The Omen Series (1-4 and remake)

[rwaits]

Does anyone have any info on this collector's edition being released this June? I don't own the current dvd, but have rented it, and remember it being pretty solid--very sharp anamorphic transfer, several commentaries, a couple of shorts, and other goodies.

Can this CE really be much of an improvement?

[godardslave]

there's a "how to become the anti-christ and overthrow the kingdom of god in 5 easy steps" special feature.

[rwaits]

Sweet.

[Dylan]

there's a "how to become the anti-christ and overthrow the kingdom of god in 5 easy steps" special feature.

There's something on there about overthrowing remakes and sequels too, right?

[Dylan]

In all seriousness, it's because of the new Omen movie (with Liev Schreiber and Julia Styles) that they're repressing this. From what I've heard, some of the extras on the other DVD, such as the Jerry Goldsmith interview, won't be included on this edition, and I'm not sure why, but there will be a lot of new features.

[Jeff]

From what I've heard, some of the extras on the other DVD, such as the Jerry Goldsmith interview, won't be included on this edition, and I'm not sure why, but there will be a lot of new features.

Here is the scoop from DVD Times. It looks like it will have the Goldsmith interview as well as a whole lot of new stuff.

Fox Home Entertainment have announced the Region 1 DVD release of The Omen (Collector's Edition) for 20th June 2006 priced at $26.98 SRP. The first film in classic, four-part legacy of terror stars Gregory Peck as an ambassador who is talked into switching his wife's (Lee Remick) stillborn baby with an orphaned infant. When young Damien is Five, the horror begins with his nanny's dramatic suicide. As the death toll escalates, Damien's father, realizing his son is the antichrist, decides that he must kill the boy and rid the world of the evil.

Features on this two-disc set include…

Disc 1: Main Feature

* 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
* English Stereo
* English, French and Spanish Mono
* French subtitles
* Audio commentary by director Richard Donner & editor Stuart Baird
* Commentary by director Richard Donner & writer/director Brian Helgeland
* Featurette: Curse or Coincidence
* Jerry Goldsmith on the Omen Score (Love Theme, Damien to Church Dog Attack, 666 and Mrs. Baylock)
* Theatrical Trailer


Disc 2: Extra Features

* Introduction to the special edition of Omen by director Richard Donner
* 666: The Omen Revealed
* The Omen Legacy
* Deleted Scene - Dog Attack with commentary by director Richard Donner and & writer/director Brian Helgeland
* David Seltzer on Writing the Omen
* An Appreciation: Wes Craven on THE OMEN
* Still Gallery

[Gordon]

Does anyone know if the 2-disc will have a new transfer? The current transfer seems to be lacking in detail. Gil Taylor's cinematography is amazing all the way through, yet he wasn't even nominated for an Oscar (or a BAFTA), yet King Kong (Richard H. Kline); Logan's Run (Ernest Laszlo) and A Star Is Born (Robert Surtees) were; great cinematographers, but those films are far from their best works. Haskell Wexler won for Bound for Glory, which is beautifully shot throughout and was well-deserved. Taylor won the British Society of Cinematographers Award, though, which says a lot about the disparity of taste between American and British 'film industry' folks.

[HistoryProf]

I'm actually pretty excited about this. A landmark nightmare inducing experience as a kid (the decapitation joined the silver ball of death from Phantasm to ruin many nights) yet i've never got around to buying it. Of course it took yet another needless remake to get it done...but so it goes.

[Lino]

Does anyone know if the 2-disc will have a new transfer?

Apparently, it does:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=22137

Video:

The Omen hits DVD in an excellent 2.35.1 anamorphic widescreen transfer that looks fantastic – almost perfect, really, proving that Fox really has started delivering some great looking discs with these two disc 'Collector's Edition' releases. There is some grain present in a few spots and if you look really carefully you might even see some mild print damage present in a couple of scenes in the form of the odd speck here (but you're really going to have to strain your eyes to see them) and there but other than that, the image looks great. Edge enhancement and aliasing are never problematic and mpeg compression artifacts are virtually non-existent. Color reproduction looks dead on and black levels remain strong and deep throughout the duration of the film. Both foreground and background detail is strong (some of the close up shots look positively eerie) and even during darker moments, of which there are a few, the image always remains very clean and very clear. Skin tones look lifelike and natural and the picture stays sharp from start to finish. The transfer is very film like and very natural looking without a lot of obvious digital enhancement or the like. Anyone who has seen the film projected should be impressed with the job that Fox has done here, as it really does capture the look of the movie pretty much perfectly.

[Gordon]

DVD Beaver comparison HERE.

The new transfer is substantially different and superior to the previous transfer, which was itself pretty good.

[Fletch F. Fletch]

DVD Beaver comparison HERE.

The new transfer is substantially different and superior to the previous transfer, which was itself pretty good.

I had a chance to check this out over the weekend and the transfer is indeed exquisite and Goldsmith's score has never sounded better! I haven't had a chance to really dive into the extras yet but this new edition is definitely a keeper.

[Lino]

Here's another very good comparison between the old and new R1 editions:

http://whiggles.landofwhimsy.com/writin ... -omen.html

[Lino]

Any news of the sequels getting a restoration too? I'm a particular fan of Omen III and I'd hate to buy this new CE and having to later double-dip on a possible complete boxset or something in the vein. Anyone heard of any rumours?

[Gigi M.]

Any news of the sequels getting a restoration too? I'm a particular fan of Omen III and I'd hate to buy this new CE and having to later double-dip on a possible complete boxset or something in the vein. Anyone heard of any rumours?

I really don't think Fox will revisit the sequels. The current editions are not bad in my opinion.

[Lino]

Well, they still might. After some digging I found out that some etailers are listing them as OOP. Maybe they're planning a sort of double-dip cash-in when they release the remake on DVD. I personally wouldn't mind that since I held on from buying them until now.

[Lino]

File this under rumour of course but a guy over at the imdb.com boards just posted this:

coming nov 6

Omen II

disc 1:
feature film with commentary by jon scott taylor
trailer
sequel making
short making featurette

disc 2:
The omen 2 making
Joseph howard featurette
Deleted/outtakes/extended scenes
photo gallery
film tests
the damien choosing
the original omen story to sequel
Gregory peck Interview

[Solaris]

coming nov 6

Omen II

Gregory peck Interview

????

Surely they mean William Holden?

[Lino]

coming nov 6

Omen II

Gregory peck Interview

Surely they mean William Holden?

I guess so but I limited myself to quoting the guy that posted that. Hey, I'm all for an Omen II SE with a Gregory Peck or a William Holden interview just as long as it brings a SE of Omen III along (that's the one I'm crossing my fingers for).

[Gordon]

I have not seen The Omen III: The Final Conflict, though I really ought to, as I love the original and the general story and I greatly admire Sam Neill and Goldsmith's score is said to be magnificent.

[Lino]

You really ought to because I personally think that with movie #3 they were able to make and close (I try not to think that a fourth one was made...) one of the most consistent and solid horror movie trilogies of recent times.

In fact, the movie is worth for Sam Neil's performance alone. At first, I thought that I was getting into a cheap sequel but there is one central scene in the movie (and I won't spoil it for you) in which he delivers a magnificent monologue that lifted the whole feature to a scarier realm. It's a very powerful moment and brilliantly achieved.

I do wish that there was a quicker way of knowing (instead of just waiting...) of Fox's plans regarding their Omen franchises. So far, a new 2xDVD edition of the first one has surfaced and the results are stellar. An also new 2xDVD edition of the sequel is supposedly in production. Logic tells me that a new 2xDVD of the third one might be in the works too. It would be great if they decide to package them together -- how would they resist to produce a 6xDVD set of a satanic saga, right?

This fansite has all the latest news, by the way.

[Gordon]

I heard an interview with Sam Neill on the radio last week and he spoke of the speech in the film, saying that he was nervous in those scenes! I think he's one of the best living actors. Even in documentaries like Space he is believable and likeable, unlike most other movie stars who try to 'educate' us. Top bloke.

[Lino]

Specs, artwork and date for the DVD release of the recent remake.

[Gigi M.]

No dice Annie. No special editions for the rest of the Omen series.

From DVDActive

Fox Home Video has announced the release of The Omen: The Complete Collection, which will be available on the 17th of October at a retail price of right around $49.98. The six-disc set will contain all five Omen films, which includes The Omen, Omen II: Damien, Omen III: The Final Conflict, Omen IV: The Awakening, and the 2006 remake of the first film. The original film will be represented in the collection by the recently released two-disc collector's edition, while the disc containing the remake will be identical to the disc that will also be available separately on the 17th. The other three films in the series look to be identical to those that were released a few years ago, with Damien and The Final Conflict each containing a commentary track and trailers. If anything changes we'll let you know, but in the meantime stay tuned for the artwork.

[Lino]

Well, at least I was right about the collection being a 6 disker. And fingers and toes crossed for Omen II and Omen III getting new transfers. It would be a cheap move from Fox if they just ported their old respective discs into this new collection.

edit: in the UK, new remastered editions of II and III will apparently be released over there in October. Hope the same thing happens in R1 land.

[Lino]

From DVDActive

Fox Home Video has announced the release of The Omen: The Complete Collection, which will be available on the 17th of October at a retail price of right around $49.98. The six-disc set will contain all five Omen films, which includes The Omen, Omen II: Damien, Omen III: The Final Conflict, Omen IV: The Awakening, and the 2006 remake of the first film. The original film will be represented in the collection by the recently released two-disc collector's edition, while the disc containing the remake will be identical to the disc that will also be available separately on the 17th. The other three films in the series look to be identical to those that were released a few years ago, with Damien and The Final Conflict each containing a commentary track and trailers. If anything changes we'll let you know, but in the meantime stay tuned for the artwork.

Artwork now available from the same link above.