Posts: 958
From: Elkins Park, PA, USA
Registered: Jun 2012
posted November 04, 2018 02:56 PM
This is the second one and not bad! From ken films! Super 8 sound. Digest. 400 ft reel. Runs 18 minutes. Nice print. Color is good. Storyline is Damien is a teenage hand full in this one. He comes to live with his uncle and aunt. As the story goes on the uncle finds out more and more about his evilness . but the aunt refuses to believe anything! Good horror story. Well edited. Stars William holden, Lee grant. Note I was told of a 2 parter of this film. Floating around.I hope to come across it. Review by Leon Norris
Posts: 52
From: Philadelphia, PA
Registered: Jan 2018
posted November 05, 2018 12:39 PM
Glad to hear that the editing is good in this print. I was tabling maybe getting a print of this myself, as I enjoy the original Omen films, and remember catching this one on cable quite a few times growing up.
I wish this was a 2 parter or that the editors had been a little more generous with the footage - say another 2 minutes and that would have nicely included William Holdens death - as when you watch the full feature it was such a wasted opportunity not to include this. However; this gripe aside it is still a great companion piece to the original 16 minute cutdown of The Omen.
Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003
posted November 05, 2018 02:22 PM
I was always a little disappointed with this one from Ken. Felt it was too short and jumpy to have any atmosphere; almost like they were counting the footage.
Leon, I wish there was a 2 x 400ft as this would certainly improved things, but I've never heard of or seen one.
The Piccolo 400ft version is actually a much better and totally different edit.
It is masked (although not quite to the 2.35:1 original) and tells a much more coherent story.
I redubbed my copy into English many years ago. Sadly it is now totally red.
It was still exciting all those years ago to thread it up and run it, expecting the usual Ken edit in a Piccolo box and discovering a totally new 400ft version.
And neither version has the elevator scene!!!
[ November 11, 2018, 10:23 AM: Message edited by: Rob Young. ]
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
posted November 05, 2018 03:54 PM
Rob /Dave, fully agree with you. i bought this as new when it was released and the way that is was cut to omit William Holdens death was ridiculous, and as said, the elevator scene was one of the films best scenes as a horror film and it was also omitted. A reasonable film but poorly edited, (IMO), although Bill Davidsons review upon its release was "highly recommended". just shows how different we all are. thankfully
posted November 07, 2018 02:30 PM
Do you happen to know as to whether the third film in the series, "The Final countdown" (I think that was the title) ver made it onto super 8, or did it come out a little too late?
-------------------- "All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
The 3rd in the series was The Final Conflict and I'm not sure if it ever made it onto super 8 - maybe a trailer. But I know it was on 16mm as David Guest is selling a print on ebay now.