10 Classic Halloween Movies To Watch This October 2021
8. The Omen
No matter how gory a film is, you eventually get desensitised to all the blood and guts. Once you've seen Jason Voorhees slicing his victims to bits a few times, it stops having the same effect. The traps in the Saw franchise may be visceral but they don't leave the same impact upon repeated viewings.
But Richard Donner's The Omen is different. Despite having little gore, the Oscar-winning film is still renowned as one of the most petrifying horrors ever.
The reason why The Omen has stood the test of time is simple. Rather than being outright scary, the film focuses on unsettling the viewer. The story revolves around Robert Thorn discovering his adopted son, Damien, is the Antichrist. Learning that Damien is destined to bring about Armageddon, Robert prepares kill him. No matter how many times you watch The Omen though, you can't help feeling your heart in your throat during the scene where Damien begs his father not to murder him.
With the premise alone, The Omen was guaranteed to be unnerving. But the eerie soundtrack, tight script, and utter conviction of the actors turn this potential schlock into a haunting masterpiece.