Rewatchables Reference

• Damien's 5th birthday party – the nanny hanging scene: 'It's all for you, Damien'.
• Father Brennan's death scene.
• Damien refusing to go to church.

• The movie opening on June 6th at 6:00 AM (666) – now iconic pop culture.
• Animals sensing something wrong with Damien (giraffes fleeing, baboons attacking).
• The child actor used sparingly like the shark in 'Jaws' – barely speaks, maximizing creepiness.

• Tracking/crane shots of Father Brennan in the park before his death with leaves blowing.
• Dogs behind the cemetery gate with the moon behind it.
• Deep focus photography and framing through banisters/trees suggesting someone is watching.

Jerry Goldsmith's 'Ave Satani' kicking in during the drive to the church.

• The nanny/Mrs. Baylock won't get rid of the Rottweiler and Peck never follows up – fireable offenses day after day.
• The ambassador is terrible at his job: can't fire the nanny, blows off diplomatic duties.

• No seatbelts/car seats – Damien riding freely in the limo.
• Lee Remick's fall from the railing – bad special effects.
• People bringing physical letters of reference for job applications.

• 'The Omen' is the greatest horror IP that nobody has properly leveraged – should be a 5-season prestige TV arc.
• The movie may really be about abortion (comes out 3 years after Roe v. Wade).

• Charlton Heston received an offer but turned it down – didn't want to spend winter alone in Europe.
• Oliver Reed and William Holden (who ended up in Omen 2) were considered.

• Father Brennan (Patrick Troughton) – wild accent, intense delivery.
• The first nanny's 'It's all for you, Damien' moment.

David Warner – was a 'that guy' who graduated to name recognition, then became 'that guy from Titanic' again.

Bill jokes: Taylor Swift as the Ambassador and Travis Kelce as the Lee Remick role – 'The Omen: Taylor's Version'.

• Budget $2.8 million, made $61 million – 5th biggest movie of 1976.
• The baboon scene: production put the alpha baboon in the backseat to make the others attack – Lee Remick was genuinely terrified.
• Cursed production: IRA bombed Donner's hotel, planes hit by lightning, special effects director died in a car accident.

• Lee Remick – possibly her apex, most successful movie she was in.
• Rottweilers in movies – can't think of another Rottweiler movie.
• Gregory Peck – no, To Kill a Mockingbird is his apex.

• No Antichrist behavior from Damien until age 5 – what was he doing ages 2-4?
• Peck recovers instantly from being impaled on a cemetery gate through his shoulder.
• The name 'Damien' effectively killed the name for 20+ years.

• 5-season arc of Damien growing up: ages 5, 13, young politician, running for president, final reckoning.
• Mrs. Baylock's backstory (former nun in a satanic coven) would make great prequel material.

Jerry Goldsmith for Best Original Score – and he actually did win it (his only career Oscar).

• Would a mother instinctively know her baby had been swapped?
• How does a jackal become pregnant with the Antichrist?
• Where did Mrs. Baylock come from? What was she doing for 40 years?

Omen 2 (Damien: Omen II) – teenage Damien, great twist ending, stars William Holden.

The seven daggers of Megiddo – 'if you get the daggers, you're always ready'.

• If your wife gives birth to a baby who dies, don't secretly replace it with a different one.
• Check your kid's scalp.

Satan / evil itself – first time they've given 'who won' to a force rather than a character.

Craig Horlbeck – loves the Jerry Goldsmith score; scariest scene was the nanny hanging at the birthday party; noted Damien's wardrobe looks like Angus Young from AC/DC.