The Omen Collector’s Edition

Filed Under: Film, Reviews | Article Tags : DVD review

By: The Dweeb

DVD Features

Video: 2.35:1 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital Mono, French: Dolby Digital Mono, Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono

Commentary by Director Richard Donner & Editor Stuart Baird
Introduction to Collector’s Edition DVD by Director Richard Donner
Commentary by Director Richard Donner & Brian Helgeland (Screenwriter of Man On Fire)
Curse or Coincidence Featurette
Jerry Goldsmith Discusses The Omen Score
Still Photo Gallery
Deleted Scene with Commentary
Documentaries: 666: The Omen Revealed and The Omen Legacy
Screenwriter’s Notebook
An Appreciation: Wes Craven on The Omen

Theatrical release: 6/25/1976
DVD released on 6/20/2006 by 20th Century Fox
Running time of 111 minutes

Starring: Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, Harvey Stephens, David Warner, Billie Whitelaw

Director: Richard Donner

Plot: When their child is stillborn in Rome - on the 6th day, of the 6th month at the 6th hour - Robert Thorne, an American diplomat, and his wife Katherine are devastated. In his despair, Thorne exchanges his dead baby for one born at the same time…and unwittingly enters a bargain with the devil that culminates in a series of gruesome ‘accidents’ …and a child destined to one day destroy the world!

Sometimes, young parents must wonder if their little hellion is actually the spawn of Satan. Well, unfortunately for Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) his son actually is the son of Satan. In time for its anniversary, Fox trotted out the film once more into theatres on June 6th this year, get it? Those marketers are so clever! And in all good money making tradition released a 2 disc collectors edition soon afterwards. Adding another edition of this film onto DVD.
The Omen is an iconic film of the horror genre, although I wouldn’t quite consider this horror due to the lack of gore. I would consider it more of a thriller, but a creepy flick this is nonetheless. Sure its not as scary as other films from this era, like The Exorcist, but I still found myself looking behind my back occasionally during the movie. Yeah, I’m a wimp. And when was the last time a film from this category could score an Oscar for Best Music? The soundtrack definitely turned it up a notch in the chills department.
I have a certain disdain for horror films, because usually I find them to be predictable, unfulfilling, and frankly they can get really stupid. Not so with this film. I think it helps to have an actor like Gregory Peck to give the lead role some credibility, and Damien (Harvey Stephens) just is one creepy kid. The Omen isn’t a film that depends on the cheap thrill to make it scary (and loading a high body count in the process). Instead it focuses on a solid story that still holds up today. The killing off of characters wasn’t as easy in this film, some took a few tries for ole Damien to take care of them. His mom (Lee Remick) took two tries before she bit the bucket. David Warner’s character Keith Jennings also went in an interesting way. Not everyday you’re decapitated by a sheet of flying glass.
In the creepy crawlies department the film gets it just right. Not too much, but just enough to make you hide under your bedcovers. But really, it wasn’t that scary, was it? Hello? Anyone in here? Mommy? The ending was a nice twist though, I didn’t see that one happening because there were no hints anywhere else in the film. Nice touch with that last shot. Having Damien not speak for the vast majority of the film and just give out blank stares instead was very effective. The eyes just said it all, props to Richard Donner for exploiting this technique in filmmaking.
The transfer for this film was remastered for the theatrical release and this DVD, and they did an awesome job. The film is very clear, and the sound redone into 5.1 was excellent. A lot of times a flat mono track doesn’t translate well into 5.1, but in this case it works. I swore someone was knocking at the door when it was actually on screen. The second disc that comes with this package is chock full of extras. They are all very lengthy so sit back and relax as they talk about how the film about the son of the devil came to be. There are quite a few interesting tidbits and trivia as well. Like how they got the baboons to go crazy and such. Wes Craven gives a lengthy opinion on how he loves this film, and how it influenced him. Overall, this is a really nice DVD. If you are a fan of the film, or this genre then this disc is for you.