8mm Forum: THE OMEN PICCOLO AND KEN

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Posted by Robert Aragon (Member # 181) on May 15, 2005, 11:23 AM:

This is by far my favorite "modern" horror film. The graphic violence was not simply gratuitous for it's own sake, not like the horror films of the 70's and today. I recall saving $60.00 when i was 12 to purchase this on super 8 when it was released. I LOVED the ken digest, but was always disappointed how the entire photographer storyline was eliminated. Although very well edited, As a kid, I expected, wanted, the 400 footer to contain all of my favorite scenes. Piccolo released a version of "DAS OMEN", i was not aware that it was VERY different than the KEn version, until Andreas from Germany gave me a run down. I WAS elated to say the least! The Piccolo version had the ENTIRE PHOTOGRAPHER storyline and many other scenes. OF course, Andreas found me an EXCELLENT copy of it. It was amazing! Boy, did it differ from the KEn version. First off, the PRINT was in widescreen, and the negative they used was SHARPER, CLEANER, than the U.S. ken print. The first thing that occured in my mind was, "WHY DIDN't THE U.S. give HIGH QUALITY to the SUPER 8 MARKET, as GERMANY Did with THESE PICCOLO PRINTS?" It really bothered me, no WONDER SUPER 8 fans found it easy to run off in droves when pathetic video came along...Ken's digest of the OMEN simply pales in comparison to the Piccolo print.I will say this, if the U.S. would have had higher standards like the german home super 8 market, it would have been a bit more difficult for the true film afficionado to abandon the hobby. I was hesitant in editing together the german and u.s. digest together, since one is flat(the u.s. version, OF COURSE, always lower quality here) and the German in WIDESCREEN. BUT, I have learned from re-recording films, that no MATTER what the quality of the print... the SOUND is what carries the film, more than the image projected. I have run some RED prints, with booming STEREO SURROUND sound, I asked afterwards how the film was...everyone said, WOW the SOUND and great film! So i decided to edit together the 2 400 ft digests. here is a run down on what is in DAS OMEN... THE OPENING ADOPTION SCENES..(peck racing hospital, priest convincing Peck to switch babies),SCENES WITH PRIEST at Pecks OFFICE..(Priest leaving peck's, Photographer outside with priest,SCENES AT HOME(remick and peck and little devil damien),MORE OF REMICK'S HOME "ACCIDENT", PHOTOGRAPHER WITH PECK(showing pictures, his reporting, la la,) and His DECAPITATION. Strangely enough,the death of Lee Remick was NOT in the PICCOLO version.. I thought it would. But, alas, i had my DREAM OMEN..the version i was hoping for as a kid. Runs a full 600 foot reel.I re-recorded using RARE STEREO unreleased goldsmith cues, specifically for 2 scenes, the hanging of the nanny, and when damien smiles at the devil dog right after the first death. Goldsmith created 2 tracks which were astoundingly evil, I've returned them onto the film. CHILLING. In the ken digest, the Lee Remick hospital room death scene always seemed rushed to me. But in this 600 ft version, I changed it a bit.When gregory Pecks says to the old priest "and the women?(referring to the evil nanny), Music cue begins, softly below Bugenhagens response "she's an apostle of hell, she'll die before permitting this"...then BOOM, Lee Remick hosptial scenes. The STEREO music REALLY ADDS a BOOM. these are true stereo tracks, NOT the terrible "STEREO" off the dvd. When all is said and done, the film is truly a mini version of the OMEN...now the 12 year old in me is hoping to find the CEMETARY scenes....where oh, where? Rob

[ May 16, 2005, 10:02 PM: Message edited by: Robert Aragon ]

Posted by Jean-Marc Toussaint (Member # 270) on May 16, 2005, 12:44 PM:

Ahhhhhh... It's all making sense, now.
I remember seeing the Omen S8 cutdown as a teenager.
When I purchased the film several years later, I thought I had dreamt about the beheading of David Warner's character being included in the edit.
I had seen the Piccolo version, and the reel I had bought (which I still have) was Ken's.
Thank you, Robert, for your most excellent review.

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on May 17, 2005, 10:42 AM:

Great review Robert, and very interesting about the Picollo version.

I can also remember saving my dollars back in the 70's for Ken's 400 foot "The Omen". I remember being so impressed with the new clam-style box when it arrived at the camera store where I special ordered it from.

As far as the Ken digest goes, I really must say, I thought it was superbly edited (better editing than Damien-Omen II). The 16 minutes just flies with no slowing down, yet the story is still explained very well. I didn't actually see the whole movie until about five years after seeing the digest!

I thought the picture was good, but slightly grainy at times. The sound was good and loud, if not a little too "tone-y".

Speaking of Damien Omen II, I've always wanted the elevator scene. I wonder if thats been put on super 8 somewhere?

Nick.

Posted by Robert Aragon (Member # 181) on May 17, 2005, 01:35 PM:

Thanks for your comments Nick,
I agree with the ken film looking grainy,But not the Piccolo. The reason being that Piccolo worked from 35mm theatrical prints, making a 16mm neg, and printing super 8 from that source. Ken Made an edited 16mm, from pan and scan 16mm TELEVISION prints, which were already reductions from 35 mm, then used that to make super 8 prints. So the quality drop is well, expected. What a shame.... I will be doing a damien Omen 2 Piccolo/ken review. I havent re-recorded it, but, looking forward to it.

Posted by Andrew Wilson (Member # 538) on February 21, 2006, 11:31 AM:

hi there,great review of the horror classicTHE OMEM.it provdes yet again that fox/ken super8 digests are very poorly edited.i just wonder what the remake is going to be like.it opens onthe 6th june.

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