THE OMEN Blu-Ray Thread

[AndyDursin]

We can at last rid ourselves of the worst home video packaging of all time!!

[AndyDursin]

New edition of THE BLOB also coming for Halloween ...

[Monterey Jack]

Hey, remember when Scream Factory released movies that didn't already have perfectly-adequate Blu-Ray releases?

[AndyDursin]

That's how it goes -- gotta sell some copies to fund the smaller titles that don't sell many units. At least they're producing new content to go along with their releases, and honestly, I think they've done a really good job addressing things like vintage Universal horror that were WAY overdue. Problem is nowadays those titles aren't going to sell as much as they may have 20 or 30 years ago, so they have to make good with healthy sellers like, yeah, another disc of THE BLOB.

But I also can't blame them for going in on THE BLOB -- much like FRIGHT NIGHT, that one was an obvious candidate for a re-issue from its very first Twilight Time appearance. This is the first "retail" release of it on Blu-Ray in the U.S.

I know where you're coming from though. Despite the superior packaging, I'm not sold on THE OMEN just yet either -- especially because the previous Blu-Ray transfers are exceptionally good on 2 and 3 -- and frankly I'd be happy living without OMEN IV in my library. Some movies you just don't want hanging around under any circumstance!

[Monterey Jack]

That's how it goes -- gotta sell some copies to fund the smaller titles that don't sell many units. At least they're producing new content to go along with their releases, and honestly, I think they've done a really good job addressing things like vintage Universal horror that were WAY overdue. Problem is nowadays those titles aren't going to sell as much as they may have 20 or 30 years ago, so they have to make good with healthy sellers like, yeah, another disc of THE BLOB.

Hey, I understand the realities of the situation, but in a world where we STILL don't have major titles like The Abyss or True Lies on Blu, I'm more interested in getting as many movies preserved in HD on disc as possible before the inevitable days when everything is 100% streaming, so seeing movies that have been out on the format -- in lavish special editions like the first Omen -- for a decade or longer, it's frustrating.

I know where you're coming from though. Despite the superior packaging, I'm not sold on THE OMEN just yet either -- especially because the previous Blu-Ray transfers are exceptionally good on 2 and 3 -- and frankly I'd be happy living without OMEN IV in my library. Some movies you just don't want hanging around under any circumstance!

I went through the Omen trilogy during last October's horror marathon, and aside from Goldsmith's scores, none of them are genuine classics of the genre. The first is the best of course, anchored by the casting of Gregory Peck and Lee Remick and sleek direction by Richard Donner, but it's no Exorcist. The second is decent as a string of amusingly elaborate death setpieces that pre-date the Rube Goldberg daisy-chain structure of the Final Destination movies, and the third is a near-wash aside from Sam Neill's performance as Damien and Goldsmith's magnificent, operatic score. The 2006 remake of the original is okay as far as mercenary, scene-for-scene retreads go (much like the 2013 version of Carrie, it's okay as Big Mac Cinema, but why settle for Mickey D's when you can have Filet Mignon?), but Omen IV is DREADFUL Unless the new extras are very enticing (isolated Goldsmith scores for the second and third movies to match the first would be wonderful to have ), I'm more than satisfied with the existing set (since I got a custom cover to replace that godawful packaging ). If they have truly in-depth looks at the sequels that are unflinching in addressing their flaws, that might be fun to see.

[Eric Paddon]

The first movie I think is great, and even better than the "Exorcist" for evoking atmospheric fear and terror (I probably attribute that to coming out of the Protestant tradition that was heavily into "End Times" storytelling, and for me the original "Omen" represents a more intelligent take on that kind of story than say the "Left Behind" novel series did a couple decades later). The second film is competent and manages to hold together as a genuine sequel/continuation without having any of the original cast (save Leo McKern's brief appearance) back, which is no easy feat, but the third film is awful beyond belief and delivers a weak climax to a terrifying beginning that makes no structural sense whatsoever.

[AndyDursin]

It's funny how nobody remembers that THE OMEN was savaged by most critics when it opened. It made Harry Medved's 50 WORST FILMS book from the late '70s and Peck in particular was grilled for what many thought was slumming in a post-EXORCIST studio horror film. I don't think it's a great movie myself -- I much prefer the thematic meat of THE EXORCIST and its ambiguity over THE OMEN -- but it's slick, well directed and shot.

It's a rare instance of a major studio crafting a "horror trilogy" that tells a running story line, and ISN'T a cheapie Freddy or Jason film -- in the annals of cinema, it holds a special place. And obviously the music plays a big part. Ironically though, I much prefer Goldsmith's scores for DAMIEN OMEN II and especially THE FINAL CONFLICT, which may be the weakest film of the three dramatically but has the best score and two really exceptional sequences in it (the opening credits, which manage to connect it with II and set up the story without even needing a word of dialogue; and the fox hunting sequence). It's just a shame the story was botched -- some of the ideas are good, it's well shot (I liked the return to the UK and some connecting narrative elements), but as time has gone on, I find the whole "killing babies" bit distasteful and the resolution obviously was not well established.

Hey, I understand the realities of the situation, but in a world where we STILL don't have major titles like The Abyss or True Lies on Blu, I'm more interested in getting as many movies preserved in HD on disc as possible before the inevitable days when everything is 100% streaming, so seeing movies that have been out on the format -- in lavish special editions like the first Omen -- for a decade or longer, it's frustrating.

But this new edition of THE OMEN isn't holding up THE ABYSS and TRUE LIES. At this point, it's absolutely James Cameron himself holding those up.

And that's how it is with Disney and Paramount titles -- there are all kinds of big ticket titles, especially with the former, that Disney is retaining and won't license out. So a label like Shout or Kino Lorber releases what they can...they are limited in what they can choose, and it explains why they release a bomb like THE GUN IN BETTY LOU'S HANDBAG instead of a hit like WHAT ABOUT BOB. And they aren't going to sell more of the former than the latter, obviously.

Overall I think all of the boutique labels have done a terrific job over the last 2-3 years in this format of getting catalog titles out, especially working within the studios' assorted licensing restrictions. There are some movies I'd obviously still like to see, but most of the personal "wish list" titles I was hoping for have been released at this point, which is why I can totally understand Shout doing THE OMEN -- especially when they've been great at finally diving into the Universal back catalog over the last year. They have to pay the bills for that.

[AndyDursin]

Interested in checking out the new extras, especially where THE FINAL CONFLICT is concerned -- but it's missing THE OMEN LEGACY, the AMC documentary narrated by Jack Palance?? Say it ain't so!!

THE OMEN COLLECTION Deluxe Edition Special Features

Disc 1:
THE OMEN (1976)

4K Transfer from the original negative, approved by director Richard Donner
NEW The Devil’s Word – an interview with screenwriter David Seltzer
NEW It’s All for You – an interview with actress Holly Palance
NEW The Devil’s Music - an interview with composer Christopher Young talking about Jerry Goldsmith’s legendary score
NEW audio commentary with special project consultant Scott Michael Bosco
Audio Commentary with director Richard Donner and editor Stuart Baird
Audio Commentary with director Richard Donner and filmmaker Brian Helgeland
Audio Commentary with film historians Lem Dobbs, Nick Redman and Jeff Bond
Isolated Score Track
Richard Donner on THE OMEN
The Omen Revelations
Curse of Coincidence?
666: The Omen Revealed
Screenwriter’s Notebook – an interview with writer David Seltzer
Introduction with director Richard Donner (2006)
Deleted Scene with commentary
An Appreciation – Wes Craven on THE OMEN
Jerry Goldsmith discusses THE OMEN score
Trailers from Hell featuring commentary by filmmaker Larry Cohen
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spots
Radio Spots
Still Galleries – Behind the Scenes, movie stills, posters and lobby cards


Disc 2:
DAMIEN: OMEN II

NEW Damien’s Guardian – an interview with actress Lee Grant
NEW The Devil’s CEO – an interview with actor Robert Foxworth
NEW The Harbinger – an interview with actress Elizabeth Shepard
NEW Elizabeth Shepherd’s Scrapbook – a look at her behind the scenes photos with commentary by Elizabeth Shepherd
NEW Audio Commentary with special project consultant Scott Michael Bosco
Audio Commentary with producer Harvey Bernhard
Vintage Featurette - Power and the Devil: The Making of DAMIEN: OMEN II
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spot
Radio Spot
Still Gallery

Disc 3:
OMEN III: THE FINAL CONFLICT

NEW The Devil in the Detail – an interview with director Graham Baker
NEW Resurrecting the Devil – an interview with screenwriter/associate producer Andrew Birkin
NEW Interview with production assistant Jeanne Ferber
NEW Audio Commentary with special project consultant Scott Michael Bosco
Audio Commentary with director Graham Baker
Theatrical Trailer
TV Spots
Still Gallery


Disc 4
OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING

NEW The Book of Evil – an interview with screenwriter Brian Taggert
Theatrical Trailer
Still Gallery
The Omen Legacy – a documentary on THE OMEN films


Disc 5
THE OMEN (2006)

Audio Commentary by director John Moore, producer Glenn Williamson and editor Dan Zimmermann
Unrated Extended Scenes and Extended Ending
Omenisms – Behind the scenes of THE OMEN (2006)
Abbey Road Recording Sessions featurette
Revelation 666: Behind the Scenes
Theatrical Trailers

[Eric Paddon]

I think it's there under the Disc 4 extras.

[AndyDursin]

Oh ok, I see it. Gives you a reason to actually put that disc in lol.

[Monterey Jack]

"Music by Jeryy Goldsmith"



The ONE Oscar-winning person associated with this franchise, and they spell his damn name wrong.

[AndyDursin]

As good as the first movie looks, I wasn't as sold on the sequels. In fact I just rebought the old box for $9 because I can see Shout's "soft encoding" at work in THE FINAL CONFLICT to a distracting degree. The bit-rate on the old Fox Blu-Ray is also much higher too.

[Monterey Jack]

According to the Blu-Ray.com review, the original film also omits the isolated score track.

[AndyDursin]

I think it's on there, I'll double check. That reviewer doesn't do a very good job. He also thinks the new commentary is good (its not).

[AndyDursin]

Nope he's wrong -- the isolated score track is on there.