The Omen: Films (1976-06)

The Omen: Films (1976-06)

Dirs. Various

01. The film that single-handedly caused kids named Damien to get targeted by bullies at school throughout the 80s (and beyond?), The Omen (1976 / Dir. Richard Donner) is a 1970s suspense / horror film that relies on mood and pace to elicit a progressive sense of dread in the viewer.

Gregory Peck is utterly believable as the American Senator with an evil little shit for a son (Harvey Stephens). Throw in some horror convention, a creepy nanny, a house that lacks life, and a biblical poem and you have a classic that looks dated but still manages to shock and entertain.

In lesser roles are David Warner, Billie Whitelaw, and Patrick Troughton, all of whom are equally great. Prolific composer Jerry Goldsmith's musical score adds an extra layer of palpable eeriness.

Apparitions (2008)

Apparitions (2008)

Dirs: Joe Ahearne [1,2,5,6] / John Strickland [3,4] | 6 episodes, approx 56 mins each.

Father Jacob Myers (Martin Shaw) examines evidence of miracles for an institution that considers itself earthly protectors and purveyors of the word and will of God, i.e., the Catholic Church. His findings help determine who does or doesn't get canonised as a Christian Saint.

While investigating the claims of a young trainee [pre-ordination] priest (Elyes Gabel), Father Jacob discovers what he believes to be an actual demonic possession. His actions thereafter lead him to uncover something even more troubling, which may affect his own future role.

I watched Apparitions solely because it starred Martin Shaw, who played the titular inspector in the George Gently TV Series (2007–17) that I'd finished and thoroughly enjoyed a few nights before. Shaw was excellent as Gently, and he was good as Father Myers, too, but the miniseries didn't come close to satisfying my 'evening viewing' time in the way that Gently had.

Francis of Assisi (1961)

Francis of Assisi (1961)

Dir. Michael Curtiz

Francis Bernardone is remembered for a great many things by scholars and Christians, but to the average person he's known mostly as the religious figure who preached the gospel to birds, and persuaded a wolf to stop attacking people.

The film acknowledges his patronage of animals, but it's more concerned with his transformation from a privileged silk-merchant's son to a man penniless but infinitely rich in spiritual matters.

The journey from one state of being to the other is treated with respect, but the acting is so often devoid of any kind of passion that it can feel like watching a rehearsal, not an actual final take.

It proffers a romantic view of poverty, with the suggestion that it brings one closer to the godhead.

While outside of the movies poverty more often tends to lead to sickness and death, it's an inspiring notion, which may serve to remind those obsessed with material wealth that happiness need not be reliant on having a fat bank balance.

A.D. Kingdom and Empire (2015)

A.D. Kingdom and Empire (2015)

Dirs. Ciaran Donnelly (Eps 01, 02, 03) / Tony Mitchell (Eps 04, 05, 06) / Brian Kelly (Eps 07, 08) / Rob Evans (09, 10) / Paul Wilmshurst (11, 12)  | 12 episodes, approx 45 mins each.

Also known as A.D. The Bible Continues, it's a continuation of The Bible: Miniseries (2013) with the same dramatic stylings as before, but lacks the v/o narration this time.

It begins by retelling the crucifixion story and then moves onto the fifth book of The New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles, showing how the religious message outlives the man who was sent to deliver it.

The vast jumps through differing eras that made up the first half of the previous miniseries aren't an issue this time - it's now one lengthy multi-part story with the same characters in the closing episode as were in the opening one, but it suffers from the same belief system 'promotion' that I feel weakened the latter half of the earlier series.

Revelations (2005)

Revelations (2005)

Dir. Lili Fini Zanuck | 6 episodes, approx 41 mins each

A respected Harvard astrophysicist and author named Richard Massey (Bill Pullman) hops around America and Europe with Sister Josepha Montafiore (Natascha McElhone), a nun who observes and records unexplained phenomena, but her ultimate goal is stopping the 'End of Days' as prophesied in the Christian Bible.

Massey's agenda is less ambitious but equally personal; he wants to see a powerful Satanist (Michael Massee) pay for his murderous crimes.

The egotistical Satanist is the leader of a fanatical Satanic cult, a group who coincidentally want to see the anti-Christ born on Earth.

United by tragedy and a shit-ton of serendipity, the astrophysicist and the nun must solve ancient mysteries while the Armageddon clock ticks.

Written by David Seltzer, screenwriter of The Omen (1976), it sounds ridiculous, and it is.

The Bible: Miniseries (2013)

The Bible: Miniseries (2013)

Dirs. Crispin Reece (Eps 01, 02, 05, 06) / Tony Mitchell (Eps 03, 04, 10) / Christopher Spencer (Eps 07, 08, 09)  | 10 episodes, approx 45 mins each.

A ten-episode miniseries based on The Bible. A disclaimer at the beginning of each one states that 'it endeavours to stay true to the spirit of the book.' That's another way of saying that the series makers haven't always remained faithful to the accepted scriptures.

Personally, and without trying to offend anyone, I don't have a problem with things being that way because I perceive the work as a TV show that's taking dramatic licence with a text that itself took dramatic licence with historic events; the precedent for deviation was already set. If, on the other hand, you're deeply religious and take every word as it's written in The Bible as a literal truth, then you may have issues with both the series and my personal appreciation of it.