Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck): If there were anything wrong, you'd tell me, wouldn't you?
Kathy Thorn (Lee Remick): Wrong? What could be wrong with our child, Robert? We're beautiful people, aren't we?
Showing posts with label the omen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the omen. Show all posts
Monday, October 15, 2018
favorite movie #75 - halloween edition: the omen
Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #75 - The Omen (1976) - Evil kids are a horror staple, and The Omen is one of the best. Ambassador Thorn (Gregory Peck) doesn't tell his wife that an orphan infant has been substituted in hospital for their reportedly deceased child. Big mistake. As their little Damien (Harvey Spencer Stephens) grows, both parents become aware that things around the child aren't exactly right — a nanny hangs herself, the new nanny (Billie Whitelaw) is super-creepy, and animals are as frightened of the kid as Damien seems to be about entering a church. Probably responsible for the widespread knowledge of the dark significance of numbers 666, The Omen mixed eerie suspense with the Hollywood star power of Peck for a really great movie. David Warner is engaging as the unfortunate photographer who tries to help Thorn unravel the true origins of Damien's birth.
Monday, October 08, 2018
favorite movie #67 - halloween edition: eye of the devil
Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #67 - Eye of the Devil (1966) - I just saw this recently, and it's a perfect film for the Halloween season. A precursor to The Wicker Man, The Omen, and maybe even Eyes Wide Shut, Eye of the Devil is an occult film that deals with witchcraft and the ancient rites of human sacrifice that have appeared through all mythologies and religions. Fans of Joseph Campbell, Robert Graves, and The Golden Bough will recognize the familiar theme of sacrifice when the Marquis, Philippe de Montfaucon (David Niven) is called back to his ancestral home to save the vineyards that all of the inhabitants of Bellenac depend on for their survival. Much to his dismay, his wife Catherine (Deborah Kerr) decides to join him in the country with their two young children, Jacques and Antoinette. Catherine notices immediately that something is up with Philippe. She is also disturbed by two young locals, siblings Odile and Christian de Caray (Sharon Tate and David Hemmings), who are always hanging around the chateau and being generally creepy.
The black and white cinematography by Erwin Hillier is gorgeous. The Château de Hautefort in Dordogne, France is well utilized as the film's location — both interiors and exteriors are filmed beautifully and add to the overall sinister atmosphere of the film. Kim Novak was originally supposed to play Catherine, but she was injured while on horseback and had to withdraw from the film. She was replaced with Deborah Kerr, who does a great job unraveling as she watches her husband embark on (to her) an inexplicable quest to save the vineyard. Kerr is closer in age to Niven, but Novak might have been interesting, as she would have been closer in age to Tate (in her first film appearance), which might have put their rivalry on a more equal footing. David Hemmings is menacing (and gorgeous) as Tate's blonde archer brother.
It was interesting to see Kerr's character spend most of the movie concerned for her husband and his fate, but mostly oblivious to the threat a dynastic tradition of sacrifice equalling successful harvest might hold for her son. Ten years later in The Omen the child would become the focus of evil in a film.
The black and white cinematography by Erwin Hillier is gorgeous. The Château de Hautefort in Dordogne, France is well utilized as the film's location — both interiors and exteriors are filmed beautifully and add to the overall sinister atmosphere of the film. Kim Novak was originally supposed to play Catherine, but she was injured while on horseback and had to withdraw from the film. She was replaced with Deborah Kerr, who does a great job unraveling as she watches her husband embark on (to her) an inexplicable quest to save the vineyard. Kerr is closer in age to Niven, but Novak might have been interesting, as she would have been closer in age to Tate (in her first film appearance), which might have put their rivalry on a more equal footing. David Hemmings is menacing (and gorgeous) as Tate's blonde archer brother.
It was interesting to see Kerr's character spend most of the movie concerned for her husband and his fate, but mostly oblivious to the threat a dynastic tradition of sacrifice equalling successful harvest might hold for her son. Ten years later in The Omen the child would become the focus of evil in a film.
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| Odile is always hanging around the chateau |
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| The locals are happy to see the Marquis back in town |
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| Those de Caray kids sure wear a lot of black |
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| David Hemmings never looked dreamier |
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| Odile with Damien, errr ... Jacques |
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| Be careful who you meet in the woods |
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| Philippe is just tired and wants to get on with it |
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| Donald Pleasance as the local priest |
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| Sharon Tate looking very Mrs. Peel-esque |
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| Niven in a scene with Kim Novak before she had to leave the film |
Thursday, May 14, 2015
throwback - 70s paperback books based on movies - thursday
Movie novelizations were a big thing when I was a kid. I remember everyone reading the books of the top movies that were out, whether they saw the movie or not. Not surprisingly, these were all horror or science-fiction novels.
I read each of these books, some which preceded their film versions.
The Deep — I think my dad like Jacquie Bisset (and her wet t-shirt) so much he took us all to see The Deep, although we never saw Jaws, which also started as a book by Peter Benchley. I'm pretty sure I read that one too, but this made more of an impact on me, with the sex and the archaeology subplot of the young couple finding undersea treasure.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind — Everyone had to see this film, with Richard Dreyfuss unforgettable as a regular guy whose life is changed by a very special alien encounter. Who could forget the mashed potato Devil's Tower? I guess I had to relive the movie with this novelization, which credits Steven Spielberg as the writer.
Stephen King's Carrie got passed around my Civics class. I'm not sure I read the whole thing, but I do remember the infamous girls' locker room period scene.
The Omen — This book was actually very scary, and I loved trying to unravel the supernatural puzzle along with the protagonist, Ambassador Thorn, played by Gregory Peck in the movie.
Dracula — Where it all changed for me was falling for Frank Langella's sexy Count Dracula on film and then wanting to read the original Bram Stoker novel. This was no mere movie novelization, but an introduction into gothic horror, which I still love to this day.
I read each of these books, some which preceded their film versions.
The Deep — I think my dad like Jacquie Bisset (and her wet t-shirt) so much he took us all to see The Deep, although we never saw Jaws, which also started as a book by Peter Benchley. I'm pretty sure I read that one too, but this made more of an impact on me, with the sex and the archaeology subplot of the young couple finding undersea treasure.
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| Jacqueline Bisset and Nick Nolte in The Deep |
Stephen King's Carrie got passed around my Civics class. I'm not sure I read the whole thing, but I do remember the infamous girls' locker room period scene.
The Omen — This book was actually very scary, and I loved trying to unravel the supernatural puzzle along with the protagonist, Ambassador Thorn, played by Gregory Peck in the movie.
 |
| Lee Remick tries to shield Damien (Harvey Stephens) in The Omen |
Dracula — Where it all changed for me was falling for Frank Langella's sexy Count Dracula on film and then wanting to read the original Bram Stoker novel. This was no mere movie novelization, but an introduction into gothic horror, which I still love to this day.
Tuesday, May 05, 2015
what's up with all the scary movies lately?
I think some difficult things that I have been trying to work out lately have been coming out in my movie choices. When I cruise through the Netflix or HBO list of monthly movies, horror seems to be where I stop and make a choice. Horror movies have aways been great outlets. The results of my movie watching have been scary as hell — but I have been enjoying some great, creepy movies.
The Babadook
This Australian film, written and directed by Jennifer Kent, is truly scary and visually amazing. If you can handle horror, I strongly urge you to grab a hold of this one, but maybe watch it first during daylight hours, as it is truly chilling. A mother (Essie Davis) and her young son (Noah Wiseman) are tormented by a supernatural entity that may have arisen from one of his bedtime stories. The house the mother and son live in is another character in the film. Kent is not afraid to showcase the mother's ambivalent feelings about her son, which can exist concurrently with mother love. One of the scariest and creepiest movies I've ever seen. I don't know if I'd want to see it again anytime soon, it's so powerful, but it's a definite classic.
Rosemary's Baby
The Babadook made me want to revisit the old favorite Rosemary's Baby. Roman Polanski's 1968 film is still as creepy and compelling as ever. The apartment that young marrieds Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes) move into at the famous Dakota building in Manhattan is again, an important character in the film. I had forgotten how risqué and frightening the central rape scene was — quite daring for 1968. The movie works brilliantly as horror, but it also resonates as a portrait of a bad marriage and a woman's loss of her self in a relationship. Guy, not Satan, is the true villain of the piece. Rosemary tries so hard to make a home and be supportive for her traitorous husband. The horror is not just supernatural, but domestic.
The Woods
Not as great as the other two films, but The Woods was still effective. Good actors and some stunning visuals made up for a murky script. I'm still not completely sure why the supernatural forces in the woods surrounding an exclusive all-girls school are so bloodthirsty, but headmistress Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson) and young heroine Heather (Agnes Bruckner) make it all very watchable. Horror film veteran Bruce Campbell is also a very welcome addition to the spooky proceedings as Heather's father.
The Omen
I remember loving this movie and being really chilled by it as a kid. Isn't this where every kid learned about "666"? Watching it again recently it is not as scary, but it was pretty creepy. Gregory Peck is quite good as a hero in way over his head with forces he isn't willing to understand. The all-star cast includes a very touching Lee Remick as his wife, David Warner as a paparazzi who tries to help them, and Billie Whitelaw as nanny to their demon spawn Damien.
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| Time for a bedtime story ... and The Babadook. |
The Babadook
This Australian film, written and directed by Jennifer Kent, is truly scary and visually amazing. If you can handle horror, I strongly urge you to grab a hold of this one, but maybe watch it first during daylight hours, as it is truly chilling. A mother (Essie Davis) and her young son (Noah Wiseman) are tormented by a supernatural entity that may have arisen from one of his bedtime stories. The house the mother and son live in is another character in the film. Kent is not afraid to showcase the mother's ambivalent feelings about her son, which can exist concurrently with mother love. One of the scariest and creepiest movies I've ever seen. I don't know if I'd want to see it again anytime soon, it's so powerful, but it's a definite classic.
Rosemary's Baby
The Babadook made me want to revisit the old favorite Rosemary's Baby. Roman Polanski's 1968 film is still as creepy and compelling as ever. The apartment that young marrieds Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes) move into at the famous Dakota building in Manhattan is again, an important character in the film. I had forgotten how risqué and frightening the central rape scene was — quite daring for 1968. The movie works brilliantly as horror, but it also resonates as a portrait of a bad marriage and a woman's loss of her self in a relationship. Guy, not Satan, is the true villain of the piece. Rosemary tries so hard to make a home and be supportive for her traitorous husband. The horror is not just supernatural, but domestic.
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| Rosemary and Guy in Manhattan |
The Woods
Not as great as the other two films, but The Woods was still effective. Good actors and some stunning visuals made up for a murky script. I'm still not completely sure why the supernatural forces in the woods surrounding an exclusive all-girls school are so bloodthirsty, but headmistress Ms. Traverse (Patricia Clarkson) and young heroine Heather (Agnes Bruckner) make it all very watchable. Horror film veteran Bruce Campbell is also a very welcome addition to the spooky proceedings as Heather's father.
The Omen
I remember loving this movie and being really chilled by it as a kid. Isn't this where every kid learned about "666"? Watching it again recently it is not as scary, but it was pretty creepy. Gregory Peck is quite good as a hero in way over his head with forces he isn't willing to understand. The all-star cast includes a very touching Lee Remick as his wife, David Warner as a paparazzi who tries to help them, and Billie Whitelaw as nanny to their demon spawn Damien.
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