Horror Movie Staff Picks: The Omen

As published on Parcbench on 26 October 2009

(Editor’s note: We asked our writing staff to send in a paragraph or two on the horror movies that really got to them. The results will be appearing throughout October here on Parcbench.)

When I was a kid, I used to love to watch Chiller Theater on Saturdays. The D-list movie show featured some of the campiest monster, horror and mystery flicks ever made. I had flashbacks of watching Chiller when I visited Disney World MGM Studios and ate lunch with my family at the Sci-Fi Theatre. But I digress.

Having attended Parochial schools for the K-thru-9 portion of my life, I was attune more to psychological thrillers rather than plain gore flicks. I saw the original Tales From the Crypt, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween and felt more grossed-out that actually scared. Instead, I was more drawn to horror movies that contained a plausible cause of unmitigated evil: Satan.

As a good Catholic school boy, I was warned about being possessed by the Devil and should always remain holy and pure (um hmm) or else I would be prey for some succubus bound for ensnaring an unsuspecting sap. When The Exorcist premiered in 1973, we were lectured in school daily to never see the film under the threat of mortal sin and excommunication by the Vatican.

I didn’t see the film because it was rated R and my parents wouldn’t take me. So, I read the book.

As most book-to-movies go, the book was so much better. By the time I finally saw the film 3 years later, I found the Linda Blair portrayal of Regan MacNeil almost laughable.

Still, my appetite was whet for psychological horror films; no longer would blood and gore be acceptable for me! I wanted to see the classic battle of good versus evil played out by Heaven and Hell.

My prayers were soon answered.

One day in June of 1976, I opened the New York Daily News and when I reached the entertainment section, I saw a black page. Written in white letters, was this:

Good morning. You are one day closer to the end of the world. You have been warned.

What the hell?!? Ok, now this was creepy. A single warning and no other information?? Was this a joke?

Every day for the next week, I would open the paper and find similar warnings. “9 days until the end of the world.” or “This is our final warning.” With the dawn of the World Wide Web still 17 years in the future, it wasn’t like I could go searching.

So I waited…and I was a little freaked out.

Finally, about a week before the premier, I saw this message after frantically flipping the news pages:

If something frightening happens to you today, think about it. It may be “The Omen”

By this time, the word was out. A huge production horror film, The Omen, starring Gregory Peck and Lee Remick was to premier the following Friday. This was a must see for me. So I went – and I was literally scared out of my seat. Not because of the suspense and not because of the eerie music.

I felt that this could actually happen.

Blame it on my upbringing, Catholic school or geek status…this was a true horror film, and is still my favorite of all time.

A few months later, I was taking an English class in my senior year of high school and came upon an interesting fact. The production cost of The Omen was a little less than $3 million, yet, the producers spent about the same on promotion and advertising. IMHO, money well spent.

This Halloween, if you want to curl up with a good horror film, may I suggest The Omen (1976)?

Unless The Attack of the 50ft Woman is more your taste.

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Michael Fidanza is the host of The Armchair Energist Show on RFC Radio and can be heard at 11am-noon ET. His website is www.ArmchairEnergist.com