Hagen's Horror Haven
The Omen
-A comparison between the Original and the Remake-
VS
By...
Okay so I'm a HUGE fan of the original Omen movies. Well, 1-3. The fourth sucked ass but, anyway I went and saw the remake last night and I must say I wasn't fully disappointed. I don't care for Julia Stiles, that was one thing I knew about before I sat down in the theatre, the other I found out during the movie was the death scenes were a little weak. So I have decided to break it down and compare some of the scenes...
"Opening Credits" goes to ~ the original...Jerry Goldsmith's score was missed in this remake.
"Nanny Hanging" goes to ~ The original by far...nothing says loving like your nanny hanging herself for you and smashing through glass. Plus, Lee Remick's acting could never be topped in this scene not even by Barbara Steele.
"Car ride to church" goes to ~ the original...the child in the original's reaction was fucking awesome. The look on his face as they approached the church was EVIL!! along with his attack that he unleashed on his mother. Also, his voice was demonic sounding as they drove away and the peoples reactions were horrid...No one reacted in this one because they didn't even stop at the church...stupid.
"Preist Impalement" goes to ~ actually this one may be a tie...yeah a tie.This one was more graphic but the musical climax as the spear like object impales the preist in the original is priceless.
"Zoo scene" goes to ~ the original...the babboons attacking the car was WAY more frightening than King Kong vs. Satan in this one as it tries to crash through the glass to attack the children...Again this is where the acting comes in. Lee Remick we love you.
"Tricycle scene" goes to ~ the original...it's a scooter in this one and that's just stupid. Plus, I love in the original when he hits the chair and Lee Remick's foot flies up and kicks Damien in the face and she's hanging there in sheer terror. Julia Stiles tried too hard in this scene and made it too hokey.
"Nanny Baylock kills Mommy" goes to ~ the original! I can't say enough for Lee Remick...her face when Mrs. Baylock steps in the hospital room is enough to send chills through your whole fucking body. Her eyes show everything that she is feeling before falling out of a window no telling how many stories high and lands on an ambulance ending her life with a bloody mess. This new scene was just weak and watered down.
"Graveyard scene" goes to ~ TIE!! When Robert Thorn finds the cemetery Damiens mother is buried and finds the jackyl in the ground is a great and important part of the movie. I love the original and I have to say this new scene was acted very well and the atmosphere was very poetic. This is a definite tie.
"Decapitation scene" goes to ~ Tie again...this was more brutal but I love the slow motion of the original.
"Sacrifice scene" goes to ~ this is almost a tie...but, it goes to the original. Gregory Peck's acting is heartbreaking as he looks at Damien begging for his father to not kill him but, he goes for it and is shot down...
"Funeral / Closing credits" goes to ~ the original...the little boys face is WAY more chilling in the original and again Jerry Goldsmith's "Ava Satane" was sssoooo missed.
I could go on and on but, those were the main highlights. All in all I liked the remake. One of the best remakes in a while. To have Giovonni Lombardo Radice and Mia Farrow come back to the horror genre was a great surprise and made the film. I still love the original Mrs. Baylock. Credit also goes to Liev Schreiber for getting into his character and really making it worth watching.
~Varga
The Original Omen:
The Remake:
