Initial release date: June 25, 1976
Studios: 20th Century Fox/Mace Neufeld Productions
Tagline: Our Final Warning
It is the greatest mystery of all because no human being will ever solve it
Plot: American diplomat Robert adopts Damien when his wife, Katherine, delivers a stillborn child. After Damien's first nanny hangs herself, Father Brennan warns Robert that Damien will kill Katherine's unborn child. As more people around Damien die, Robert investigates Damien's background and realizes his adopted son may be something far more sinister.
Cast
Gregory Peck - Robert Thorn
Lee Remick - Katherine Thorn
David Warner - Jennings
Billie Whitelaw - Mrs. Baylock
Harvey Stephens - Damien
Patrick Troughton - Father Brennan
Martin Benson - Father Spiletto
Sheila Raynor - Mrs. Horton
Writer: David Seltzer (Dragonfly; My Giant)
Director: Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon series; Superman)
Rated R (111 minutes)
This past week (April 8) I took a look at the prequel to the 1976 classic The First Omen. My take of the prequel will be posted early this week, but for a horror prequel, it's very intriguing and still shows that this franchise can be scary.
Just like the Monster Verse franchise, to coincide with the New movie, I decided to go through this series. The only difference is, unlike the Monster Verse movies, I've only seen the 1976 film and a tiny bit of the remake. So, let's get things started with the horror classic that started it all - The Omen.
The Omen is a horror classic that I have seen many times over the years and the frightening moments still don't disappoint. The film's atmosphere is really eerie and some of the unsettling moments can still get to you.
Jerry Goldsmith's iconic musical score still does an outstanding job giving this film a creepy vibe. And, quick side note, a little bit of this score is in the prequel! Just like The Exorcist theme, the score for The Omen will always be iconic.
The only thing that seems a bit dated in The Omen is mainly a bit of the visual effects that involve the infamous decapitation scene. At the time of its release, it was all they could do, but still looks okay.
*** YOU CAN NOW STREAM THE OMEN, ALONG WITH IT'S OTHER MOVIES, ON HULU!!!***
HERE ARE SOME TIDBITS FOR THE 1976 HORROR CLASSIC!!!
One of the reasons why Gregory Peck accepted the role of a tortured father, conflicted with guilt, was because he hadn't been around when his son committed suicide in 1975.
The biggest problem with shooting with Mrs. Baylock's ominous dog was that the animal was nothing like the creature he was supposed to be portraying. He wanted to lick and play with his co-stars rather than looking like to threaten them.
Mrs. Baylock was originally written as a warm, effusive Irish nanny. For her audition, Billy Whitelaw significantly changed the dialogue to create the cold, sinister character that subsequently appeared in the film.
Gregory Peck had essentially been retired for several years when he quite unexpectedly agreed to make the film. By doing so, he effectively validated the production, and other members of the cast and crew soon came on board.
Richard Donner's priority wasn't to make a Crackerjack horror film, but a realistic portrayal of a family in crisis, to the point where insanity briefly takes over.
The song "Ave Santani" remains the only Best Original Song Oscar nominee for a horror film, and the only nominee that was written and sung in Latin.
To make the baboons attack the car in the Windsor Zoo park scene, an official from the zoo was in the backseat with a baby baboon, but the baboons had no response at all. Then they took the head of the baboons, and the baboons outside went crazy. Lee Remick's terror as the baboons attack the car was real.
The site used for the Megiddo archaeological dig is a real dig, just not in Megiddo. It's located in the Old City of Jerusalem, on the southern end of the Temple Mount.
Many writers refused to work on the project due to the subject matter.
Entertainment Weekly ranked this as the 14th scariest movie of all time.
While critics tore into The Exorcist for being too gratuitously gory at times, this film was almost universally praised for its discreet use of gore. In fact, although there are many grisly deaths, there is still almost no bloodshed. That didn't stop it from nearly getting an X rating due to its infamous decapitation scene.
The Omen was released following a successful $2.8 million marketing campaign inspired by the one from Jaws one year prior, with two weeks of sneak previews and a novelization.
The film was a massive commercial success opening in the US and Canada on June 25, 1976, in 516 theaters. It grossed $4.2 million in its opening weekend (a then-record for Fox) and $60.9 million in total, generating theatrical rentals of $28.5 million domestic. In the US, the film was the 6th highest grossing movie of 1976.
The Omen was ranked No. 81 on the AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Thrills list and the score by Jerry Goldsmith was nominated for AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores.
The 1976 film was followed by three sequels: Damien: Omen II (1978), Omen III: The Final Conflict (1982) and Omen IV: The Awakening (1991). A remake of the same name was released in 2006 and the prequel (The First Omen) on April 5, 2024.
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