THE VISITOR (1979)
Directed by Giulio Paradisi
Starring Mel Ferrer and Glenn Ford
This disjointed Italian-produced clone of "The Omen" (with a girl instead of a boy anti-Christ) isn't quite as bad as you may have been led to believe.
Producer Ovido Assonitis followed the same formula as with his previous film "Tentacles" (a "Jaws" rip-off) , which was to copy a proven successful formula, film on location in the US, and get as many name actors possible, cramming all of their shots into one day of shooting to keep the budget low.
The cast alone, featuring Ferrer, Shelley Winters, Lance Henriksen, Ford, and legendary directors John Huston and Sam Peckinpah, make this worth a viewing.
The dated 1970s look of the film provides some camp value, and there is some nice camerawork as well as an audacious score by Franco Micalizzi.
Some of the special effects are also unintentionally amusing.
The U.S. release was shorn by several minutes, with most of Peckinpah's role as a gynecologist winding up on the cutting room floor. Oh, the injustice.
