicated makeup. But, in fact, all this is not required here. However, it would add a bit of a twist to the film. So the rating is not high - "Good"
Look, Damian, it's all for you!
This is one of my favorite horror movies. The film “The Omen” directed by Richard Donner immediately became a cult for all time. As you know, when watching this horror film in cinemas, the audience even had heart attacks, so much the film was creepy and frightening.
Seeing this dark film story as a child, I thought it was the scariest film. After many years with great pleasure reviewed this movie and could not resist buying it on a licensed DVD to his collection. Why is this movie so good? You need to ask the director, because Donner shot this antichrist story brilliantly: so atmospheric, so thoughtful, with brilliant acting, tension, and the story itself. The film is great.
We see a sinister story, which got American, respected diplomat Robert Thorne. His wife died in childbirth, but she decided not to talk about it. In an Italian hospital, Thorn was offered a newly born child, whose mother died and no one else has a baby. The children were changed, and Robert and his wife got a son that night. The boy grew up, and over time strange things began to happen: all the time someone died under strange circumstances, who was nearby. Soon the main character understands that the son he is raising is not a man at all, but the devil’s essence is the Antichrist himself.
This horror movie has a bunch of cult scenes. It’s been so many years and the movie still looks terrified. The film is amazing, each scene is thought out in detail and carries with it fear, a certain subtext. Everything looks with great interest and really in fear. Scenes with glass and a severed head are impossible to forget. This gloomy story is brilliant, and after watching it, you immediately want to watch the continuation of the second and third films.
Best role by Gregory Peck. This American actor will always be associated with this film. Peck played clearly and his character was great. I love his character and so much has fallen on his shoulders. You won't envy him. It is with his hero that we go through this dark, first story that shocks and tells us the predictions of the Book of Revelation.
I don’t like the actor David Warner, I never liked him, but it’s impossible to forget the main scene with him in this film, but it’s all the directors and creators of the scene. It was incredibly unexpected and shocking to the bone. Lee Remick played a martyr, but Billy Whitelaw stunningly played the role of the servant of darkness. Her character is creepy and sinister, the scenes with her were very interesting. The little boy was chosen very well for the role of Damian, and it was really creepy. It is impossible to forget the final scene.
I can’t help but mention the dog scenes, because they were also perfect for the movie. This picture from the first to the last shot I love. The film is a kind of standard of what a quality horror film should look like. The story of the Antichrist here is gorgeous, and this film is for all time.
Omen is a 1976 American horror film directed by Richard Donner. The movie is perfect in its genre and I love it. Thank you to the creators of the picture, and before us a masterpiece in the genre of horror, viewing of which is a must.
Abandon fear or pity, he is not a human child. Kill him!
- In Morte et in Nate Amplexa rantur Generationes. (Death and birth). Generations are coming together
My acquaintance with this franchise began not with the original of the 70s, but with a modern remake, released under the significant date 06.06.2006. The three sixes in the date matched the theme of the film perfectly, so it would be foolish not to take advantage of it. The remake was very good, so I wanted to get acquainted with the famous quadrology.
He was born on a special day and marked with the sign of the beast. The boy, who was adopted by a couple of Thorns, from childhood behaves a little strange. Around him periodically occur tragic accidents and deaths. And the older he gets, the more his father begins to suspect that something is wrong with the boy. He begins his own investigation.
Forty years ago, this movie was a hit. It has absolutely everything that should be in good horror. Here is a fascinating (and most importantly FREE) story. Infrequently, especially in the 70s, you will find such films about the coming of the son of the devil on earth. Of course, this track was already a little trodden by Roman Polanski, with his “Rosemary’s Baby”, but here the plot revolves slightly in a different way. The film is also full of many action scenes. The truth is not in the form they are used to see by modern viewers, but the dynamics can be traced constant. However, on some distinguishing elements of the film, it is worth paying attention to more detailed.
First of all, it's the soundtrack. That’s not for nothing here “Omen” took the Oscar statuette. From the very opening credits sounds stunning, but suggestive of superstitious horror, the music of Jerry Goldsmith. This in itself sets you up to watch something unusual and frightening. But the musical accompaniment does not end there, and during the whole tape it pumps up the atmosphere at the right moments to enhance the effect. Composer Jerry Goldsmith always knew how to get into the tone of horror films. So it was with the Gremlins, so it happened with the Omen.
Second, this picture is famous for its cast. The main role was played by Oscar-winning Gregory Peck. And performed it at the highest level. He is known as an actor who masterfully masters the art of reincarnation in almost all genres of cinema. From westerns and melodramas to horror. And then his appearance did not pass without a trace. But what struck me most was the little actor Harvey Stevens. Just a unique appearance and a perfect hit in the image. I still do not understand how you can combine such an angelic appearance and a devilish spark in your eyes.
Let's summarize.
For the plot - the rating is "excellent".
The sound is beyond praise. Naturally "excellent."
Acting is perfect. That is why it is “excellent.”
The visual of the film - as such there is nothing remarkable here. No special effects, no complicated makeup. But, in fact, all this is not required here. However, it would add a bit of a twist to the film. So the rating is not high - "Good"
- In Morte et in Nate Amplexa rantur Generationes. (Death and birth). Generations are coming together
My acquaintance with this franchise began not with the original of the 70s, but with a modern remake, released under the significant date 06.06.2006. The three sixes in the date matched the theme of the film perfectly, so it would be foolish not to take advantage of it. The remake was very good, so I wanted to get acquainted with the famous quadrology.
He was born on a special day and marked with the sign of the beast. The boy, who was adopted by a couple of Thorns, from childhood behaves a little strange. Around him periodically occur tragic accidents and deaths. And the older he gets, the more his father begins to suspect that something is wrong with the boy. He begins his own investigation.
Forty years ago, this movie was a hit. It has absolutely everything that should be in good horror. Here is a fascinating (and most importantly FREE) story. Infrequently, especially in the 70s, you will find such films about the coming of the son of the devil on earth. Of course, this track was already a little trodden by Roman Polanski, with his “Rosemary’s Baby”, but here the plot revolves slightly in a different way. The film is also full of many action scenes. The truth is not in the form they are used to see by modern viewers, but the dynamics can be traced constant. However, on some distinguishing elements of the film, it is worth paying attention to more detailed.
First of all, it's the soundtrack. That’s not for nothing here “Omen” took the Oscar statuette. From the very opening credits sounds stunning, but suggestive of superstitious horror, the music of Jerry Goldsmith. This in itself sets you up to watch something unusual and frightening. But the musical accompaniment does not end there, and during the whole tape it pumps up the atmosphere at the right moments to enhance the effect. Composer Jerry Goldsmith always knew how to get into the tone of horror films. So it was with the Gremlins, so it happened with the Omen.
Second, this picture is famous for its cast. The main role was played by Oscar-winning Gregory Peck. And performed it at the highest level. He is known as an actor who masterfully masters the art of reincarnation in almost all genres of cinema. From westerns and melodramas to horror. And then his appearance did not pass without a trace. But what struck me most was the little actor Harvey Stevens. Just a unique appearance and a perfect hit in the image. I still do not understand how you can combine such an angelic appearance and a devilish spark in your eyes.
Let us summarize the results of
For the plot - the rating is "excellent".
The sound is beyond praise. Naturally "excellent."
Acting is perfect. That is why it is “excellent.”
The visual of the film - as such there is nothing remarkable here. No special effects, no complicated makeup. But, in fact, all this is not required here. However, it would add a bit of a twist to the film. So the rating is not high - "Good"
This picture is an undoubted classic of its genre, which has not just passed the test of time, but has become a benchmark for other researchers of the presented subgenre. Of course, the film can be criticized for a very simple script - a few quotes from the Bible, the classic three sixes and that's all (modern analogues fool the viewer much more ruthlessly), but it is this simplicity that gives the opportunity to fully plunge into the rich atmosphere of the film. What is happening tightens with the head, keeping the beholder in constant tension, which is only enhanced thanks to competent musical accompaniment.
The only drawback (for me personally) is a completely inconspicuous casting. The boy does not show his demonic essence, especially not his appearance. But again, the atmosphere is so powerful that even this fact does not pay much attention.
The film will be recommended for viewing, this is the case when the viewer is not trying to scare cheap tricks, he himself trembles with tension, because the picture by all means avoids genre “tricks”, making the spectacle more alive.
I wish everyone a pleasant viewing!!
- I feel like a moth flying too close to the fire.
- Who is the moth and who is the fire?
The year 1976. A room.
The world is shaken by ominous signs. It all comes down to the fact that the son of the devil will be born. And now in the family of Ambassador Robert Thorne there is a child Damien. A sweet boy around whom people are dying. And only one priest knows the truth and tries to warn Robert.
The film from the first seconds begins to bring a vague sense of anxiety. After all, the Oscar for Best Original Soundtrack was not for nothing. Then there is the plot around which the plot is built. But it does not answer the many questions that arise in the process of viewing. On the contrary, by the middle of the film, so many questions accumulate that you already begin to cling to the little things, just to solve at least one mystery. And that's where the fun starts. Next, there is no point in writing about the twisting of the storyline, you need to see it yourself.
The actors are all perfect. He did well in his role as Gregory Peck. I liked the little actor who played Damian. I still do not understand how one can combine such an angelic appearance and a devilish spark, from which one takes trembling.
The rest of the film turned out very peculiar. He's not scary. He's not even trying to scare you. But all the screen time of the viewer does not leave the feeling of superstitious horror.
7 out of 10
«If Something Frightening Happens To You Today, Think About It. It May Be «The Omen»»
The first mention of the coming of the Antichrist was found in the Old Testament, that is, long before Jesus Christ came to earth, who sacrificed himself for the benefit of all mankind. Ancient biblical stories, rooted in the distant past, described the Antichrist as a man who resists all things and does his evil deeds in the name of destruction and service to unclean forces. However, with the advent of the New Testament, which describes the deeds of Jesus Christ, the so-called Antichrist acquired completely different features. From now on, he became not just a minion of dark forces, but the center of all evil, the heir to Lucifer. There was no specific reference in the Bible to when the Antichrist should reveal himself to the world, but there are many references in the Holy Scriptures to future omens that can help us locate the offspring of the Devil himself. According to the reports of various scholars, who relied not only on the facts set forth in the Bible, but also on some of the archaeological discoveries and testimonies of Christ’s contemporaries, the coming of the Antichrist will occur some time before the Son of God descends again to his people. The birth of the devil’s heir will be marked by catastrophic upheavals all over the planet, and upon reaching adulthood he will falsely proclaim himself Christ, stupefying the lost flock. And if you believe the revelations of days gone by, the Antichrist will rule on Earth for more than three years, gathering under his banners all the evil that can be found, in order to then go to war against heaven. Humanity has been waiting for the doomsday for a couple of millennia, preparing for the inevitable. Each generation suspects its own special candidate, among whom Napoleon Bonaparte and Adolf Hitler met. But as long as evil has not manifested itself in all its glory, the tension cannot be relieved a priori, because too many misfortunes happen right next to us, as if symbolizing the approach of the end that has wandered beyond the horizon for so long.
In 1968, the brilliant director Roman Polanski directed his famous film Rosemary's Baby, which describes the torment faced by a woman who brings the Antichrist into our world. The story, filled with nightmares and despair, turned out to be so believable and frightening that some viewers actually believed that Polanski somehow learned something mysterious and decided to warn us. A few years later, the equally significant “The Exorcist” by William Friedkin appeared at the box office, strengthening the already hysterical paranoia of the audience, ready to take up knives and daggers to go into the final battle for our souls. But all these films only preceded the release of perhaps the most famous film about the Antichrist in history. We are talking, of course, about “Omena”, the legendary genre work, capable of intimidating and alarming even in our days, when it already seemed that it was simply impossible to hit the audience with something penetrating. Unlike Rosemary’s Child and The Exorcist, Omen was not a book-based project and was a completely original one, which did not prevent it from becoming one of the most iconic works of its time, possessing serious dramatic depth, cultural references and the ability to keep the viewer in constant tension.
The plot of the film introduces us to the promising American diplomat Robert Thorne (Gregory Peck), acting ambassador to Italy. Preparing to become a father, the hero with all his might courtesy of his pregnant wife Catherine (Lee Remick), but despite the best efforts of qualified doctors, the Thornov child dies during childbirth. Not remembering himself with grief, Robert is in desperate feelings, and then a priest comes to his aid, offering to pull off one intriguing adventure that can give failed parents years of honest, genuine happiness. According to the assurances of the dignitary, just during the birth of Catherine there was another phenomenon of the child, but his mother died, and the newborn was left completely unattended. Agreeing to take him to his house under the guise of a half-son, Robert learned that the boy had managed to call Damien and did not dare to change his name. For the general public and his wife, Ambassador Thorne decided not to disclose the details of what happened on this disturbing night, but his action over the years turned into frightening consequences, because the son he took into his own hands, like his own, was far from an ordinary child. Gradually, Damien’s power began to grow, unpredictable events began to occur around him, and the older he became, the more alarmed his parents became, gradually realizing that they had let in neither more nor less, but the Antichrist himself.
Director Richard Donner faced a very difficult task, because he had to repeat, or even multiply the successes of Roman Polansky and William Friedkin, releasing no less worthy work than the tapes of his colleagues that have already become classics. Before the beginning of work on the “Omen” in the filmography of Donner was not particularly memorable projects, and yet the producers were not afraid to trust him, rightly believing that Richard simply did not have a chance to show the public his talent in all its glory. To help the director came screenwriter David Seltzer, who wrote a truly frightening text, which is no less details and revelations than in “The Exorcist” by William Peter Blatty. And with such a powerful dramatic basis, it would be very difficult to spoil the picture, which requires an early release on screens. To the credit of Donner, he treated the Omen with proper attention. Although earlier he shot mostly little-known comedy melodramas, games with the offspring of the Devil revealed the director from a new, previously unseen side. He managed to put on a striking atmospheric spectacle, combining the signs of a cold mind and a hot heart. No film has ever been able to show us the coming of the Antichrist so believably and comprehensively. Donner managed to bring darkness to the production, which is invisible to the eye, but is felt by all brain cells. One gets the impression that the evil forces themselves appeared on the set to show people their real power, all these centuries restrained by the Church.
But despite the fact that the biblical hints and fear of the image of the Antichrist in the “Omen” really a lot, the creators were able to keep the artistic boundaries of the story within the permissible, without slipping into a banal mystical horror, intimidating both the ordinary viewer and the Christian paranoid. The action of the plot is diluted with a healthy detective intrigue, in which Gregory Peck proved himself just wonderfully. It is somewhat difficult to perceive him as a pious father of the family, but when he has the opportunity to reveal all the secrets and start active actions, the actor looks in the frame just great. Peck stood on the edge of the blade, brought by Donner and Zellzer, but in this story there is no single and true morality. It is as if Lucifer himself is whipping around lies, pretenses and doubts. Thus, prepare to step into the darkness and see that the real confrontation between Light and Darkness is far from as glossy and glossy as other entertaining pictures show us.
The film from the very beginning fascinates and creates a mystical mysterious atmosphere.
The theme of religion, the Bible, the role of God and the Anichrist in the modern world are very important here. In the picture, the narrative is given a separate place.
It is truly amazing how dynamic the plot of the film takes a terrifying turn.
The roles of the clergy in the film are performed ingeniously and inimitably.
Each character of the picture is thought out to the smallest detail and unique in its own way.
Events are shown plausibly, clearly and interestingly.
The film has everything to fully correspond to its genre: a cemetery, black dogs, seven ritual daggers for murder, a woman - the messenger of hell.
The creators of the film were able to create a consistent, well-thought-out, interesting plot that keeps in suspense until the very end and moreover -- requires continuation!
Especially remembered the angelic face of a boy with a satanic essence and a nanny who protects his life.
As a result: the film Omen made wonderful, the film crew worked to fame, creating a really high-quality picture, one of the best in its genre.
10 out of 10
“He who has a mind counts the Despicable Beast that bears death. The number c and nbsp always coincides. Six hundred it, six dozen and six. — Psalm Twelfth, verse six
There is reason to believe that the managers of 20th Century Fox did not believe in the success of the mystical horror film Omen. In the 60-70s, the public preferred dramas, comedies, less often - detectives and action films about police officers and in this series there was no place for the mystic genre. Released in 1973, “The Exorcist” was rather considered a successful exception to the rule. But the appearance of such an influential figure as Bruce Lee clearly demonstrated that the viewer was tired of archaic in choosing the specifics of the genre and demanded “bread and circuses”. On the horizon, the silhouette of innovations being introduced, the change of generations and the variability of genres and styles in Hollywood cinema appeared clearly. This affected the participants of the filming processes themselves - from the director to the messenger, it was necessary to shake up the ossified foundations and start a new era in the art of cinema.
One of these expected leaders of the “new era” was the director Richard Donner. It was with his submission that the basic principles in the formation of new subgenres were developed. In 1978, Donner released "Superman", which became a classic and forerunner of the subgenre "kinocomics". In 1987, Donner launched the Buddy Movie subgenre, filming the first part of the Lethal Weapon tetralogy. But before this jolting force stormed into the big movie Donner was the mystical horror film “Omen”, which was released in 1976. Prior to that time, the director gained experience in television (for example, he worked with such series as “Agents A. N. K. L.” and “Strains of the Gyres”, in our time received full-length remakes) and had almost no experience with feature films. The lack of experience in this field suggests that 20th Century Fox did not expect much success and the studio allocated only $ 2.8 million for production. But then she did not even suspect that this financial infusion was going exactly into the future classics of cinema.
Gregory Peck was chosen for the main role of American diplomat in Europe and future US Ambassador to the UK Robert Thorne. By that time, the 60-year-old actor’s career was on the decline. Before Omen, his last notable work was the western McKenna Gold, which came out 7 years before Omen. During this period, the actor had 5 more films, but all of them were deprived of audience attention. Here’s another reason to question 20th Century Fox’s belief in the power of Omen. But Gregory Peck showed his brilliant talent. His hero is an intelligent, disciplined man who knows how to carefully weigh everything, one can say that he is rational. At the very beginning, he commits an act that can speak about his character: his firstborn dies after childbirth and the diplomat is unable to tell about this wife, they waited too long for the child to appear and the message of his death can be extremely detrimental to his beloved. And fate presents Robert Thorne with an orphan child, whose mother died after childbirth, and he was born exactly at the same time as the deceased child of a diplomat.
Robert Thorne swore to keep this secret forever, he forced himself to forget about this incident and enjoy life with his beloved wife and son, who was named Damian. And for a while, things were going well, but then Damian began to show strange personality traits, like having a panic attack while being taken to church. All this slowly began to alarm Robert Thorne, and his wife began to fear the child, whom she considered her own. For Gregory Peck, or rather for his hero, was really scary. After a string of strange deaths of those around Damian in one way or another, it becomes clear that Robert Thorne is next. Here Peck shows his hero in another plane: despair and fear turned him into a determined man. Unfortunately, the high-level role in "Omena" will be Gregory Peck's last work to be discussed. And no Liv Schreiber, who played Robert Thorne in the remake of Omen in 2006, can replace the brilliant actor of the middle of the last century.
When honoring all the merits of Gregory Peck in “Omena”, you can not ignore other actors. It is impossible not to believe the frightened Lee Remick, who played the wife of Robert Thorne. It was understandable why she had gone from a flowering woman to a hysterical one, as if she felt that the darkness emanating from Damian was consuming her. Billy Whitelaw played Mrs. Bailey, Damian’s new nanny, instead of the one who hanged herself in front of the crowd, including many children, saying, “I love you, Damian!” And I'll tell you, she wasn't any nicer than Damon. Sister Ratchet from Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest compared to Mrs. Baylock is a kind and fluffy missionary from the Red Cross. Spooky was the hero of David Warner, a photographer named Jennings, who examined the mysterious and sinister symbols in the footage of those people who died. And, of course, Harvey Stevens, the performer of the role of Damian, will not leave anyone indifferent, and his mocking look at the end of “Omena” generally leaves a memory for many years.
But not only the actors can boast of "Omen". Richard Donner managed to create such an eerie atmosphere, from which goosebumps run on the skin, and there are still not so many analogues of such an atmosphere in the cinema. This eternal fog, this grayness, these frightening sounds - the rottweiler growl, the creaking of children's swings and bicycle pedals, meaningful symbols and strange deaths that even the creators of "Destination" can envy, all this together turned "Omen" into a classic of the genre. Despite the fact that the picture was released in the 70s of the last century, I can not recommend it to an impressionable viewer. Anyone else should see this picture.
In the genre of each genre of the film there are several representatives from the category of classics, establishing their own orders over the years and cited until now. For example, the classic of the thriller genre was the whole work of Alfred Hitchcock, from his most initial works to the most revered ("Psycho, Vertigo, Window to the Backyard, Strangers on the Train). As for cult works of the horror genre, there are a lot of representatives in different directions: this is the direction of slashers (thank you Mr. Wes Craven) and movies about monsters (vampires, werewolves, etc.). At the turn of the 1970s – 1980s, a lot of cult works were released, including “The Exorcist”, “Jaws”, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, “Carrie”, but on an equal with them you can build another heartbreaking story – “Omen”, filmed by Richard Donner in 1976, which also contributed to the progression of the genre.
He was born on the sixth and sixth month. Exactly in the early six hours of the morning. Deciding not to tell his wife the truth that their baby died in childbirth, American diplomat Robert Thorne, although he hesitates, eventually agrees to accept another newborn child born at the same time. Then Robert did not attach importance to the parents of the newborn (the mother, according to the priest, simply died in childbirth). The baby was named Damien. Seeing a smile on his wife’s face, the diplomat completely forgets about everything. As time passes, the boy grows fast, and one day, on his birthday, something terrible happens - Damien's nanny makes an incomprehensible speech and hangs herself in front of everyone. Considering what happened a mere accident, Robert still begins to come to the idea that all murders do not happen by chance, and that perhaps the main source of death is Damien.
The film was directed by Richard Donner, for whom “Omen” became the first big project in his career and the only representative of horror films (further Donner is waiting for four parts of “Lethal Weapon”, “Maverick”, “Conspiracy Theory”). For such a difficult work, even with a budget of $ 2.8 million, Richard approached what is called at the time: the film looks natural, gloomy, truly original and intimidating. What is only the scene with the priest or the ending, even more pulling the viewer into the quagmire of horror and fear to the most goosebumps? A huge plus of the film is that it is not linear, not as banal as it is customary to do today (there are not a large percentage of exceptions). Of course, many "experts", having looked at modern paintings on such a topic, may dare to state the following: The film is too boring and not scary at all. Do not listen to this nonsense, as every minute of Donner's tape immerses in what is happening in this amazing story. The director, along with screenwriter David Zellzer, makes no compromises, they work for a full atmosphere without missing important details. For the writer, the work on creativity was also not entirely easy – David never wrote this, and the only big project was the script for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. However, during the viewing, it seems that the screenwriter is a hardened professional of horror: the idea itself surprises (the child is the Antichrist), the plot itself, its development was not let down, because they are filled with unpredictable moments, including historical aspetes, the characters are written brightly, as if they were written off from living prototypes. The script for the original is just a semi-open book of the whole story about the formation of Damian, the formation of his story. Therefore, the boy here will not be as much as many would like. Still ahead. A great, visible script that David Seltzer should be proud of, and aspiring writers should learn letter by letter in writing it. In the right design, the operator Gilbert Taylor works, shooting the film slowly, carefully, giving the picture gloomy colors and the effect of an increasing atmosphere. Taylor doesn't reveal the cards, you just don't know what to expect. A significant contribution to that very frightening atmosphere was made by none other than the composer Jerry Goldsmith, known for the soundtracks to the two parts of Poltergeist, the second Psycho and Remember Everything. The music is mostly gloomy, gives the desired tension (the main guarantee of the success of the whole film). The composer was not even afraid to write to some compositions, as to "Ave Satani", to give church singing. Combining this track with the ending of the tape, we get a magnificent state of real horror, which conveys the last shots before the screen goes out. The music in “Omena” clearly resembles breathing, sometimes growing, raising the atmosphere, then slightly lowering it, so that people would not have enough heart attack (this is not a joke, many people fainted during the viewing). And although Geri Goldsmith has more than two hundred films for which he wrote music, the compositions for this tape can be called his best work (as the Oscar for this work does not confirm).
There are no complaints about the cast. Gregory Peck’s bright, expressive play stands out among all the stars playing in the project. Peck has become so excited about the game that one can even wonder if he is improvising or not. Indeed, a very natural image of Richard Thorne, first noticing coincidences, and then starting a real investigation. Peck, among other things, plays very emotionally towards his on-screen wife, Lee Remick. In the picture, they seem like a real family. Damian played Harvey Stevens. He played quite convincingly for his six years. A little betrays his character Billy Whitelaw, not only his mysterious game, but all his appearance, from the very first seconds of appearance. Good cast and great, standout performance by Gregory Peck!
Richard Donner's film boasts many prestigious awards (it's not every day that a horror film is nominated for an Oscar or a Golden Globe): in 1977, Omen received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor-Debutant, followed by Best Supporting Actress - all by. Later, another nomination from Saturn (" Golden Whistle - Best Horror Film). But as many as two nominations for "Oscar" - "Best Song" and "Best Original Soundtrack" - one of them is victorious (for the well-deserved Goldsmith soundtrack).
Total:
“Omen” is a great, high-quality directing, a magnificent, original script, neat and atmospheric camera work, taking the soul of Jerry Goldsmith’s compositions and the natural play of the cast. This is a classic of horror films and a rare representative of a real atmosphere of fear. Now this is eaten and removed, then once in a couple of years, no more. The film is fully justified, and the subsequent series will be less convincing, but will be able to tell the whole story to the end. I would like to recommend to fans of both horror classics, and just fans of classics, fans of the director or cast and all fans of the gloomy atmosphere.
Thank you for your attention and pleasant viewing!
The year 1976. A room.
- I feel like a moth flying too close to the fire.
- Who is the moth and who is the fire?
The world is shaken by ominous signs. It all comes down to the fact that the son of the devil will be born. And now in the family of Ambassador Robert Thorne there is a child Damien. A sweet boy around whom people are dying. And only one priest knows the truth and tries to warn Robert.
The film from the first seconds begins to bring a vague sense of anxiety. Still, the Oscar for Best Original Soundtrack was not for nothing. Then there is the plot around which the plot is built. But it does not answer the many questions that arise in the process of viewing. On the contrary, by the middle of the film, so many questions accumulate that you already begin to cling to the little things, just to solve at least one mystery. And that's where the fun starts. Next, there is no point in writing about the twisting of the storyline, you need to see it yourself.
The actors are all perfect. He did well in his role as Gregory Peck. I liked the little actor who played Damian. I still do not understand how one can combine such an angelic appearance and a devilish spark, from which one takes trembling.
The rest of the film turned out very peculiar. He's not scary. He's not even trying to scare you. But all the screen time of the viewer does not leave the feeling of superstitious horror.
7 out of 10
Lacrimosa dies illa qua resurget ex favilla judicandus homo reus
The horror genre is not going through the best of times. If the pillars of the genre had a well-calibrated style and impeccable aesthetics, and the theme necessarily concerned some mysteries of the world, then in recent years we have seen mostly pathetic parodies and an attempt to copy certain aspects of the prototype.
We won’t see any special effects here, like in Alien or Something. Of course there are no monsters. As in reality, the monsters in this film are human. Of course, the film ruthlessly speculates on religious themes, but this is the case when the authors managed to surpass themselves and at the archetypal level seized the subconscious fear that lies at the heart of Christianity.
The film has a unique apocalyptic atmosphere. This is achieved by the crazy, innovative techniques of the operator, the incredible aesthetics of the scenes, and, most importantly, the amazing music about which so much has been said. Chilling, full of dissonance and devilish spells, these compositions literally make this picture. It is thanks to the music in the film managed such a unique atmosphere of occultism, and similar motifs are used in various works of the genre so far.
Very impressive is the use of weather. In a way, she is one of the actors. The dim light, the hurricane wind, the pile of leaves - I imagine what the audience of those times experienced, for whom it was a novelty.
I also want to mention the main character. This is a truly intelligent man, not the stereotypical skeptic-rationalist of most mystery films who believes in nothing until the demons claw at him. He is moderately skeptical, but does not ignore frightening facts.
Of course, there is a lot of absurdity in the film, without which it was impossible to do when modeling this situation. For example, special services clearly deal with the problems of persons of this level. And they do not ignore the facts even more, and they have no less analytical abilities than the photographer. Also, for example, it was strange that only one priest tried to help the hero, and not the whole Church, which has enough power.
There are many impressive scenes in the film, but I especially liked the moment where Damien gets hysterical at the sight of the temple. How the boy managed to play such a deep scene so perfectly remains a mystery to me. After all, even if they tried to explain to him who he really represents, and what his character should remember and feel at the sight of the church, the child would hardly be able to understand it completely.
Biblical prophecies can be interpreted in different ways, but I think it is absolutely obvious that if the world ends, it will be born of the ever-running ocean of powerful politics. Of course, the film is highly appreciated. One of the best horror and religious horror at the moment. Amen.
Omen is a cult of its time! Those days when I studied in the fourth class (1995, 1996) were remembered by people of my generation with excellent films and, most importantly, an incorruptible sincere unambiguous perception. "Omen" is one of them.
But after watching three movies about a boy, a teenager and an adult in those years, I almost forgot them. I remember how scary it was! But somewhere at the beginning of the zero thousandth I read a book. And already on it I remember the plot of “Omena”... We’ve had a family change of course.
And yes, the story of the film coincides with the story of the book. However, the picture of Richard Donner this time seemed to me ... well, if not prolonged, then long-playing. I mean, I kind of waited for more mysticism, and I was able to watch a series of quests, like in Indiana Jones. This is obviously a rough comparison.
Mysticism is, was and will be. And she didn't go anywhere. The boy Damien just bribes and falls in love with himself. In general, I used to be wildly interested in films and books, so that the devil appeared there. That’s what I was like...
Damien is like the son of Satan. Begins the trilogy (for me, these films are three and no more) with how Damien has a negative impact on others. There, the nanny hanged herself at his birthday party with the words: "Damien, this is for you!" The dog, again, is a Rottweiler. A new babysitter who even Damien knows who... What a solution.
That's all I wanted to say about the first part. It was just then that I was avidly swallowing every scene, every frame, and twenty years later (this past weekend from today) I was more likely to want juicy moments. Hurry up. But this is not a reason for me to somehow think about reducing the assessment.
I remember the second part was the coolest. We need to review it quickly...
This picture appeared in 1976, directed by Richard Donner. Looking at the genre of this movie - a horror film, I doubted whether to watch (not a fan of this), but still decided.
And for good reason, I will tell you.
The film tells the story of the Thorn family, American diplomat Robert Thorne, his wife Catherine and their young son Damien. Katherine does not know that their son dies only when he is born, and Robert adopts a boy whose mother died in childbirth.
5 years later, strange things begin to happen around Damien, and his father and photographer Keith Jennings will have to figure out the cause. . .
The atmosphere of the film is very dark and mysterious, every minute is literally saturated with mysticism and mystery. The plot drags on from the first minutes. And although I did not see the horrors directly, the film still turned out to be creepy and holding in suspense until the last seconds.
In separate words, it is also worth noting the Sanudtrack. Always to the place, it is at sinister and chilling moments.
Actors play well, emotions over the edge. The angelic face of Harvey Stevenson (Damien Thorne) makes a child believe in innocence, but everything is not so simple. . .
Born at six o'clock on the sixth day of the sixth month and marked by a diabolical birthmark, a sweet baby puppy, whose birth is shrouded in the thick darkness of mystery, is adopted by the American ambassador to Rome Robert Thorne, whose wife is in severe depression, the cause of which was the sudden death of the firstborn. But pretty soon, the joy of the appearance of the long-awaited child is overshadowed by a chain of strange and simply inexplicable events, and the main culprit of the increasingly growing nightmare becomes Damien (namely, the happy Thorne of his adopted one), who hardly likes Sesame Street every year of growing up, but the bloody meat grinder of evening news for him is like a balm for his not the most innocent childish soul. The child of the devil came into this world to destroy it and cast it into Hell itself.
The 70s of the twentieth century in the United States and not only were marked by a whole galaxy of bright, extraordinary, truly shocking and in many ways significant events that significantly influenced the further course of the entire historical process, up to the present. The pacifism of the “children of flowers” gradually disappeared with the marijuana clouds over Woodstock and it was replaced again by militarization and militarism, rattling with nuclear gonads and new conflicts, dirty hippies turned into glamorous hipsters, believing in God and the Devil again became fashionable, and the screens of cinemas, already liberated by emancipated exercises of the 60s, flooded the films with unprecedented generosity with grititude. However, in most of the films released since the beginning of the rampant 70s, both purely authorial and shamelessly pop, there was, sometimes very deliberately, a response to the then socio-political situation, and the most vividly this acute critical tonality manifested itself in genres that never belonged to the category of high, but were previously considered low and primitive – thrillers and horror films.
In fact, one of these films was the famous mystical horror "Omen", released in 1976, almost instantly paid off at the box office and spawned a lot of sequels and imitations, as well as, surprisingly, awarded the American Academy Award, albeit in the not most prestigious category - for the best soundtrack, pretty soon, as well as the film itself, which acquired a cult and recognizable status. Along with “Rosemary’s Child” by Polanski and “The Exorcist” by Friedkin, “Omen” set an essentially unshakable and unshakable standard in the stories about evil demonic children, but at the same time Richard Donner’s film entered into a certain unspoken controversy with these two tapes, because the Devil’s Child appears not in the usual and averaged to stereotyped and lacquered American family, but in the family of a diplomat, bourgeois, high-class and conservative, a family that represents the main principle of living and living. The modest charm of the American bourgeoisie begins to be subjected to internal destruction with the appearance in the life of the Thorns of Damien, who exterminates not everyone in a row, but selectively, etching out from the life of the ambassadorial couple everything that kept them within the framework, exposing the true nature of the antagonists, who are themselves guilty of letting into their emasculated world a monstrous Evil, because they themselves have repeatedly generated it. Boomerang returned to those who threw him at the rest.
Damien brought with him the element of freedom under black flags of quiet death and bloody violence. Meanwhile, the film is also interesting with the theme of the growing conflict between fathers and children, because as Damien grows older, he becomes more uncontrollable, it can no longer be stopped, because the liberality of upbringing has clashed with libertination, and the gap between generations is growing more and more, dragging everyone around the Thorne. The religious expediency of the film is questioned in view of the final triumph of infernal forces permeated with the spirit of Anton Shandor LaVey to the accompaniment of the tragic choirs of Jerry Goldsmith. Is it not because the film is devoid of such pathetic happy ending and Hollywood white-toothed grins, the shooting of it was accompanied by a number of troubles and misfortunes? However, warnings from above did not help and the child Thornov unimpeded entered the minds of millions of viewers, becoming for especially sensitive people the effect of a multiple heart attack (although this is probably just a powerful marketing move).
From the point of view of horror and mysticism as such, “Omen” to this day is able to attract and captivate the audience’s attention. What has long become factual cliches and cliches, in “Omena” thanks to the whole and verified in tone of directing still gives the impression of freshness and effectiveness, style and a magnificently created creepy atmosphere. The film is intense, intriguing, and most importantly unpredictable and scary. However, the fear in the picture is not built on juicy mountain streams, although all the murders in it are very entertaining; not on the promiscuity of extreme violence, not on everything instinctively base and aberrantly deviant. No, gentlemen of film lovers, the fear in the film is of a completely different kind: deep, subconscious, rising to the level of high art and intuitive perception. Fear of your own child, with whom something is wrong, something is not right.
Diplomat Robert and his wife Catherine gave birth to an angel-like child, calling him Damian. Damian grew up completely healthy, never having been sick in his life, but with age, some changes begin to occur - seeing him, the animals ran away in horror or aggressively attacked, and Robert and Catherine would prefer to forget about the first trip to church together with a child. Something is clearly wrong with Damian, and Robert tries to find out all the circumstances of his difficult decision made five years ago in the maternity hospital.
"Omen" is a very peculiar film. Throughout the picture, we are assured that the devil himself hides behind the angelic mask, delivering crushing blows to anyone who tries to get in his way. In fact, he is the main character in whose honor the film is named. However, on closer inspection, the main character is impersonal. We will never know what thoughts are swarming in his head, nor will we see the manifestation of his “physical or other” power, nor will we hear profound statements for a five-year-old child.
Instead, virtually all of the murders in the film are committed by a governess and Rottweiler, rocked and ready to attack, as well as fishing for extraterrestrial forces. As for Damian, he looks innocent, under the influence of an evil human face. It seems that we saw only one side of Damian - the one that Robert saw in his son - and not the otherworldly one - bound to manifest logically when the mask is removed.
However, this is not the director’s fault, since the original novel, written by the writer and the screenwriter of the film, contains exactly the same errors. However, the film cannot be blamed for the lack of professionalism in working with the material, watching the film is a pleasure.
" - It's not a human child. Do not be under any illusions. (c)
Today, there is a shortage of high-quality action films. A series of weak unsuccessful rebuts Once successful tapes pretty much everyone is already tired. In this regard, I want to recall the wrong remake, or the new film adaptation of the famous mystical horror film by David Zellzer “The Omen”, carried out in 2006 by the talentless director John Moore. I was one of the few who accepted this picture, and even admitted that if it is inferior in suspense to the original, it is not much. And some of the acting work is the same, except that Liv Schreiber weak competition Gregory Peck. But overall it was a successful, high-quality production. Moore's best film and one of the best remakes of classic paintings. But we will not talk about him, but about the film by Richard Donner - one of the founders of the whole trend in the genre. It was the first “Omen” that marked the beginning of the history of films about demonic children. Today, he tried every possible shape, and actually began to stoop. But in the mid-70s it was something unusual, and pretty frightening and even shocked the audience. Proof of this incredible commercial collections of thrillers Donner and Friedkin. But if "The Exorcist" frightened the viewer in the open, then "Omen" gradually whipped up sticky, immobilizing fear, being a more skillful work. In this regard, even the remake of Moore, which received a flattering response from me, is noticeably inferior to the original in terms of atmosphere. In the old film, it is darker, and much more sinister. And the vintage style of cinema of the 70s gives a special flavor. Despite a small number of frightening scenes and a slow narrative, the two-hour picture captures in its eerie plot. Surely the film was lucky that it was written by the author of the original literary source. Who has cleverly shortened his own work, adapting it for the screen. The director of the picture was, at that time, a little-known young director, who later became one of the Hollywood heavyweights. Richard Donner worked with different genres: made a comic book adaptation, shot a parody western, police action films and children's comedies. In this case, he perfectly demonstrated that he can stage thrillers. It is a pity that in the future he did not return to this genre.
I have always believed that the most important (except for the script basis) in creating a “horror” is the intelligent camera work, and the soundtrack is taken for granted. After all, the musical accompaniment is remembered sometimes not worse than the visual series of the picture (and can live perfectly in isolation from it). It's done very well here. Gilbert Taylor’s remarkable camera work makes watching the film interesting, even in quiet episodes when the characters are busy with simple family and household affairs. In important scenes, when there is another manifestation of supernatural forces, the operator finds interesting angles of shooting, sharpens the viewer’s attention at some point (such as the eyes of this demonic dog and Damien’s nanny, who seem to communicate with each other through hypnosis). Many interesting finds, for example, the scene of the fall of the heroine Lee Remi through a pearl, or an incredibly high-quality episode of the terrible death of the unfortunate photographer... And the melodies written for the painting by maestro Jerry Goldsmith - and it is impossible to overestimate! The main part of the "devil" is not conceivable without these compositions. The sinister songs are like church chants, some of which are sung by children are really scary. I also want to note the artist’s work – ideal combinations, at first glance, redundant black with any interior: it does not matter whether the ambassador’s residence, whether it is a mansion, the streets of the city or the cemetery. I also liked the picture on the opening credits of the film, which depicts a boy standing upright casting a shadow in the form of an inverted cross. In general, the film looks flawless both from the visual side and with acting. Busy artists are mainly the background for the emotional anguish of the hero Gregory Peck. But the background is very good. The role of his wife is played by a pretty, much younger blonde Lee Remick. She in the plot closer to the middle of the film is in the hospital, so they show her not as often as Peck, and to reveal this image as it should not be allowed. While Donner may have feared that he would pay more attention to his terrified mother, viewers will consider it an outspoken imitation of Roman Polanski, with his "Rosemary's Baby," whose main character at some point in her pregnancy begins to seem to be carrying the Antichrist in her womb. And since the image of a nervous mother was recreated on the screen, Donner probably decided to demonstrate in a similar role of a man - the man who believes that his adopted five-year-old son is the offspring of the Devil. He played, by the way, little Harvin Stevens, surprisingly strong for such a young age. His little devil is a kind of ever-angry beech who laughs extremely rarely, and when he does, goosebumps run over the skin. Remember at least his final smile at the funeral of his adoptive father, when he stands among the couple of the President of the United States – one of the most powerful people in the world. Immediately emerges an excerpt from an ancient prophecy, which says that the Antichrist will appear in our world from the ever restless sea, which the interpreters of the scriptures called politics.
I think it is unnecessary to discuss the plot, even those who have not read the original book of Zellzer and have not seen the classic Donner film, probably saw their modern version in the form of a remake of Moore (the release of which in the sixth year, the sixth month of the sixth, at one time made a lot of noise). And if not, then they will watch the picture will be doubly interesting: this was the case during my childhood, when we sat down to watch a picture on TV, the existence of which was learned as a rule only a few days before the show, and knew about it only what we could see in the commercial. Now those days when there was no widely available Internet seem like a wild anachronism. But if you think about it, they still had their charm. Cinema then was something that everyone could wait almost a week, and then discuss with the guys seen the day before the picture, shares his impressions and analyze the details he liked. I did not quite understand the reason for the absence of happy ending in this film (the sequels of the tape I did not know at that time). But the “bad” end stuck in the soul, not allowing the picture to get lost in the vastness of my memory. Revisiting "Omen" at a more mature age, I understood why the finale is like this. You have to be strict - evil does not sleep. The struggle between good and evil is eternal, with varying success. You always have to think about the future and understand people. Especially those who have access to power. And as one of my favorite filmmakers says, beware of those who crave it.
On June 6 at 6 a.m., the wife (Remick) of a prominent American politician Robert Thorne (Pek) gave birth to a dead child. While Katherine was unconscious, Thorne agreed to be replaced by a local Roman priest, Spiletto (Benson). Instead of the deceased son, Thorne took a child whose mother died during childbirth and no relatives remained. Five years later, young Damien Thorne (Stevens) finds himself at the center of mysterious, diabolical events. Gradually, Robert Thorne realizes that Damien is not an ordinary child.
The film “Omen” owes its appearance primarily to the writer, producer and director David Seltzer. It was he who in 1976 wrote both the script for the film and the story, which told about the coming of the Antichrist. The book appeared on the shelves two weeks before the premiere of the film and clearly stoked the interest of viewers, whose activity subsequently recouped the cost of production by almost 20 times.
Of course, this was not the first horror film on occult-religious themes. Almost 8 years have passed since the premiere of Roman Polanski’s “Rosemary’s Baby”, and just three years before “Omen”, an incredible box office showed “The Exorcist”. There were other lesser-known films, such as Robert Altman’s Visions or Nicholas Roeg’s Now Don’t Look. In short, the innovators of the genre David Seltzer and Richard Donner did not become. But the painting “Omen” from this, of course, does not get worse. For me personally, this is the best film in the religious-satanic current of the genre of “horror film”. I will try to explain why.
Most of all, I appreciate the plot in the films and “Omen” in this regard did not disappoint me. Events develop at a smooth, smooth pace, each next scene follows from the previous one, all the ends are logically connected, all the dramatic canons are observed: a bright, touching set, a dense, “meaty” filling, an impressive, rapid denouement. The second thing you should pay attention to in “Omen” is the ingeniously created atmosphere of mystical horror. Everything goes in, but first of all, it's Jerry Goldsmith's music. It turned out to be so scary that, for example, my wife Nastya usually escapes from watching a movie in the opening credits. That is why Goldsmith, 17 (!) times included in the list of nominees for the Academy Award, received the coveted statuette only once – for the divine (sorry for the pun) soundtrack to the film “Omen”.
Although I understand that I am going according to the standard model for film reviews, but I can not praise the cast of the film in this place. With one unfortunate exception, all the actors involved in the film played perfectly. A strong role was obtained by Gregory Peck, David Warner perfectly on the halftones between fear and excitement played a photographer stuck in this case, the brilliant image of a vehemently repentant priest was created by Patrick Troton, the nurse performed by Billy Whitelaw looked most demonic, showed herself perfectly in her only scene Holly Palance and, of course, Harvey Stevens was simply inimitable as a young, five-year-old Damien. This is a satanic and childish smile. The only one who didn't like it at all was Lee Remick - I didn't like her Catherine Thorne at all.
Before the maximum score, I lacked a very small thing - some special personal impression, at the biological level of perception. But anyway, Omen is definitely one of the best psychological thrillers in half with a horror movie I’ve seen. Classic genre. I would definitely recommend it to everyone.
Born at six o'clock on the sixth day of the sixth month and marked by a diabolical birthmark, a sweet baby puppy, whose birth is shrouded in the thick darkness of mystery, is adopted by the American ambassador to Rome Robert Thorne, whose wife is in severe depression, the cause of which was the sudden death of the firstborn. But pretty soon, the joy of the appearance of the long-awaited child is overshadowed by a chain of strange and simply inexplicable events, and the main culprit of the increasingly growing nightmare becomes Damien (and this is how the happy Thorne of his adopted), who hardly likes Sesame Street every year of growing up, but the bloody meat grinder of evening news for him is like a balm for his not the most innocent childish soul. The child of the Devil came into this world to finally destroy it and cast it into Danta Hell.
The 70s of the twentieth century in the United States and not only were marked by a whole galaxy of bright, extraordinary, truly shocking and in many ways significant events that significantly influenced the further course of the entire historical process, up to the present. The pacifism of the “children of flowers” gradually disappeared with the Marijuana clouds over Woodstock and was again replaced by militarization and militarism, rattling with nuclear gonads and new conflicts, dirty hippies were transformed into glamorous hipsters, believe in God and in hell again became fashionable, and the screens of cinemas, already liberated by emancipated exercis of the 60s, filled with films with unprecedented generosity. However, in most of the films released since the beginning of the rampant 70s, both purely authorial and shamelessly pop, there was, sometimes very deliberately, a response to the then socio-political situation, and the most vividly this acute critical tonality manifested itself in genres that never belonged to the category of high, but were previously considered low and primitive – thrillers and horror films.
In fact, one of these films was the famous mystical horror "Omen", released in 1976, almost instantly paid off at the box office and spawned a lot of sequels and imitations, as well as, surprisingly, awarded by the American Film Academy, albeit in the not most prestigious category - for the best soundtrack, pretty soon, as the film itself, which acquired a cult and recognizable status.
Along with “Rosemary’s Child” by Polanski and “The Exorcist” by Friedkin, “Omen” set an essentially unshakable and unshakable standard in the stories about evil demonic children, but at the same time Richard Donner’s film entered into a certain unspoken controversy with these two tapes, because the Devil’s Child appears not in the usual and averaged to stereotyped and lacquered American family, but in the family of a diplomat, bourgeois, high-class and conservative, a family that represents the main principle of living and living. The modest charm of the American bourgeoisie begins to be subjected to internal destruction with the appearance in the life of the Thorns of Damien, who exterminates not everyone in a row, but selectively, etching out from the life of the ambassadorial couple everything that kept them within the framework, exposing the true nature of the antagonists, who are themselves guilty of letting into their emasculated world a monstrous Evil, because they themselves have repeatedly generated it. Boomerang has returned to those who threw it at others.
Damien brought with him the element of freedom under black flags of quiet death and bloody violence. Meanwhile, the film is also interesting with the theme of the growing conflict between fathers and children, because as Damien grows older, he becomes more and more uncontrollable, it can no longer be stopped, because the liberality of education has clashed with libertinage, and the gap between generations is growing more and more, dragging everyone around the Thorns there.
The religious expediency of the film is questioned in view of the final triumph of infernal forces permeated with the spirit of Anton Shandor LaVey to the accompaniment of the tragic choirs of Jerry Goldsmith. Is it not because the film is devoid of such pathetic happy ending and Hollywood white-toothed grins, the shooting of it was accompanied by a number of troubles and misfortunes? However, warnings from above did not help and the child Thornov unimpeded entered the minds of millions of viewers, becoming for especially sensitive people the effect of a multiple heart attack (although this is probably just a powerful marketing move).
From the point of view of horror and mysticism as such, “Omen” to this day is able to attract and captivate the audience’s attention. What has long become factual cliches and cliches, in “Omena” thanks to the whole and verified in tone of directing still gives the impression of freshness and effectiveness, style and a magnificently created creepy atmosphere. The film is intense, intriguing, and most importantly unpredictable and scary. However, the fear in the picture is not built on juicy mountain streams, although all the murders in it are very entertaining; not on the promiscuity of extreme violence, not on everything instinctively base and aberrantly deviant. No, gentlemen of film lovers, the fear in the film is of a completely different kind: deep, subconscious, rising to the level of high art and intuitive perception. Fear of your own child, with whom something is wrong, something is completely wrong.
10 out of 10