In 1976 The Omen was a hit among critics and audiences hungry for more after The Exorcist with its mixture of Gothic horror and mystery and its plot about a young boy suspected of being the personification of the Antichrist. Directed by Richard Donner (best known later for his Superman and Lethal Weapon films), The Omen gained a lot of credibility from the casting of Gregory Peck and Lee Remick as a distinguished American couple living in England, whose young son Damien bears "the mark of the beast". At a time when graphic gore had yet to dominate the horror genre, this film used its violence discreetly and to great effect, and the mood of dread and potential death is masterfully maintained. It's all a bit contrived, with a lot of biblical portent and sensational fury, but few would deny it's highly entertaining. Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-winning score works wonders to enhance the movie's creepy atmosphere. -Jeff Shannon, Amazon. com On the DVD: The all-new 45-minute documentary, "666: The Omen Revealed", has contributions from all the major behind-the-scenes players, including director, editor, screenwriter (who confesses the movie was only set in England because he wanted a free trip to London), producer and composer. The latter, Jerry Goldsmith, has his Oscar-winning contribution to the movie recognised with a separate feature in which he talks through four key musical scenes in the score. There's also a thought-provoking short called "Curse or Coincidence?" in which the many bizarre accidents that happened during shooting are related, including the terrible story of what happened to the girlfriend of the man responsible for designing the decapitation scene-spooky. Director Richard Donner and editor Stuart Baird provide a chatty audio commentary to the film, and the DVD package is completed by the original theatrical trailer. [+]

Beyond being Jess Franco's masterpiece, Vampyros Lesbos is a highpoint of the lesbian vampire film genre. Like Daughters of Darkness, The Vampire Lovers, and the New Wave vampire film, The Hunger, Vampyros features an extremely hot vampire, Countess Nadina Carody (Soledad Miranda), who dances at strip clubs in her spare time. In a brutally sexy opening scene, Miranda hypnotically seduces audience member Linda Westinghouse (Ewa Strömberg), calling her to her castle in Anatolia, on business from which Westinghouse never returns. Linda's boyfriend, Omar (Andrés Monales), eventually finds Linda institutionalized, cared for by one Dr. Seward. The characters in Vampyros Lesbos are foils for the cast of Bram Stoker's Dracula, in radical opposition to the traditional, clichéd horror film stereotypes. Psychedelic moments, like when Linda is seduced by the Queen of the Night, recall the grainy, erotic scenes of Jean Rollin's Requiem Pour Un Vampire, and Le Frisson Des Vampires. To dwell on the convoluted plot is clearly missing the point. With arguably the best horror movie soundtrack every released, Vampyros Lesbos revels in the sultry aspects of vampirism, resulting in long, romantic sequences of nude women playing in ocean waves, lying on chaise lounges, and making out in bed. Franco's other films, like She Killed in Ecstasy and Venus in Furs, serve as sequels, so see this first. [+]