THE OMEN
US, 1976, 111 minutes, Colour.
Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, Billie Whitelaw, Harvey Stephens, Leo Mc Kern.
Directed by Richard Donner.
The Omen's subject is the incarnation of the Devil. It has been something of a popular subject. Whether Rosemary's Baby, an excellent film, started the trend may be debated. Perhaps that film reflected the growing interest in astrology, witchcraft, spiritualism and superstition in general. Since 1968, when Rosemary's Baby appeared, there has been an increased interest in horror films and the devil. The most popular example, of course, has been The Exorcist (1973). There have been some spin-offs from the film (also a good film) like the ludicrous parody House of Exorcism, or The Antichrist. There was a film version of To the Devil a Daughter by Dennis Wheatley. It was quite a competent thriller about the incarnation of the Devil.
However. there has been another trend in 'devil' films and that is the horror thriller with eerie 'supernatural' overtones. A good example of this is Race with the Devil (1975) with Peter Fonda. The Omen fits in here.
The Omen is an effective thriller which uses some texts from St. John's Book of Revelation and interprets these in a fairly fundamentalistic sense and applies them to the 20th century. on this thin religious basis, the horror is built up with a strange child being the incarnation of the devil. The film relies on atmosphere. music and some shocks, especially some exceedingly gruesome deaths (giving it an 'R' certificate) for its impact. Stars, Gregory Peck and Lee Remick, give the film an aura of plausibility and respectability. But it would be a pity if anyone tended to take the plot as real. One fears that audiences who baulk at the idea of an incarnation of God, might, in an atmosphere of fear, take an incarnation of the devil as much more possible.
1. What does the title leave the audience to expect? The publicity? The occult genre of the 70's? Did this help or hinder response? The basic response: enjoyment, fear, disgust, puzzle? Why?
2. Are the bases of the plot plausible? is it possible for the Devil to become incarnate? As portrayed in the film? What interpretation should be given to the biblical texts quoted? Do they apply to the 20th century? The significance of the number 666 in scripture? As an omen? Its visual presentation and eeriness? How realistically should such texts of scripture be applied? Should they be examined in their context first? The importance of the poem and its holy and unholy aspects? That for everything holy there must be something unholy? Thorn's recitation of the poem and its various ingredients as the eternal sea and the application to the modern world, Common Market, politics?
3. How well did the film create its atmosphere? Colour, music, locations? The eerie incidents e.g. the suicide of the nanny, the reaction of the animals in the zoo to Danden, the demented priest and his death, the mysterious line of death in the photographs? The special effects, Jenning's death, by mirrors?
4. The impact of the opening, the music with its Latin ritual tones? Religious suggestion? The mood and involvement of the audience? The importance of the date and the time and the reference to 666? An atmosphere of fear and apprehension, even about an ordinary situation as a birth? what were the most frightening aspects of the film? Why? The eeriness of the ending, even with Damien's smile?
5. The importance of the birth, the hurried atmosphere, the death of the child, Thorn's decisions, Katherine's desire to have the child? How plausibly was he pressurised into accepting the child? How plausible the events, the timing? The people involved, priests and nuns? The significance of the birth in Rome?
6. The background of politics and diplomacy for the film? Establishing the Thorns in the world today, their importance, influence, possibility of presidential candidacy? The transition from Rome to England and the lyrical aspects? A happy home life? The calm before the storm? The atmosphere in the sequence where Katherine thought Damien was lost and yet he was present? His childlike teasing of his parents? Indication of things to come?
7. The suggestion of menace and the birthday party? The atmosphere of the nanny killing herself and the transition of enjoyment to horror? Chaos? The presence of the dog, the dog's shining eyes, the influence on Damien, the dedication of the nanny to Dairden? Reinforced by the visit to the zoo and the bewilderment of the baboons chasing and climbing on the car? The build-up to the wedding, Danden and his not wanting to go, the arrival at the church and his fear and panic? The peace of the wedding situation transformed into chaos? Signs of things to come?
8. The initial impact of Mrs. Baldock? Her presentation of an English nanny? Her smooth voice, her control of Danden? The puzzle as to her background and her skill in insinuating herself into the household? The link with the dog? The sense of menace of the dog, the sense of menace of Mrs. Baldock and the combination of evil? Her care over Danden and the sinister aspects of her kindness?
9. Gregory Peck and his interpretation of Robert Thorn as a person, diplomat, his work? His suspicions? His secret about Damien's birth? His trying to cope? His general ability to cope with his family and work? The fact that he was involved in the deception and had to endure the consequences? How did his character change throughout the film? Anxiety, obsession with finding of the truth, to the point of killing Damien?
10. Katherine as the heroine of the film, an ordinary American wife? The birth and her joy in having a child, her motherliness to Damien? Her ambitions? To London? Her fears, her confiding her fear that Damien was not her son, her fear of psychiatry and going to the psychiatrist? Her experiencing Damien at the zoo. at the church. the real threats e.g. her fall over the railing? The terminating of the pregnancy? The repercussions of the experience on her? Being a victim of Thorn's decision and of Damien?
11. Father Spiletto as a sinister priest at the beginning? Father Brennan also as sinister and his visits to the office? confrontation of Thorn, the seeming madness in an ordinary diplomatic world? His presence in the park? The atmosphere of the wind and the storm before his death? The importance of the horror of his death and the importance of his being transfixed? The presence of his room, the diary, the newspapers etc.? Important dramatic stages in involving the audience in the puzzle?
12. The picturing of Damien as an angelic-looking child? The blend of good and evil? Evil incarnate? His childlike behaviour? His demonic behaviour, especially his pushing of Katherine over the railing? The presence of the dog and the communication between the two, his communication with Mrs. Baldock? The fact of his not looking sinister making him sinister for the audience?
13. The dramatic presence of Jennings; his presence, the taking of the photograph, the discovery of the signs in the photographs, his conclusions, explaining it to Thorn, the ominous nature of his own death photo? As a friend to Thorn and support, the help, especially in Cerveter; with the dogs? Going to Israel?
14. The visit to Italy, the digging up of the coffin and the atmosphere of the cemetery, the discovery of the contents of the coffin and the effect? The dogs? Why would audiences be afraid in these sequences? Fr. Spilletto and the discovery that the hospital was burnt down seeing Fr. Spilletto at Frosinone? His revelation of some truth?
15. How interesting were the sequences in Israel? How credible an archaeologist was Bugenhagen? His explanations and the clue to what must be done? The contrast with Jennings' death? The build-up towards it? The technical effects? The audience feeling the killing? The decapitation visualized?
17. Katherine's death? Her being in hospital, separation from Robert, the phone call, the ominous presence of Mrs. Baldock, the visualising of Katherine's fall?
18. The importance of the dogs in the house, Thorn's final clash with Mrs. Baldock, the fighting of the dogs, the fight with Mrs. Baldock and her death? The seeming overcoming of evil?
19. The irony of the police chase? Thorn's fatherly feelings and yet the desperation to kill Damien according to the ceremony? The atmosphere of the church, the pace in the church, music? The almost-liberation and the irony of his being shot?
20. How effectively ironic was the ending? Danden with the President of the U.S.A., the possibility of the prophecy and the poem being fulfilled? His smiling at the audience? The necessity of a sequel?
21. Comment upon special effects, the momentous sequences, the them and the suggestion? The film relied not so much on sensation but atmosphere. How effectively? Exploration of good and evil, symbols of good and evil in our time?
