(1971)
Dir - Bernard McEveety Jr.
Overall: GOOD
Emerging in a post-Rosemary's Baby era where occult-fueled exploitation movies were a dime a dozen, the independent The Brotherhood of Satan seems like it would fit right in with other cheap, shameless cash-grabs. Shockingly though, this is a deeply chilling and stylized effort from seasoned television director Bernard McEveety Jr who takes a challenging, nebulous approach to the material while maintaining a deliberate tone. Incidental music is almost non existent and it helps wonderfully to set the mood that something profoundly disturbing is afoot. That and the bizarre opening where a harmless couple innocently enters a town only to be bombarded upon by the frenzied locals. The script by William Welch is quite conservative with the expository details throughout though, engaging the viewer as to what could be happening as we witness one unexplained and therefor eerie set piece after the other. When things become alarming clear though, the movie loses none of its menacing momentum and the finale not only escalates effectively, but it also leaves a sinister taste which is quite fitting.
(1972)
Dir - Phil Karlson
Overall: MEH
A much lousier sequel to an already lousy movie, Ben is the follow-up to the previous year's Willard and takes an overtly sappy, confused approach to a premise that is already barely engaging in the first place. Beginning where the previous movie left off, this time an aww shucks, ten year-old boy befriends Willard's old pets and anyone in the production department who though this approach would be well-equipped to wield skin-crawling frights should have gotten fired. This is easily the least scary film ever made to be labeled as horror. A couple of times, a handful of rats climb onto people and adorably squeak while murdering them, but they predominantly seem a harmless bunch so it becomes just laughable when everyone keeps considering them a top priority/neighborhood menace that must be dealt with. Everything being taking so seriously is one thing, but the cutesy aspects along with how yawn-inducingly boring it all is makes this as forgettable as they come. Hey, at least the Michael Jackson song is solid.
(1976)
Dir - Richard Donner
Overall: GOOD
Still benefiting from the Satanic juice that Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist managed to muster, The Omen was yet another commercial triumph that would in turn inspire an endless stream of horror movies. Conceived of by producer Harvey Bernhard and written by David Seltzer, the film established its fair share of occult cliches, some of which continue to be confused as coming directly from the bible. A fake Book of Revelations excerpt is regularly quoted and the very concept that the Antichrist would be the Devil's son as opposed to just his follower was more or less established here in the collective consciousness. Of course Jerry Goldsmith's borderline ridiculous, Latin chanting score, 666 tattoos, and death premonitions caught on camera would also have a lasting influence. Due to the abundance of elements that graduated to pop culture staples, the movie's fright factor is comparatively limited now, but it is still a significantly fun bit of popcorn horror. Richard Donner maintains a consistent pace, Seltzer's script is both tight and inventive, the cast is highly respectable, and the overall high production values help to give it a serious tone even if the material is harmless, demon-child silliness.
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