The Omen (1976)

OK, so at times this is a bit far-fetched, even for a horror movie, but I reckon it is still my favourite from the genre made in the 1970s. From a rather murky start in a Roman hospital, we see Gregory Peck and wife Lee Remmick head to London where he is to be US Ambassador - along with their new baby son "Damien" (cue the squeaking violins). Not long after their arrival, their nanny commits suicide - rather gruesomely, as it happens - facilitating the arrival of "Mrs. Baylock" (a rather menacing Billie Whitelaw). As the boy ages, and fuelled by some rather ghastly prophesies by Patrick Troughton's "Father Brennan", Peck slowly concludes that there is something a little dodgy about him. Thing is, can he thwart the evil contained within the youngster? Richard Donner does well to build and to sustain a sense of peril from pretty much the outset of this film - aided, ably, by a Jerry Goldsmith score that uses maniacal choral vocals and strings to keep you behind the sofa. Peck isn't at his best, and some of the scenes - especially in the graveyard with the Baskervillian hounds - do stretch the imagination, but for the most part it seizes your attention and keeps it. I have to admit to being disappointed by the ending - just why did the police have to give chase?

I just recently re-watched this and the remake...there's really no fair comparison. Gregory Peck wins over Liev Schreiber, but then Peck is the better actor. Lee Remick is far more believable than Julia Stiles who doesn't seem to convey the same earnest fear and suspicion. David Thewlis is a good actor, but in bit parts he always seems to phone it in and David Warner was just the more believable photographer. I mean, the 1976 The Omen is dated, but that's not a bad thing and in this case you get the sense that they were doing something fresh and really trying to frighten you...and they did. By comparison the remake is paint by numbers and offers nothing new. 1976 is, hands down the more frightening, more dramatic, and more suspenseful film. Compared to 2006. 1976 is believable.

For whatever reason never saw The Omen before and while it has its moments, the last 10-15 minutes were particularly great, the middle part plodded along at a slow pace with little happening that was interesting outside a scene or two. All in all, it was okay but maybe a tad overrated. **3.25/5**