Maybe it’s the phrase movie magic, but film sets lend themselves to superstition. They create legends, timeless stories and immortal actors. And some film content is so grim and macabre, that it becomes infamous due to infringements on religion or social mores. Shudder’s new series Cursed Films by Jay Cheel takes a look at the lore surrounding some of the most famous and iconic horror films in the cannon. Richard Donner’s 1976 film The Omen is one of those films seeped in much publicized controversy. The third installment of Shudder’s Cursed Films takes an in depth look at the legacy and strange occurrences that are connected to the film’s productions.
It’s easy to see how one could associate The Omen, a horror film about the Antichrist, with curses. Stories ranging from acts of terrorism to lion attacks are connected to the film. A number of people closely associated with the production, such as director Donner are interviewed. In addition to those directly linked to the film set, this episode also considers the opinion of dark magic practitioners, which leads to discussions of philosophy and beliefs. This adds an extra layer of understanding to this episode of Cursed Films where the audience is asked to ponder if the strange events related to the film are accursed acts or blessings in disguise. This introspective look at the alleged curse surrounding The Omen does not detract from the overall fun of the episode. Mingled with news about audience reception and interesting trivia, this episode is entertaining and a fun installment to the Cursed Films series.
There have always been theories about opening the gateway for the devil. Whether it’s by playing with a ouija board or reading a horoscope, it’s believed that any dabbling in the occult might curse an existence so why not a film? First hand interviews and interesting behind the scenes information make this another exceptional episode for film buffs and occult enthusiasts alike.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login