To celebrate the cinema release of prequel THE FIRST OMEN, The Reaper & Damien are looking back over the series at some of the best “accidents” that led to truly glorious deaths.
When people are in Damien’s way, events conspire to make sure they don’t stick around for very long!
In no particular order… (and with no suicides!)
Rod save us all (THE OMEN, 1976)
Poor Father Brennan.
With the devil’s glare on him Patrick Troughton’s unfortunate priest tries to take sanctuary in a church, wile dark clouds swirl and Jerry Goldsmith’s score blares out. A bolt of lightning sends a metal rod tumbling from the church’s roof, impaling the poor guy while he’s still standing.
Ice ice baby (DAMIEN: OMEN II, 1978)
Truly chilling. Get it?
Bill Atherton, as senior manager of Thorn Industries, plunges through the ice during a game of hockey on a frozen lake and gets swept away by the current. We follow and look down as he pounds against the ice, desperately trying to get free. He almost escapes too, before falling back into the freezing cold water.
Quoth the Raven (DAMIEN: OMEN II, 1978)
Talk about a double whammy!
Photojournalist Joan Hart has stumbled on the secret of Damien’s ancestry and she attemps to warn the boy’s current guardians, but Satan’s not having any of that. First Joan’s car breaks down, then a raven brutally attacks her and pecks out both of her eyes. Yum. Stumbling blindly, Joan winds up right in the path of a speeding truck that launches her through the air.
Bring the pane (THE OMEN, 1976)
An all-timer death of the horror genre as a whole!
David Warner’s doomed photographer is dealt with in spectacular fashion, as the sheet of glass flies from the truck and separates Warner’s head from his body director Richard Donner captures the gory glory from every conceivable angle. Plus excellent use of slow motion, as the head bounces along the glass.
Care for a lift? (DAMIEN: OMEN II, 1978)
I think the lesson is if you find out anything about Damien, don’t attempt to tell anyone.
Dr Kayne discovers Damien’s jackal-like cell structure following a poisoning outbreak (where Damien curiously wasn’t affected unlike his fellow students), and on his way to report his findings (see? just keep quiet) he steps into the lift from hell. The things stalls between floors, before a cable comes loose and fantastically slices the doc in two. Bravo.
The OMEN movie timeline so far:
THE OMEN (1976)
DAMIEN: OMEN II (1978)
THE FINAL CONFLICT (1981)
OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING (1991)
THE OMEN (2006)
THE FIRST OMEN (2024)
Did anyone check out that DAMIEN TV series from 2016?
THE FIRST OMEN is in cinemas now!