Review of The Omen (1976) by Ty R — 20 Jun 2010

I decided a watch at the original film was necessary before I looked at the remake.....

The movie begins in Rome, where American diplomat Robert Thorne (brilliantly played by Gregory Peck) is told his son died just after birth so Robert adopts a new born child, who he brings to his wife, without ever telling her of the tragic death of their son. They name him Damien, and soon after, the Thorns are moved to Britain. On Damien's fifth birthday, his nanny commits suicide by hanging herself. Soon after Robert is contacted by a Roman Catholic priest as freak accidents keep happening to people surrounding this little boy, even the replacement nanny seems a little odd and anyone who seems inclined to harm the boy is killed in some creative manner leading Robert to start believing that his son may be the Anti-Christ. The whole movie is thrilling and exciting especially when Thorne starts having doubts about his son. Gregory Peck is a great presence in the film and his performance of a man struggling to accept the bizarre events around him is just outstanding.

The Omen is a fantastic horror film and conveys horror by inference, suggestion, and impending doom instead of cheap special effects. I believe it is much scarier to sense and anticipate evil rather than to just see it. The music is marvelous and the cinematography and editing are simply perfect.