The Omen (1976) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - June 25, 1976

In these United States, where this blog is currently housed, The Omen celebrates its 50th birthday today.

I remember being equal parts fascinated and unnerved by one of the countless advertisements for The Omen. It was the one where the shadow Damien casts is that of doglike figure, which I had no way on knowing at the time was supposed to represent a jackal (and Damien's birth mother). The more used alternate, of course, was Damien casting a shadow of cross that, because of the perspective, was rather conspicuously upside down (which means EVIL).

My only other memories are of flipping through the novelization and getting frightened by the black and white photos in the center. The same also applies for the novelization of Damien Omen II (1978).

I think I first saw the film when it made its network television debut. Because, at time of The Omen's theatrical release, my brother and I were considered far too young to see R-rated fare on the big screen.

Because this was a major theatrical release, The Omen had no double-feature in its indoor venues. However, at the Coliseum drive-in, where double-bills were essential to the point of being required, The Omen was well paired with 1973's The Legend of Hell House.
 

And those double-bills being shown on the adjacent screens were also pretty cool. 

Damien Omen II (1978) - Newspaper Ad [San Francisco Examiner]

May 28, 1978

Considering how The Omen both raked in copious amounts of cash (on an admittedly modest budget) and ended with an ominous promise of biblical torments to come. It is no surprise that Omen producer Harve Bennett and distributor 20th Century Fox decided to craft a series of films about Damien Thorn (aka The Antichrist) growing up and coming to power.

Not a bad concept, in theory. In execution, though? [Execution, get it? Hahaha] Not so much.

Even with the obvious and inevitable workings of the Law of Diminishing returns on display here, Damien Omen II remains my favorite of the trio. This might have to do with how Damien himself is characterized in the film. The film has the most tantalizing glimmer of an idea regarding Damien having a degree of personal autonomy about this whole Antichrist gig. What if he did not like the idea? What if did not want to do it?

It was just a glimmer though. A brief and tantalizing flicker of an interesting concept that helps elevate this weird twist on the coming of age trope ever so slightly above the humdrum. Couple that with some truly operatic death scenes, another terrific score by Jerry Goldsmith, and some well utilized production value, and it is easy to see why this middle entry is my Omen comfort viewing of choice.

The Final Conflict (1981) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - March 19, 1981

Although there was a failed television pilot titled Omen IV: The Awakening broadcast in 1991, and two media tie-in novel sequels published in the early-to-mid-80s, I consider The Final Conflict to be the official end of The Omen trilogy.

While it falls far short of crafting the ominous dread of the first film, and lacks the ghoulish bombast of the first (and superior) sequel's over-the-top death scenes, The Final Conflict does manage to have some redeeming elements. No pun intended.

First is Sam Neill as the adult Damien Thorn. Although not given much, if anything at all, to work with in the script, Neill nonetheless imbues Damien with such a powerful charismatic presence it makes the squandered opportunity here all the more noticeable and lamentable. Come on Damien, do something!

Second is Jerry Goldsmith's terrific score. It is a powerful and, at times, beautifully bombastic work deserving of award consideration.

And that is about it... really. While they pulled off the Final part of the film's title, any and all expecting, or hoping, for some cataclysmic Conflict will come away disappointed. Even though I can understand, and to a somewhat limited extent even appreciate, leaning toward a quieter and more psychological, perhaps even meditative, approach to the End Times. The creative team assembled here did not pull it off. So it goes.

The Omen (1976) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - June 4, 1976

Here we have one of a handful of doom-laden teasers hyping the upcoming release of The Omen.

John McCarty, in his seminal book Splatter Movies: Breaking the Last Taboo of the Screen, awards The Omen and its two sequels the dubious honor of "introducing a new concept to the bloody arena of mainstream splatter filmmaking - the creative death." [Pg. 106]

"Every time a character in the Omen trilogy breathes an ill word about Damien, the audience knows that the breath will be his or her last." That, and only that, is "what the Omen trilogy is all about." [Pg. 109] According to McCarty, at least.

Over time I have come to a rather interesting theory regarding all the fantastical 'accidents' whittling away the supporting cast of any given Omen movie. One that was flowered via thinking through the logistics of a George Carlin routine regarding "God's Divine Plan."

"What's the use of being God if every rundown schmuck with a two-dollar prayer book can come along and fuck up your plan?" Carlin asks in his routine. If Damien truly is the Anti-Christ, then the biblical prophecies are true and the Second Coming is nigh. 

From a theological standpoint, anyone and everyone that tries to stop Damien's rise to power isn't really saving the world from destruction. They are just prolonging the inevitable and, even worse, fucking with God's Divine Plan.

So who really is doing the smiting here? Think about it...