Tube Notes
By Mike Hughes
Gannett News Service
TONIGHT'S MIGHT-SEE "The Omen Legacy" (3 p.m.), "The Omen" (5 p.m., 1976), "Damien — Omen II" (7 p.m., 1978) and "The Final Conflict" (9 p.m., 1981), all AMC. Groping for someone solid to star in this film, the producers had the audacity to ask Gregory Peck. Here was an Oscar-winner who hadn't done a movie in five years. He was mourning his son's suicide; now he was asked to play a man whose son is the antichrist. In one scene, "The Omen Legacy" documentary says, Remick's car was supposed to be swarmed by killer chimps. She didn't tell anyone she couldn't drive a stick shift; the car stalled and she had to be rescued. There were many such predicaments in a movie that tried some fierce special effects before the computer age. Some people insisted there was an "Omen" curse. Director Richard Donner considers it just the standard flow of a tough shoot. Either way, it was a strong and sometimes disturbing film. Donner would go on to cheerier work. Others followed with sequels, which air after the documentary tonight.
"Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" (1971), 6 p.m., Fox Family Channel. Here's a new chance to see this family delight. Gene Wilder plays the eccentric candy mogul in a film that offers wit, music and delightful visuals.
"Boo to You, Winnie the Pooh," 7:30 p.m., ABC. This rerun has Piglet facing his fear of Halloween.
"Frasier," 8 p.m., NBC. The Cranes dress up for Halloween.
"Great Books: Poe's Tales of Terror," 10 p.m., The Learning Channel. This erratic documentary is one of the lesser efforts in the "Great Books" series. It has a few interesting views of Edgar Allan Poe, mixed with pointless detours. One involves a dominatrix; another offers gruesome views of body organs being removed.
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Tonight on News 8
Get the latest news at 5, 6 and 10 p.m. from Howard Dashefsky and Jodi Leong, plus up-to-the-minute weather from Sharie Shima.
• Parenting: Minna Sugimoto looks at inexpensive and fun ways to costume your kids for Halloween.
• News8 Extra: Paul Drewes reports on how shaky economic times are bringing out more abusive debt collectors than ever before.
Advertiser staff contributed to this listing.
