Another Troubling Sign

[setsuled]

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The little Antichrist was at it again in 1978's Damen - Omen II. William Holden takes over from Gregory Peck, playing Peck's brother, and has adopted Damien. As a horror film, it's better than the first, featuring a series of effective scenes of people getting killed by a supernatural force.

I liked how there was absolutely no moral element to the killings. A doctor who wanted to do tests on Damien is killed in a fallen elevator. There's no indication he was an alcoholic or an abusive parent. Satan just doesn't play by the rules and it's great. Every time someone gets killed it contributes to the impression that the sinister crows, accompanied by a guttural, vocal theme by Jerry Goldsmith, could come from anywhere.

The film has a really impressive cast. It seemed like almost every supporting character had a familiar face. Lew Ayres, Sylvia Sidney, Lance Henriksen, and a for some reason uncredited Leo McKern. McKern appears in an opening scene at an archaeological dig that's one of the best scenes. But it's an altogether satisfying film.