Ep 151 - 50 Years of THE OMEN (1976): "It's All for You, Damien!"

THE OMEN (1976) d. Richard Donner (USA) DAMIEN: OMEN II (1978) d. Don Taylor (USA) THE FINAL CONFLICT (1981) d. Graham Baker (USA) OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING (1991) d. Jorge Montesi/Dominique Othenin-Girard (USA) THE OMEN (2006) d. John Moore (USA) THE FIRST OMEN (2024) d. Arkasha Stevenson (USA) The success of William Friedkin's The Exorcist in 1973 sparked any number of cheapie imitations, spawning an entire subgenre of occult and possession-themed features. What sets The Omen apart from these is screenwriter David Seltzer and director Richard Donner's thoughtful adherence to a rigid universe of logic and plausibility; all of the bizarre tragedies surrounding the Thorns could be justified as pure coincidence and/or freak accidents, without any supernatural leanings. This grounding in reality, further anchored by Peck's stolid presence, turned what could have been a schlocky exercise in exploitation into a prestige picture that demanded attention and (occasionally grudging) respect. In addition to the spectacular set-pieces orchestrated by effects wiz John Richardson, the film is extremely well-shot by British all-star Gilbert Taylor (who would lens Star Wars the following year) and populated by a fantastic ensemble that includes Patrick Troughton as a tormented priest, Leo McKern as a crusty archaeologist, David Warner as a cynical photojournalist, and Billie Whitelaw as our nefarious nanny Ms. Baylock. Even critics who disliked the film could not argue its merits, with Jerry Goldsmith's haunting choral-tinged score receiving the most praise (and an Academy Award). Spawning two theatrical sequels, a made-for-TV sequel, a 2006 remake, a 2016 television series, and a 2024 prequel, the influence of The Omen has been felt for 50 years and belongs on every horror fan's Anti-Christmas wish list. Join AC and his devilish panel of guests (Jenn Adams, Chris Hainsworth, Katie McLean Hainsworth, Dwan L. Hearn, Kevin Matthews) as we celebrate a half-century of THE OMEN!!  -------------------------------------------------------- JENN ADAMS is a writer and podcaster from Nashville, TN. She co-hosts The Loser's Club: A Stephen King Podcast, The Lady Killers: A Feminine Rage Podcast, Murder Made Fiction, and The Girls on The Boys. She is a contributor and columnist for Bloody Disgusting, Rue Morgue and Dread Central and creator of the Strong Female Antagonist blog. CHRIS HAINSWORTH (he/him/his) is an actor/writer/director represented by Big Mouth Talent Chicago. He is a DeathScribe winner 2009 for the audio drama "Remembrance" and author of The Fourth Wall, part of Motel 666 (2015). KATIE MCLEAN HAINSWORTH is a Chicago-based performer/writer, whom you can regularly find on both the DARK NEXUS and FAWX & STALLION podcasts. She's happily guested on HORROR 101 a few times as well as on Roll For Impact's THE STRANGER. DWAN L. HEARN, more affectionately known as "The Moon", is an author [The Copperwheat Collection, 2023], co-host of "The Sako and the Moon Horror Podcast," and host of "The Moon = Wrestling Podcast", film-maker with Hallowed Hills Entertainment, and a two-time award-winning screenwriter.  KEVIN MATTHEWS posts a movie review daily on the For It Is Man's Number blog, and is one quarter of the Raiders of the Podcast team who have been putting out weekly episodes for over six years. https://linktr.ee/raidersofthepodcast --------------------------------------------------- Keep Searching, Keep Exploring, and, most of all, Keep Sharing the Scare!