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.

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?

perfect friday

I remember seeing this movie on TV with my dad when I was a kid. Probably too young to pick up on all of the sexual double entendre — Ursula Andress (or Undress, as my dad liked to call her) playing husband David Warner against bank manager Stanley Baker — in this 70s caper movie.

Ursula Andress as Lady Britt Dorset: "I must be absolutely your most troublesome customer Mr Graham."

Andress was not only gorgeous, but she had a wonderful way with dialogue and always spoke each line as if she realized she was in on a delicious joke. She was, of course, the quitessential Bond girl, but I think my favorite of her performances may be What's New Pussycat?, Casino Royale and Perfect Friday, which unfortunately, has yet to be released on DVD.