Dom Robinson reviews

Distributed by
Encore Entertainment

Cat.no: EE 1136

Cert: 18

Running time: 104 minutes

Sides: 2 (CLV)

Year: 1981

Pressing: 1998

Chapters: 23 (12/11+1)

Sound: Dolby Surround

Widescreen: 2.35:1 (Panavision)

Price: £14.99

Extras : Original Theatrical Trailer

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Director:

Graham Baker

Producer:

Harvey Bernhard

Screenplay:

Andrew Birkin

Music:

Jerry Goldsmith

Cast:

Damien Thorn: Sam Neill (Dead Calm, Death In Brunswick, Enigma, Event Horizon, The Hunt For Red October, In The Mouth Of Madness, The Jungle Book (live action), Jurassic Park, Memoirs Of An Invisible Man, The Piano, Sirens, Until The End Of The World)
Father DeCarlo: Rossano Brazzi (The Barefoot Contessa, Krakatoa: East Of Java, Legend Of The Lost, South Pacific, Three Coins In The Fountain)
Dean: Don Gordon (Codename Vengeance)
Kate Reynolds: Lisa Harrow (The Last Days Of Chez Nous, TV: "Inspector Morse", "Kavanagh Q.C.", "Nonni", "The Professionals", "Space 1999")
Peter: Barnaby Holm
President: Mason Adams (Jonathon - The Boy Nobody Wanted, Life Among The Cannibals)
Barbara: Leueen Willoughby
American Ambassador: Robert Arden (Confidential Report)
American Ambassador's Secretary: Ruby Wax (TV: "Absolutely Fabulous", "Girls On Top", "Ruby")
Astronomer: Arnold Diamond
Astronomer's Assistant: Eric Richard (TV: "The Bill")

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Set in an eerie future, The Great Recession has arrived. As worldwide starvation and economic doom prevail, so does Damien who relentlessly continues his sinister plot to control the world.

Only a priest, Father DeCarlo, whose sacred mission is to destroy the Antichrist, stands between Damien and his diabolical ambition to bring the world to the brink of global chaos. One by one, the seven Italian monks who carry the seven sacred daggers of Megiddo attempt to rid the world of Damien's evil; and one by one their valiant efforts are brutally and horrifically thwarted. Will Father DeCarlo succeed, or will the Antichrist claim the souls of all mankind?

The third part in the Omen trilogy also contains a number of shocking deaths which made the series so popular. In this part, two of the most violent come firstly during the scene featuring the American Ambassador who ends up looking a little unwell and not quite in the right attire for his press conference; and secondly in a scene pointing out the wrong way to doing the ironing...

A great film is certainly helped by a good cast which this one has, as well as a fine lead in Sam Neill as the most evil man on the planet. There's also a couple of interesting cameos from two stars of British television who frequent the screen most often, namely Eric Richard, aka Sgt. Bob Cryer in The Bill who appears as the Astronomer's Technician; and the ubiquitous Ruby Wax as secretary to the American Ambassador.

The picture quality is almost perfect, the only anomolies being a few flecks dropouts on the original print, so a great mastering job has been done on this film which is now 17 years old. It's been a while since I've seen this film so I was a bit surprised at first when one part early on featured footage in a dreadful condition. A few seconds later all was revealed as the characters were watching a film about the state of the world 50,000 years ago being played on an age-old projector.

Presumably, the print used comes from the same digitally remastered master for which the 1996 video re-releases were struck from. It is also presented in its correct widescreen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 - unlike the video releases which were pan-and-scan. The cover artwork remains the same.

The sound quality is very clear and in Dolby Surround which brings home Jerry Goldsmith's score very well, not to mention the famed choral music, although there's not much in the way of directional sound effects.

The laserdisc contains just 22 chapters spread throughout the 104 minutes of the film, although it does cover all the major scenes. The package is rounded off with the original theatrical trailer.

In the summer of 1996, Fox Video dropped a clanger when they re-released the trilogy on 6.6.96 on video, but only in pan-and-scan versions. Gladly, Encore have redressed the balance, having released the entire trilogy in widescreen format, just as Fox have got round to putting only the first one out in this way on video.

Overall, the Omen trilogy (forget about the TV movie Omen IV: The Awakening) is one of the best suspense trilogies of all time, with part one now available for £19.99 and the sequels costing a fiver less apiece.

FILM	 		: ****½
PICTURE QUALITY		: ****½
SOUND QUALITY		: ****
EXTRAS			: *
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OVERALL			: ***½

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1998.