Linbeymusol
Wonderful character development!
Nonureva
Really Surprised!
Breakinger
A Brilliant Conflict
Keeley Coleman
The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;
generationofswine
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.
leplatypus
As Donner tells, either you take it as thriller, either you take it religiously: i notice that the production did choice 1 and got really plagued during shooting (the featurette about it is totally scary!)... Me, i take choice 2 and as an adult today, the movie still disturbs me; thus you can imagine how i felt when i saw it as a kid!! I have always believed that dark forces torment us and that we need all our faith to get through! In all cases, the movie is an exceptional piece with all things neatly done: the European setting, the casting, the music and the kicking directing! The story never lets the tension down and rather gradually gets more and more heavy! I see that a remake has been done but i don't understand the reason as this one hasn't lost its power and nobody can take the seat of big caring Gregory, serious Warner and nasty governess... At the end, this movie is for ma as good (or as evil) as the other similar movie that upsets me: Prince of Darkness as you can really feel the cold hand of devil...
Uriah43
When their baby dies only hours after being born a diplomat named "Robert Thorn " (Gregory Peck) is given the opportunity to replace it with another baby born at that exact same time without his wife "Katherine" (Lee Remick) discovering the truth. However, as the child begins to grow he notices some strange occurrences which become even more disturbing as time passes. It's at this time that a priest named "Father Brennan" (Patrick Troughton) comes forward and tries to warn Robert Thorn—who is now the United States Ambassador to Great Britain--about the true identity of his son. Unfortunately, the priest soon meets with a tragic death which leads a photographer named "Keith Jennings" (David Warner) to research even further-and what he discovers is truly frightening. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a decent film concerning Biblical prophecy on the topic of the Anti-Christ. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, the writers (in this case David Seltzer) typically add some extremely ridiculous scenarios which go well beyond anything ever mentioned in the Bible. For example, this film goes to great lengths to depict the mother of the Anti-Christ as being a jackal. I'm not kidding. But despite this rather goofy assertion this was still a decent enough horror film and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
Fella_shibby
I saw this first on a VHS with my dad in the mid 80s. Found it to be scary n the soundtrack very memorable. Bought the dvds of the trilogy n the remake. Revisited this recently. Felt obliged to write a review of it as this is one of the best horror/drama with top notch acting by A grade actors. 1)This awesome horror flick is helped immensely by the leads, Gregory Peck and Lee Remick. Both had impressive film backgrounds. 2)Jerry Goldsmiths score is awesome enough to send chills up your spine. 3)Richard Donner did a terrifc job as the director of this classic. 4)Harvey Stephens as Damien, the child gave a remarkable devilish portrayal understanding the facial expression extremely well. 5)Bizarre n imaginative death sequences. 6)Top notch photography by Gilbert Taylor. 7)Very good editing by Stuart Baird. I never found it to be boring. 8)The death of the photographer (David Warner) still reigns supreme perhaps of all cinemas.I know that this film has been reviewed to death and is pretty much known or has been seen by every horror fan in existence. So is there anything more to be said. Jus an obligation from another horror fan.
