Well last night in the dorm, I brought out the big guns and showed two scary movies, the best I had to offer, The Omen and the Exorcist (someone else brought out that god awful movie the Haunting with Liam Neeson and a bunch of other fools who probably left this film off of their lists)
Well, both movies were and are really good, but in the end we were divided. I always thought the Omen was better, in both the acting and storytelling department. I always assumed that this was a true assumption since you see many more movies that rip off the plot or devices used in the Omen than in the Exorcist. However, the large majority of my friends said that the Exorcist (this is the new improved version) was superior, and I disagree and being Jewish, I am stubborn. So, I now bring it to you which movie is better the Omen or the Exorcist (or if you liked that s**tty Haunting you can vote for that too ugh)
Acting: I dont think there was any acting in the exorcist, just a sick little girl, Linda Blair, who can't compete with the Omen's Gregory Peck , the malicious red head or the creepy priest. Edge: the Omen
Makeup/Special Effects: Both movies have their due of gore, but no one can or will beat the Exorcist as far as make up and special effects and even lighting goes Edge: the Exorcist
Religion: Two priests in the Exorcist, both die, One Priest in the Omen, he dies. Ultimately, religion is useless. The Exorcist killed more priests. Why don't scary movies use Rabbis or Caliphs? Edge: Exorcist
Signs of Satan: Hmmm, a rottweiler freaks me out more than any flashing faces or little statues ever will, so do crazed babboons (yep I am wierd). Edge: Omen
Cinemetography: The exorcist used great special effects, but just plain, in your face camera angles, The Omen used narrow shots, close ups and widescreens all with an eerie effects. And what eyes those nannys had. Edge: The Omen
Moral: Exorcist- ???? dont be possessed??? Good movies dont need to have a good message???? Omen- Beware politics, the devil's child is so mean?? Edge: the Omen
Music: I love creepy Latin singing which is what the Omen went with, as opposed to the Exorcist's strange bells, which I always confuse with the Halloween theme. Edge: Omen
Climax: Nothing beats a good exorcism my grandma always used to say. Or was that prune juice? edge: Exorcist
So, there you have it The Omen wins 5-3 prove me wrong?
Considered to be the very first rip-off of THE EXORCIST, Albert DeMartino's THE ANTICHRIST was finally released in America in 1977 under the new title THE TEMPTER via it's distributor Avco Embassy Pictures Corporation. Not only that, but the American distributor removed 20 minutes of footage from it's 112 minute running time making it quite confusing. It's old video release from Embassy Home Video was an even worse embarassment as the reels 2 and 3 were placed out of order!
In any case, I felt THE ANTICHRIST was better than THE EXORCIST and is not the so-called rip-off that it has been labeled even though the plots are really different (i.e. THE EXORCIST just has Regan becoming possessed by the devil, while in THE ANTICHRIST the woman becomes possessed due to her ancestor praciticing witchcraft and satanism). THE ANTICHRIST even does things that THE EXORCIST never did (i.e. Regan in THE EXORCIST levitates above her bed only, but in THE ANTICHRIST the possessed woman levitates and flies motionless out the window; it's pulled off quite well). That and it has Mel Ferrer and Arthur Kennedy, two good actors who do a nice job. Plus, some good music by Ennio Morricone that beats the music in THE EXORCIST to the ground.
Get a hold of the uncut version released by Anchor Bay and take a look at it. It's quite good, but an EXORCIST rip-off it is not.
I always thought the Exorcist was scarier. Green monster kids scare me a lot more than plain old regular kids.
Carla Gravina plays Ippolita in THE ANTICHRIST. She basically plays a late-teen being posessed. She's actually scarier than Linda Blair due to having a more good looking phisique with a fair amount of intelligence, unlike Blair who, even though she was also good in THE EXORCIST, looked too much like a ditzy 13 year old. But, that's just me talking.
Even so, watch both THE ANTICHRIST and THE EXORCIST back-to-back for a fun Halloween night. You get two posession films over the price of one!
I was never scared by either film. They're both well made, but not scary. The scariest film ever remains Patch Adams.
Hmm, you have peaked my interest Chris, however, I still claim no one is scarier thant the Omen kid, plus I didnt think Linda Blair was that great an actress either, just a dirty little girl
I think Ellen Burstyn was nominated for an Oscar for THE EXORCIST. THE OMEN is okay, and Damien himself is creepy, but he didn't really do a whole lot. Except for that Big Wheel scene. Regan, on the other hand killed one guy and caused another to have a heart attack. And she also gave that psychiatrist the big squeeze....
I prefer the original version to the souped-up version released in 2000--it gets a little too gimmicky with the "subliminal" shots. There were only a few in the original version, and they were way more effective.
EXORCIST's story had a little more going on--"Why do bad things happen to innocent people?" priests questioning their faith, etc...
EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC is pure bad movie gold. Personally, I think it's the worst film of all time, yes, even worse than PLAN 9 or ROBOT MONSTER.
I don't know if it's on the DVD of "The Version You've Never Seen" but the 25th anniversary EXORCIST release has a trailer called "Flash Image" that'll scare the crap out of you. I can't believe they played it on TV!
Definately the Exorcist......not only is it more disgusting, but has achieved much higer cult status...You gotta read into that to a certain extent.
By the way, this is my first post ever, so hello, and how do ya do?
Exorcist II is worth watching for one reason alone: seeing James Earl Jones dressed in a giant locust suit, complete with Kermit The Frog eyes.
Exorcist III, on the other hand, is an overlooked gem. It's very atmospheric and has some good jumps.
I guess the reason neither film scared me is because I am a Christian, and I don't believe Satan has real power. He can tempt us, but not hurt us directly.
Evan3 wrote:
>
>
> Acting: I dont think there was any acting in the exorcist,
> just a sick little girl, Linda Blair, who can't compete with
> the Omen's Gregory Peck , the malicious red head or the
> creepy priest. Edge: the Omen
>
I don't confuse theatric emoting with acting. I vote The Exorcist...nothing beats a haggard mother staring at the top specialists in a the medical field and saying..."You want me to take my daughter to a witch doctor?"
> Makeup/Special Effects: Both movies have their due of gore,
> but no one can or will beat the Exorcist as far as make up
> and special effects and even lighting goes Edge: the Exorcist
>
Agreed
> Religion: Two priests in the Exorcist, both die, One Priest
> in the Omen, he dies. Ultimately, religion is useless. The
> Exorcist killed more priests. Why don't scary movies use
> Rabbis or Caliphs? Edge: Exorcist
>
Yeah, the toll that Spiritual Warfare takes on you is hard to communicate. Still, I do not consider The Omen a very religious picture, but a secular nightmare (the Bible IS true, we have to STOP THIS - think about it, just who are they really fighting by trying to stop events that God has mandated to happen - who is really responsible for all those ACCIDENTS?).
> Signs of Satan: Hmmm, a rottweiler freaks me out more than
> any flashing faces or little statues ever will, so do crazed
> babboons (yep I am wierd). Edge: Omen
>
The stature creeped me out. I like the subtle touch over all the hokum.
> Cinemetography: The exorcist used great special effects, but
> just plain, in your face camera angles, The Omen used narrow
> shots, close ups and widescreens all with an eerie effects.
> And what eyes those nannys had. Edge: The Omen
>
Tie, they are both beautifully photographed movies.
> Moral: Exorcist- ???? dont be possessed??? Good movies dont
> need to have a good message???? Omen- Beware politics, the
> devil's child is so mean?? Edge: the Omen
>
William Peter Blatty considered The Exorcist movie to be a reaffirmation of Faith, the moral is that in a world where such blatant evil exists, then God MUST exist as well. The Omen's moral is don't try to change God's mandated plan...I guess.
I prefer The Exorcist
> Music: I love creepy Latin singing which is what the Omen
> went with, as opposed to the Exorcist's strange bells, which
> I always confuse with the Halloween theme. Edge: Omen
>
Nothing beats Goldsmith, the Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells was grafted onto the movie, not composed for it. It has not real score, just an ambience cue composed by Jack Nitchse.
Hmm, good points to all, and finally someone who will actually debate my points, what I was looking for originally, but come on, dont you always get the Omen and Halloween themes confused?
Evan3 wrote:
>
> Hmm, good points to all, and finally someone who will
> actually debate my points, what I was looking for originally,
> but come on, dont you always get the Omen and Halloween
> themes confused?
Uh, no. The Omen is an orchestral 'black mass' while Halloween is a simple piano plinking of the 4/5 bongo drum rhythm (which is fact, not criticism - Carpenter has discussed the roots for his simplistic score at length in documentaries and album liner notes).
I think you meant Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells, which predates Carpenters score by some five or so years (many critics wrongly accuse Carpenter of ripping off Oldfield's classic pop melody - similar statements have been made regarding Goblin's score for Profundo Rosso/Deep Red). Phantasm also gets the 'rip-off of Oldfield' complaint. I can tell them all apart.
Ironically the Oldfield hates that his theme is famous for The Exorcist and regrets allowing Friedkin to use it. He even released a Tubular Bells 2 composition to distance himself from what he called a "loathsome movie" (he "hates" horror movies, yawn).
DIsclaimer: I've only seen parts of either movie and most of what I know is from 'conventional wisdom'
As a Christian, I'm always amused at movies that use Christian religious themes about the end of the world as their plot points. Problem is, they only seem to take a fairly small piece of the whole picture (usually a small slice of "Revelation") and usually miss that in the end, good is still going to win out. So I see a movie where the premise is "The anti-christ is coming!" (as a little boy or what have you) and I think to myself "ok..so what's the big deal? If your stories whole bases for the antichrist in the first place is a certain interpretation of Christian apocalyptic prphecy, then read the whole book. The antichrist is going to come, his power will be limited, his reign will be short, and then the good guys win. If you're on the right side, it may get nasty, but it will work out in the end, so why try to stop it. Ironically, from that point of view, the only people who would need to worry would be people who had rejected God, in which case they're not really going to believe anything about Revelation, anyway? (And I would imagine that being directly confronted with evidence that Revelation is actually starting to happen would result in a) a reading of the whole book and b) a quick re-thinking of prior held convictions) This gets especially interesting when the 'protagonists' are Cathloic, especially within the clergy, because the Catholic position on 'the end of the world' is called "amillenialism" (as do Lutherans and others) which takes a much more symbolic look at Revelation than, say, evangelical protestantism and I don't think the Catholic church believes in a literal anti-christ to begin with
I only say that from the point of view of someone 'inside the religion', so to speak, watching the artifacts of the religion being used for plot points. I'm sure somebody who believed in Voodoo has some interesting viewpoints on Hollywoods use of that particular belief system as well :)
Hmmmm, being Jewish, I do fear the coming of the anti-christ and hope that someone stops it, because in some Christian branches I am on the "wrong" side although I believe in God. However, I still do wonder, are there any horror movies outhere with either Jewish Rabbis, or Islamic Caiphs as a block to evil powers, I would be fascinated to know, and may even make a new post
Hmmmm, being Jewish, I do fear the coming of the anti-christ and hope that someone stops it, because in some Christian branches I am on the "wrong" side although I believe in God.
I'm sorta curious about that because if you are Jewish, then to a Christian you are 'on the wrong side' but...the whole anti-Christ thing is a strictly Christian belief system so, if you are right then the Chistians are wrong and you have nothing to fear from an anti-Christ. If the Christians are right about the anti-Christ then your fear should not be about an anti-Christ, but simply that the Chirstians are right.
However, I still do wonder, are there any horror movies outhere with either Jewish Rabbis, or Islamic Caiphs as a block to evil powers
Not that I know of. The Catholic church, in particular, for various historical reasons, as been a particularly convenient plot device as it's large, powerful, old, and easily recognizeable, for good and bad. Hollywood has taken a dim view of "organized religion" in the last few decades so most usages of religion tends to be negative. I don't think you'd see a religious authority figure ina good light and, due to acute over-sensitivity, I don't think you'd see Muslim or Jewish characters potrayed in a bad light, either
You are right, I do fear Christians being right, but hey, I guess we will find out who is right in the end. I must agree, that sometimes it would be nice to see Hollywood taking a positive stance on religion. I think religion is a good thing and needed profusely in modern days. Hollywood should lighten up. You could say the Exorcist had an optimistic view on religion. I was disappointed that the new Mummy movies had neither a Jew or a Muslim clergy, since those are both religions relevant to Egyptian culture.
Fearless Freep wrote:
>
> Hmmmm, being Jewish, I do fear the coming of the
> anti-christ and hope that someone stops it, because in some
> Christian branches I am on the "wrong" side although I
> believe in God.
>
> I'm sorta curious about that because if you are Jewish, then
> to a Christian you are 'on the wrong side' but...the whole
> anti-Christ thing is a strictly Christian belief system so,
> if you are right then the Chistians are wrong and you have
> nothing to fear from an anti-Christ. If the Christians are
> right about the anti-Christ then your fear should not be
> about an anti-Christ, but simply that the Chirstians are right.
>
I'm a Christian as well (Evangelical Church attender) and most of the discourse I have heard is that both Jews and Christians are saved. The Jews are and always will be God's chosen people (if they keep their true faith that) and Christ came for the Gentiles/Non-Jews.
As far as the other questions go, if they can make horror movies based on Jewish or Islamic religious concepts as entertaining as the aforementioned movies (as as fun as The Sentinel or The Manitou, wait NATIVE AMERICAN based horror! - Shadow of the Hawk, etc.) I'd pay to see it, but I think that the Catholic Church (and Conservative Religious figures) will remain American (or European) based Evil Organized Religion figures. As George Carlin said, "We're allowed to diss our own kind."
It did, Lyz at And You Call Yourself a Scientist went on and on about The Exorcist, mostly I agree with her. She did point out that of all the satanic thrillers, only The Exorcist showcased the Catholic Church in a favorable light.
As for Rabbis as good guys...Robin Hood: Men in Tights!
I think priests and rabbis tend to be portrayed more just because there's more symbolic value in their respective "uniforms." With a few exceptions, most evangelical pastors just wear coats and ties. The plain look just doesn't work as well visually.
Hmmm, I recall Richard Benjamin as a Jewish hero in Love at First Bite. I haven't seen it in about 20 years, but I remember seeing him go for his cross and whip out a Star of David by mistake.
Actually, as a symbol of his faith, I'd have thought the star would have worked just as well. I suppose the vampire lore says "cross," so nobody writing a silly George Hamilton comedy is going to give it much though beyond that.
This got me thinking. Is it just me, or are rabbis used for comedy almost as much as priests are used for horror? Why is this? Is it because there have been so many great Jewish gag writers?
>, I still do wonder, are there any horror movies outhere with either Jewish Rabbis,
>or Islamic Caiphs as a block to evil powers, I would be fascinated to know, and
>may even make a new post
Not a Rabbi, but how about The Seventh Sign with Demi Moore? The main character helping her stop the end of the world is a Jewish student.