Part two of our pairing of films about satanic children covers birth through age five in 1976's horror classic "The Omen!" Written by David Seltzer and directed by the late, great Richard Donner, this is the story of newly-minted American Ambassador to England Robert Thorn (the incredible Gregory Peck) and his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick). The film begins with Katherine's newly-born baby dying and a priest convincing Robert to accept another child, born at the same time, in its place. He accepts, keeps the truth from his wife, and they name the child Damien (Harvey Stephens). At first, all is idyllic but, as the child grows, strange things begin to happen. At Damien's birthday party, his nanny commits suicide in a very vivid and public way after the appearance of a demonic hound. This is followed by the appearance of Mrs. Baylock (Billie Whitelaw),a new nanny neither parent hired, the arrival of Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton of "Dr. Who" fame), a fanatical priest who tries to warn Robert about the truth of his son, and a phone call from photographer Keith Jennings (David Warner) who has photographic evidence of something being not-quite-right. After meeting with monastic priest Carl Bugenhagen (Leo McKern), Robert realizes he must take action. But will he be able to? Will it work? And finally, the geeks and g.i.t. reveal which two totally fabulous musicals make up their next pairing!
Satanic children are the theme for this pairing of horror films, starting with conception through birth in 1968's Roman Polanski-directed "Rosemary's Baby!" Polanski also wrote the screenplay based on the novel by Ira Levin. The film tells the story of Guy (John Cassavetes) and Rosemary (Mia Farrow) Woodhouse, attractive newlyweds looking for their first apartment together. Guy is an up-and-coming actor, while Rosemary is a homemaker who is soon adopted by eccentric elderly neighbors Roman (Sidney Blackmer) and Minnie (Ruth Gordon) Castevet who live next door. Their friend Hutch (Maurice Evans) is sad to see them move away but remains supportive. When Rosemary finds out she's pregnant, Minnie sends her to her trusted physician, Dr. Sapirstein (Ralph Bellamy) who takes Rosemary under his wing. But when Rosemary starts having severe pains, and no one else seems overly concerned, she begins to wonder. When Hutch is suddenly struck down, Rosemary receives a book from him about witches, adding to Rosemary's paranoia. Is there actually something evil going on or is Rosemary just becoming paranoid?
The second film in our pairing celebrating the movie serials of old moves ahead 7 years to another episodic hero, the legendary Zorro! Directed by Martin Campbell, "The Mask of Zorro" (1998) tells the story of the original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega (Anthony Hopkins), and his capture and the kidnapping of his infant daughter. Flash forward 20 years and we meet the infamous Murrieta Brothers, Joaquin (Victor Rivers) and Alejandro (Antonio Banderas), wanted outlaws who are... different than they seem at first. After a run-in with the remorseless Captain Harrison Love (Matt Letscher) who is working for the original Zorro's nemesis, Don Rafael Montero (Stuart Wilson), fate intervenes and connects Diego and Alejandro, and the former agrees to tutor the latter and help him become the new Zorro! Plus, with Montero's return comes the return of Elena Montero (Catherine Zeta-Jones), actually Elana de la Vega, and, as they say, the plot thickens! Plus, because, according to Jeff's calendar, Halloween season starts September 1st, find out what two classic horror films will be featured in the next episode!
Back in the day, audiences were treated to episodes of movie serials before the main feature when going to the picture shows. This pairing celebrates those old serials, the ones that inspired George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg. This week, it's the film based on the serial-turned-comic book "The Rocketeer" from 1991! Originally called "The Rocket Man" as a serial, this film tells the story of racing pilot Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell)and his chief mechanic Peevy Peabody (Alan Arkin) who find a strange rocket-pack stowed in their hanger. When an old friend tries to fly Cliff's "clown act" and gets in trouble, Cliff dons the rocket back and blasts into the sky to save him, the first sighting of "The Rocketeer!" But add in the FBI, the mafia, and the Nazis, and the story just gets stranger from there! Co-starring the lovely Jennifer Connelly, Timothy Daltin, Paul Sorvino, Terry O'Quinn, Eddie Jones, William Sanderson, and Margo Martindale, this is a fantastic love-letter to the cinematic episodes of the 1930s! Plus, it's James Horner's first film score, and the movie that got Joe Johnston the job directing the first Captain America film for the MCU!
The second film in our Paul Verhoeven pairing is one that fully displays the satirical nature of this director's work, much more so than the first film we reviewed. Moving ahead a decade, we find ourselves a couple hundred years in the future, and the world now lives under a single government. Unfortunately, it is a fascist government, one that lies to its citizens and seduces its young people into throwing their lives away in Military Service, all so they can become "Citizens" and earn the right to vote. This story follows high school graduates Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), Carmen Ibanez (Denise Richards), Isabel "Dizzy" Flores (Dina Meyer) and Carl Jenkins (Neil Patrick Harris) as they all decide to join the Federation Military and enlist in the war against the "Bugs," an alien species intent on protecting their territory after a group of Mormons decide to settle on one of their planets unasked. The true genius of Verhoeven's vision is on clear display in this film, and its depiction of the inherent violence and selfishness of humanity hits uncomfortably close to home! Plus, the trio reveal which "Movie Serials-turned-Films" they're focusing on for the next pairing!
Part two of our pairing of films about satanic children covers birth through age five in 1976's horror classic "The Omen!" Written by David Seltzer and directed by the late, great Richard Donner, this is the story of newly-minted American Ambassador to England Robert Thorn (the incredible Gregory Peck) and his wife, Katherine (Lee Remick). The film begins with Katherine's newly-born baby dying and a priest convincing Robert to accept another child, born at the same time, in its place. He accepts, keeps the truth from his wife, and they name the child Damien (Harvey Stephens). At first, all is idyllic but, as the child grows, strange things begin to happen. At Damien's birthday party, his nanny commits suicide in a very vivid and public way after the appearance of a demonic hound. This is followed by the appearance of Mrs. Baylock (Billie Whitelaw),a new nanny neither parent hired, the arrival of Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton of "Dr. Who" fame), a fanatical priest who tries to warn Robert about the truth of his son, and a phone call from photographer Keith Jennings (David Warner) who has photographic evidence of something being not-quite-right. After meeting with monastic priest Carl Bugenhagen (Leo McKern), Robert realizes he must take action. But will he be able to? Will it work? And finally, the geeks and g.i.t. reveal which two totally fabulous musicals make up their next pairing!
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