The Omen Collection Blu-ray delivers great video and solid audio in this fan-pleasing Blu-ray release
See individual titles for their synopses.
For more about The Omen Collection and the The Omen Collection Blu-ray release, see the The Omen Collection Blu-ray Review published by Martin Liebman on November 13, 2008 where this Blu-ray release scored 3.5 out of 5.
Suspicions of destiny. We all have them. A deep, wordless knowledge that our time has
come.
Movie fans have become accustomed to the physical representation of terror resembling a
hulking, merciless, unrelenting beast of a man, a Michael Myers or Jason
Voorhees type that stalks his victims with heavy footsteps, a menacing demeanor, a large bladed
weapon, and some sort of supernatural invulnerability. The four films presented in The Omen
Collection portray a villain just as dastardly, invulnerable, and horrific as any masked
madman, but instills
these terrifying attributes not in a beastly killing machine, a wise-cracking villain, or even a
criminal mastermind, but inside the body of a boy, a teenager, a man. Young, adorable, carefree
Damien Thorn, with nothing more than a stare, a smile, an innocent countenance, grows into
one of cinema's more enduring powerhouses of evil over the course of three films, a character
both at once charming and
repulsive, the very definition of innocence, yet with a future of Biblical importance, a destiny that
nothing -- or nobody -- can alter. He is pure evil, the antichrist, the final representation of terror,
an abomination so tremendous that even the greatest of the horror icons shiver in his presence.
20th Century Fox's The Omen Collection contains four films bundled together, three
representing the original Omen trilogy (1976-1981) along with the 2006 remake of the
original classic. Not included here, but available in a previously released DVD boxed set, is 1991's
made-for-television film Omen IV: The Awakening.
The Omen Rating: 4.5/5
Robert Thron (Gregory Peck, How the West Was
Won) learns one night of the death of his newborn child, a fact still unbeknownst to his
wife Katherine (Lee Remick). Thorn reluctantly agrees to adopt a child and pass it off as his own,
leaving Katherine unaware of the true circumstances of the birth. As the years go by, Thorn is
appointed as ambassador to Great Britain and Damien grows into a handsome young boy.
When the Thorn family nanny inexplicably hangs herself during Damien's birthday party, the
family soon
meets and hires a mysterious nanny by the name of Mrs. Baylock (Billie Whitelaw). It soon
becomes apparent that Damien and Mrs. Baylock are not who they seem. As Robert begins to
piece together the mysteries surrounding the very people living in his house and whom he calls
family, he and a photographer companion by the name of Jennings (David Warner) reveal
Damien's true identity and must choose to accept destiny or do all they can to stop him before
the beginning of his reign of terror on Earth.
Among its many strengths, perhaps it is through its fine ensemble cast that The Omen
still
invokes in its viewers the sheer terror that its story gradually builds some 32 years after its initial
theatrical release. The film's unassuming demons, innocent family members, and terrified
supporting characters are all slowly but surely introduced, developed, and motivated. The clues
are pieced together, first at a leisurely pace, but once the terror begins to take shape, it builds
exponentially through the film's harrowing, depressing climax.
Five-year-old Harvey Stephens, who portrays Damian, captures the essence of pure evil with
shocking ease through a physical countenance that has become the standard for the face of
demonic evil at its most innocent. The
young actor never falters in conveying a broad range of emotion, from innocent child to putting
on a devilishly deceiving smile that sums up the entire movie, and the history of evil itself,
perfectly. Billie Whitelaw's portrayal of Mrs. Baylock, Damien's hell-sent guardian, offers a
performance that
will chill audiences to the bone. She is the embodiment of evil and hate, the world's most
practiced
liar and someone willing to cut anyone down that dares challenge her master's will. Gregory Peck
provides one of the finer performances of his illustrious career as Ambassador Robert Thorn, the
loving father and husband who adopts Damien in secret, shielding his wife form the pain of the
knowledge that her child died at birth, and unwittingly unleashing upon his family, and the world
at large, the most heinous evil mankind has ever, or will ever, know. His character's
understanding and acceptance of the truth as it regards the past, present, and future of his son,
the lengths he goes to to unearth the truth, and his persistence on seeing the task of preventing
Damien's reign through to the bitter end make him one of cinema's most unique and memorable
characters. He is a man with an enormous weight on his shoulders, a man whose life crumbles
rapidly before his eyes, a man whose love and compassion for life and family costs him
everything. The film also features an excellent supporting cast, including standout performances
from Lee Remick and David Warner.
For as good as the efforts in front of the camera are, those working on the other side of the lens
lend to The Omen an effort that, even today, remains hard to top in the psychological
horror genre. The film's excellent direction and photography, courtesy of director Richard Donner
(Superman) and
cinematographer Gilbert Taylor (Star Wars), engages the viewer and personalizes
the film, allowing the audience to revel in the impending terror of the film. The film often
appears troubled, unsettled, and somewhat cockeyed while making great use of shadows, all of
which
lend to the film a disturbing,
foreboding feel that slowly pulls audiences to the edges of their seats, rather than simply causing
them to jump straight out of them. Characters are often seen in the extreme foreground, off to
a side of the screen, with other characters framed more to the center or opposite side, in the
background, out of focus, placing complete emphasis on one individual in the frame. In a few
select shots, the camera will zoom closely in on a character's eyes, letting a simple expression of
paralyzing fear or terrifying evil dominate the entire frame, framing the terror in such a way to
make it all the more frightening, offering a simple yet raw manifestation of emotion, or lack
thereof, rather than the camera lingering on the action or violence itself. The Omen also
features an Academy Award-winning score by Jerry Goldsmith (L.A. Confidential), his
score appropriately demonic and harrowing, chilling and forceful, the perfect accompaniment to
the film's tone, emotion, and conflict, both inner and outer.
Damien: Omen II Rating: 3.5/5
Now 13 years old, living under the care of his late father's brother Richard (William Holden, The Wild Bunch), and
attending a military academy with his cousin Mark (Lucas Donat), Damien (Jonathan
Scott-Taylor) has yet to learn his true identity as the spawn of satan, the antichrist.
Nevertheless, the forces of evil remain with him, killing anyone who discovers who Damien truly
is, or those connected to the characters who fought evil in the first Omen film. Damien
begins to note within himself a sense of purpose, of fate, of something important burgeoning
inside of him. He demonstrates mysterious powers that he cannot explain in addition to
seemingly
limitless knowledge, demonstrated as he answers a series of rapid-fire questions from a stunned
history professor. While at the academy, one of Damien's instructors and himself a disciple of
satan,
Sergeant Neff (Lance Henriksen, The Terminator),
instructs Damien to read the Bible -- and the Book of Revelation in particular -- to learn his true
identity. Shocked at the revelation and the discovery of the mark of the beast upon his head,
proclaiming "why me?," Damien must choose whether or not he will embrace his
newfound power and accept his fate.
While not a particularly great movie, and certainly a far cry from the classic that is the original
The Omen, Damien: Omen II is a solid follow-up, a logical progression of the
story, and a thrilling, frightening, and highly entertaining film. Not necessarily a horror film in
the
traditional sense, Damien: Omen II remains a terrifying display of the power of true evil,
of a startling discovery that would shake any man, woman, or child to the core. It is a
psychological thriller, embracing an idea above all else, and the film's take on the power of pure
evil, as the world is manipulated ever so subtly to ensure its unspeakable deeds are done without
drawing undue attention to Damien or the powers at work, is startling in its simplicity. Young
Jonathan Scott-Taylor captures the essence of the character extremely well, arguably surpassing
Harvey Stephens' performance as Damien in the first film, that performance, in its own right, a
classic. Even through the first half of the film, as he remains unaware of who he is and the
destiny that lays before him, he retains just a hint of creepiness while cemented as a mostly
normal, everyday pre-teen. His progression until the film's chilling final sequence is admirable,
the acting superb, and the direction effective. While the movie is generally predictable, it remains
an entertaining, taut, and frightening picture that does the series proud.
Omen III: The Final Conflict Rating: 2.5/5
The only film featuring featuring a fully-aware Damien from beginning to end, The Final
Conflict
focuses on Damien Thorn's (Sam Neil, The Hunt For Red
October) quest to ensure his reign as the antichrist. As the film opens, the Knives of
Megiddo, the only weapons capable of destroying the antichrist and those seen at the end of the
first Omen film, are unearthed and find their way to several Italian priests, including
Father DeCarlo (Rossano Brazzi). Aware of a pending astrological alignment that is said to signal
the second coming of Christ, the priests set out to eliminate Thorn before he can interfere with
Christ's return. Thorn, appointed ambassador to Great Britain, is himself aware of the imminent
arrival and instructs his horde of followers to seek out and eliminate all baby boys born on a
particular date, ensuring Christ's death while still in infancy. As Thorn fends off attempts on his
life from the desperate, mortal priests, he becomes suspicious that the infant Christ may be
closer to him than he believes.
Continuing in the fine tradition of actors who have portrayed Damien Thorn in the first two
Omen films is then-little-known actor Sam Neil. Now portraying an adult Thorn, his is a
performance as spellbinding as those of his predecessors, though with an obviously more mature
and refined sense of evil and predestination. A scene in chapter nine is downright frightening as
he speaks with a life-sized representation of Christ upon the cross, hatefully yet gleefully relaying
his plans for evil and boasting of what he considers his unbendable destiny. Nevertheless,
Omen III: The Final Conflict is a rather bland movie with slow pacing but a decent
enough story. As any audience might hope, this film nicely completes the series. Sam Neil is the
bright spot in
what is otherwise a forgettable cast of characters. The Final Conflict is somewhat gorier
than the previous entries, but never abundantly so; a rather bloody suicide by gunshot to the
head marks the high point of the gore.
The Omen (666) Rating: 1/5
The story begins in the Vatican. Through the lens of a high-tech telescope, a Vatican astronomer
observes a celestial phenomena in the form of comets that scares him right out of his wits.
Taking this as the
fulfillment
of
Biblical Prophesy as found in the book of Revelation, the astronomer creates a PowerPoint
presentation that ties together some of the biggest disasters since the release of the original
The Omen in 1976, including Ishtar, One Missed Call, Meet the Spartans,
Gigli, and The Omen (666) as signs of the pending apocalypse.
OK,
not really, but I could have taken this movie a bit more seriously had it attempted to parody bad
movies rather than pretend not to be one. Anyway, the astronomer does convince the
leaders of the Catholic Church that these comets represent the final sign of the coming of the
unholy one, the devil incarnate, Damien himself.
That same night, U.S.
government official Robert Thorn (Liev Schreiber, The Sum of All Fears)
learns that his son has died during childbirth and that his wife Katherine's (Julia Stiles, The
Bourne
Identity) womb has been damaged, leaving her
barren. Unbeknownst to his wife, Robert is talked into taking in another newborn, an orphaned
child, as his own, admonished that is wife is never to be told of the dead child and the exchange.
Unfortunately, this child will
make Junior of Problem Child fame look like an
angel since
the exchanged child is really...the devil! So as to maneuver his way into power, the devil
(Damien) kills
the U.S.
Ambassador to Great Britain at 6:06:06 PM. Damien's adoptive daddy just so happens
to be the
ambassador's number two man, and he ascends to his former boss' position. A few years later,
Damien is a "very precocious five" when
he
witnesses the suicide of his nanny ("Damien! It's all for you!") at a party, which leads to the
hiring of a new nanny, one audiences know to be unscrupulous the moment they lay eyes on
her. Not
only does she say everything Robert and Katherine want to hear, but viewers are also clued in by
the
fact that the nanny agency failed to send over her documentation, which she conveniently pulls
from her purse. Will this demonic duo rule the day, or will Robert and Katherine, with a little help
from Razzie Award
nominee David Thewlis, thwart the devil's plans?
Shockingly, the above-referenced Razzie was the only one for which this film was
nominated. Other deserving categories are: Worst Picture (although it's hard to argue with the
selections nominated, with the possible exception of Lady in the Water),
Worst Actress (Julia Stiles, yikes!), and Worst Re-Make or Rip-Off. Most of the cast recite their
lines like they were reading them for the first time upon receiving the script, and there's very
little
emotion to these stiff performances. The worst such scene occurs in chapter nine when the
characters Katherine Thorn and Mrs. Baylock argue over Damien's preparedness to go to
church.
Only Liev Schreiber pulls off an average performance here. Even the child who plays Damien,
Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick (TV's "The Guiding Light") fails to be creepy in the least, but he is the
least of this movie's problems. Almost every scene lifted from the original fails to work here. One
stands out as clearly the worst, while another stands out as clearly the best. The "impaling"
scene works very well here. For once, the movie is taut, scary, and thrilling all at once. The
scene that doesn't work so well is when Damien annoys his mother. In the original, Damien was
making the most god-awful, annoying noises one could possibly imagine, driving not only his
mother insane, but the audience as well. Here, he's simply playing a game which rings out with
the
occasional puny yet repetitive sound. The mother may have very well been annoyed by it, but
the scene proves to a complete failure nevertheless, especially in the shadow of the power of the
scene as played in the original version of the film.
20th Century Fox presents The Omen on Blu-ray with a 1080p high definition,
2.35:1-framed transfer. Potential viewers need be aware that The Omen does not
represent the
pinnacle of high definition eye candy. The film offers a restrained, slightly bleak, somewhat flat,
and grainy picture. Nevertheless, the film has never looked better; the grain structure is used to
fine effect, particularly in the film's darker corners, and while the print showcases the occasional
blemish, it has been cleaned up and offers audiences an image that represents the best The
Omen has ever looked on home video. Black levels aren't extraordinarily deep or inky here,
only moderately so,
rather offering a hint of gray in some scenes. Detail is moderately good, be it the interior of the
Thorn home, clothing, or various exterior settings, such as the zoo or Damien's birthday party
near the beginning of the film. Look at a scene in chapter 22 as Mr. Thorn speaks with Mrs.
Baylock in the kitchen. The dishes seen throughout, the wallpaper, and various knickknacks
bring the scene alive, all benefitting from the improved resolution of the Blu-ray transfer. Facial
detail is strong, and flesh tones never veer too far away from natural. Colors are strong; a yellow
taxi seen in chapter 23, for example, is bright and clean but not harsh or overblown. The
Omen is a film that offers a fine example of how a properly mastered Blu-ray can breathe
new life into an old classic, and fans will be most pleased with the results.
Damien: Omen II Rating: 3.5/5
20th Century Fox brings Damien: Omen II to Blu-ray in a faithful 1080p, 2.35:1-framed
transfer. This disc reveals a nice level of detail. It looks like a 30-year-old film, but then again, it
is displayed as intended, and the Blu-ray disc replicates its intended look nicely. Film grain is left
intact and adds a nice film-like look to the presentation. Colors are a bit dull and washed out in
the film's opening sequence, but spring to life later in the picture. Flesh tones generally look
normal if not featuring just a hint of red to them. Despite some softness about the image, both
in background and select foreground shots, detail is moderately high and colors are excellent;
check out an outdoor scene in chapter six as Damien and Mark meet their new Sergeant. The
color and detail on the uniforms look great. The sun glistens off the Stars and Stripes, and the
image offers moderately good depth of field. Some colors seem a bit over saturated, like a bright
red fur coat worn by a character as seen in chapter nine. Black levels hold up well throughout,
never offering a deep, dark black, but never appearing too bright, gray, or blue, either.
Damien: Omen II looks just fine, a solid presentation of a 30-year-old catalogue title.
Omen III: The Final Conflict Rating: 3.5/5
Another fine looking catalogue title from Fox, Omen III: The Final Conflict retains a look
similar to the previous film, right down to its 2.35:1 aspect ratio and, for the Blu-ray release, a
1080p high definition transfer. Grain swirls about the screen in many scenes and black levels are
decent. The first time Damien Thorn is seen, during a screening of a proposed television
commercial for his company, the image is
bathed in black for several moments where grain is heavy and black levels look less than
exemplary, but not too bad. Like the previous entries, The Final Conflict offers up a
somewhat dull look with a slightly muted color palette, many scenes featuring a rather hazy
appearance. Nevertheless, detail remains moderately high and colors are generally strong. There
are some scenes that are particularly vibrant and nicely detailed; an outdoor sequence in chapter
12 stands out as a fine example. Flesh tones appear somewhat pale in several scenes.
Omen III: The Final
Conflict features a generally solid transfer that doesn't offer flashy visuals, but it does remain
true to the source, which is all one can truly ask for.
The Omen (666) Rating: 4/5
The Omen (666) makes its mark on Blu-ray with an above-average
1080p, 1.85:1 transfer. The image looks fairly good in its bright outdoor locales, best
demonstrated
by
those scenes taking place in Jerusalem near the end of the film. The image is crystal-clear and
highly detailed, not only in clothing and in faces, but in the surroundings as well, especially the
earth-toned colors of the buildings and the ground. The goriest scene of the movie is set
here, and it is a somewhat disturbing image that shows quite a bit of gruesome detail that can be
seen in
all
its gory glory. Other fine details scattered throughout the film appear equally impressive,
notably those seen immediately proceeding the ambassador's death in Italy early in the film.
Viewers
are privy to the individual bricks on the street, the grime on a tire well, the grooves in the tire
itself, and all of it looks as real as if one were sitting a foot away from it in person. Detail in
close-ups of faces is also fine, as every line, pit, blemish and strand of facial hair is clearly visible.
Much
of the color palette seen in The Omen (666) is slightly dulled. Many whites seem to
have a
slightly gray and blue tint to them, a fact seemingly due to directorial decisions for setting the
lighting and mood of the film. Nevertheless, black levels are nearly perfect. Flesh tones
appear to be a bit off, and some close-up shots appear soft and lack a defined sharpness. Film
grain is
retained throughout the picture, and it adds a depth and sense of dread to some scenes, as do
some of the deliberately hazy-in-appearance shots scattered throughout the film. The
Omen (666) isn't the pinnacle of Blu-ray high definition imagery, but it is solid enough, and
one that
shouldn't disappoint viewers.
The Omen haunts Blu-ray with a lossless DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, and the disc also
retains the film's original monaural mix. The lossless rendition of the score and all of the film's
dialogue and effects provide solid presence, adequate in both volume and fidelity, though it
remains
focused primarily across the front with only the occasional rear channel presence. Sound effects
are
loud and somewhat undefined, such as the sound of shattering glass as the Thorn's first nanny
hangs herself and crashes through a window. Though the lack of surround activity is palpable,
the
back channels come alive in support of the primaries on several occasions. The first time they
work
with any sort of vitality is during the film's zoo scene in chapter 13 as the animals cause quite
the
ruckus in reaction to Damien's visit. The soundtrack does provide some punch in the form of
lows
in a few scenes, an example being the smashing of a headstone in chapter 26. Dialogue is
rendered
adequately throughout. The Omen's audio quality, much like that of its video, is not of
modern-day reference quality, but it does benefit a great deal from its reproduction on Blu-ray.
Damien: Omen II Rating: 3/5
20th Century Fox brings Damien: Omen II to Blu-ray with an adequate DTS-HD MA 5.1
lossless soundtrack. The original monaural soundtrack is also included. Dialogue, in particular, is
reproduced nicely. Sound effects are loud but feature a nice up-front presence, particularly louder
effects like a collapse in an underground chamber in chapter three. Surround speakers are rarely
employed, and sound doesn't spread far from the center channel. Even the film's score remains
focused up the middle, the left and right front channels carrying only a hint of the
accompaniment. Still, the
lossless 5.1 mix offers a fuller, richer experience over the mono mix, which is flatter and features
less vitality in all areas. Damien:
Omen II won't wow listeners with a robust, full-fledged lossless 5.1 surround sound
experience, but it remains faithful to the source and adds a bit of oomph and clarity over the
mono
mix.
Omen III: The Final Conflict Rating: 3.5/5
Omen III: The Final Conflict, like its predecessors, is offered with a DTS-HD MA 5.1
lossless soundtrack. Certainly the most satisfying of the original Omen films in terms of
room-filling presence and sound placement across the front, The Final Conflict offers a
generally robust, though still reserved, front-heavy mix. The sound does flow effortlessly as it
spreads across the front, the film's title theme music playing nicely all across the front
soundstage. Still, like the previous films, there is a lack of a rear channel presence. The back
speakers offer nary a note or effect, and if they do, it's whisper-quiet or completely inaudible.
Several times throughout the film, the soundtrack picks up to a powerful, room-filling experience.
Damien's speech to throngs of followers in chapter 13, and the growing, reverberating chant of
"we hear" in response, is chilling. While not an extravagant track, this one suits the film well, is
in-line with the presentation of the previous two films, and is never a hinderance to the
presentation.
The Omen (666) Rating: 4.5/5
The Omen (666) presents listeners with a devilishly good DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack.
This is a
solid, well-rounded soundtrack where dialogue is crisp and natural and the action and
atmospherics of the film are let loose and sometimes stretch the limits of any sound system.
There are several instances of loud, devastating explosions, each one enough to scatter pets
and leave ears ringing. There are other pounding moments, such as when
a gorilla attempts to escape from a cage in the zoo. Every beat of its hand against the glass
causes a rumbling tremor throughout the listening area as the repeated thumps emanate from
the subwoofer. Bass rumbles in chapter 12 with a low, tight, powerful effect. Nevertheless,
those less-than-exciting moments of the film present listeners with a sometimes flat soundtrack.
There isn't much in the way of rear channel presence (save for the blending of the score into the
rear) or ambience outside of the louder, more
raucous scenes. In chapter 13, a rainstorm offers a nice and complete rear-channel presence,
and the thunder in the scene
booms and the wind ravages the soundstage,
as well as the locale on-screen, with effective realism. Add to that some of those generic, "scary"
howls, screams, moans, chants, and the like that sound good here but don't really add anything
to the movie, and the soundtrack that accompanies The Omen (666) just might be the
only
reason to watch the movie.
20th Century Fox brings four of the five Omen films to Blu-ray, and only one of the four
discs
sports substantial supplements. The middle films, Damien: Omen II and Omen III:
The Final Conflict, the two films in this set that, to date, have not seen individual Blu-ray
releases, each offer only a commentary track and a trailer. Also of note is that this set arrives in
a rather flimsy cardboard fold-open case rather than a solid plastic multi-disc case, similar to the
recent "Firefly" release.
The Omen Rating: 5/5
The Omen comes to Blu-ray with an impressive array of bonus materials, the package
highlighted by the inclusion of three audio commentary tracks. Track number one features
director
Richard Donner and editor Stuart Baird. These participants have the notable ability to inform
while
entertaining their listeners. The discussion ranges from the film's budget, the length of the
shoot,
and the participation of most of the primary cast and crew members. Perhaps the highlight of
the
track comes in chapter 13 as Donner and Baird gleefully recount the experience of shooting the
film's famed zoo sequence. Track number two again features Donner, this time accompanied by
Brian Helgeland, screenwriter of Man on Fire and
director
of Payback. Again, this
is
a lighthearted track that flows well and offers plenty of information fans will enjoy a great deal.
Track three features film historians Lem Dobbs, Nick Redman, and Jeff Bond. The best track on
the disc, it offers a more serious, on-message tone, and is significantly more dry than the Donner
tracks. As far as tracks that true fans of cinema will enjoy, this is it. There are some
interesting discussions on here, an example being how a composer, for example, becomes
attached to a studio and scores many of that studio's films, with an obvious emphasis on Jerry
Goldsmith. The Omen also features an isolated score that removes all but
the film's music from the soundtrack, and is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1.
Richard Donner on 'The Omen' (1080p, 14:36) features the director reminiscing about
how he came to work on the film, the excellent script, his work with various cast and crew
members, his disappointment with some of the initial work (including his firing of the film's
original editor), the marketing of the film, and more. 'The Omen' Revelations -- BonusView
with Trivia Track is a feature-length supplement that provides both a basic text-based trivia
track
as well as Profile 1.1 picture-in-picture video segments. The trivia and the picture-in-picture
window sometimes appear on-screen simultaneously. Both offer plenty of pertinent and trivial
information, a solid array of knowledge that every fan of The Omen will enjoy. Those
without a profile 1.1 player may choose to play only the trivia track, and view the additional
video-based material separate from the movie. Introduction by Director Richard Donner from
2006 (480p, 1:55) is a brief feature that showcases director Richard Donner offering a few
personal insights, including how the film jump-started his career. Next is a deleted scene
entitled Dog Attack (480p, 1:26), and is available with optional commentary by Richard
Donner and Brian Helgeland.
666: 'The Omen' Revealed (480p, 46:15) is an extensive making-of feature that runs
the spectrum of the production, beginning with the theological underpinnings of the story and
moving into the writing of the script, the assemblage of the cast and crew, the filming of some of
the movie's most crucial scenes, the creation and implementation of the film's Academy-Award
winning score, and more. Screenwriter's Notebook (480p, 14:51) is an interview piece
with David Seltzer, who discusses how his script broke from the genres he generally worked in,
the challenges of working in the horror genre, the differing titles attached to the film, and his
work on
the novelization of the film, among other things. Next up is An Appreciation: Wes Craven on
'The Omen' (480p, 20:17). Here, the famed horror director recounts his thoughts on
various aspects of the picture. 'The Omen' Legacy (480p, 1:41:38) is a comprehensive
overview of the entire Omen saga, recounting the film's Biblical influences, the "curses"
that plagued the sets, and almost anything else fans of the entire series could imagine.
Curse or Coincidence (480p, 6:19) is an all-too-brief look back on the various mishaps
that plagued the shoot and the cast and crew, and the belief that forces more powerful than man
were at work, attempting to halt the filmmaking process. Jerry Goldsmith on 'The Omen'
Score (480p, 17:41)
features the acclaimed composer discussing various pieces of music heard throughout the film.
Concluding this extensive selection of bonus materials is a still gallery and the film's theatrical
trailer (480p, 2:19).
Damien: Omen II Rating: 1/5
Other than the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:59), the only supplement available on this disc is
an audio commentary with Damien: Omen II producer Harvey Bernhard and DVD
producer J.M. Kenny. A lively, entertaining track, Bernhard and Kenny run the gamut of
Damien: Omen II trivia, background, shooting, casting, and more. There is rarely an
uninteresting moment; Bernhard is passionate and excited not only for the movie but for the
opportunity to share his thoughts on the film with home video audiences. Fans of the film will
enjoy laying back and taking this one in.
Omen III: The Final Conflict Rating: 1/5
Like the previous film, only a feature-length commentary track is available, aside for a theatrical
trailer (480p, 1:51). Director Graham Baker jumps straight in by recounting the end of
Damien: Omen II and how it ties in with The Final Conflict. His is a
no-nonsense, straightforward track that dryly offers listeners any pertinent information Baker
decides is relevant to the scene at hand. With dead air cropping up here and there, the film's
soundtrack always rising in volume to compensate, the track moves along at a somewhat
sluggish pace and is for die-hard fans of the film only.
The Omen (666) Rating: 2/5
The Omen (666) arrives on Blu-ray with a handful of take-'em-or-leave-'em extras. First
up is a
commentary track with director John Moore, producer Glenn Williamson, and editor Dan
Zimmerman. The trio discuss their sole purpose for remaking the movie, the performances of the
actors (plenty of back-patting), and a barrage of generic information that even fans will probably
consider
less-than-pertinent. Abbey Road Sessions (1080p, 10:14) takes a behind-the-scenes
look into
the making of a film score, in this case composer Marco Beltrami taking viewers into the writing
of the
various themes heard throughout The Omen (666). Revelation 666 (1080p,
22:17) is a
History Channel wannabe feature that looks into the secrets of the number 666. Next up
are two extended scenes: Impaling (1080p, 2:07) and Beheading (1080p,
2:05).
Finally, The Devil's Footnotes is a pop-up trivia track that runs for the length of the film,
covering topics such as the fear of the number 666, some Biblical history, and the role of the
color
red in the film.
The Omen Collection, particularly the three films in the original trilogy, represent one of
the finer series in the annals of horror movie history. Built on psychological terror and playing off
spiritual themes, events, and characters as depicted in the Bible, the films are short on traditional
horror motifs and gore but heavy on symbolism, tension, and the fear of the inevitable. The
Omen films have never been about gore. They have been about the ultimate in fear, the
ultimate in evil growing inside what is, at first, an unaware host. The three films offer a
captivating portrayal of an individual coming to a realization and an acceptance that he is
different, as different as one may be from everyone else, and his rise and fall as the ultimate in
evil.
The first in the series is the undisputed classic to come from the franchise, offering a well-scripted
original story, solid direction, and excellent acting all around, particularly form the reliable Gregory
Peck. The second in the series may be the most entertaining, a lesser movie than The
Omen but an excellent sequel in its own right, and featuring arguably the strongest portrayal
of Damien in the series, courtesy of Jonathan Scott-Taylor. Omen III: The Final Conflict
is
good enough as a final entry, though ultimately disappointing in its predictability, meandering
plot, and slow pace. Finally, this set contains the horrid remake, The Omen (666). But
for the most ardent and curious of fans, The Omen (666) is a film to avoid at all costs.
No doubt, particularly
since the film already received a stand-alone Blu-ray release, the set would have been better off
with the generally panned Omen IV: The Awakening as the fourth disc. Nevertheless, all
four films make for a solid Blu-ray package. The films never disappoint in terms of picture and
sound quality, and there are plenty of extras spread across the package, the bulk of which are
contained on disc one. Despite rather flimsy and uninteresting packaging, The Omen
Collection is recommended on the strength of the original trilogy, and the first and second
films in particular.
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Amazon's Blu-ray Deals of the Week affect Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment's The Omen Collection as well as the Wrong Turn Collection. Through this week, the two bundles are 70% and 50% off their respective SRPs. These deals expire at 12 AM PST/3 AM EST ...
Amazon's Blu-ray Deal of Week has The Omen Collection marked down to $19.99. The set, which includes The Omen, Damien: Omen II, Omen III: The Final Conflict and Omen (666) has been discounted 67% off the $59.99 SRP. The deal ends on October 15th.
Amazon's current Blu-ray Boxed Set of the Week is for the four-movie set The Omen Collection (comprised of The Omen, Damien: Omen II, The Final Conflict and The Omen 666), which which can now be had for only $23.99 (60% off MSRP, or about $6 per movie). The price ...
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