DAMIEN: OMEN II
US, 1978, 109 minutes, Colour.
William Holden, Lee Grant, Jonathan Scott- Taylor, Robert Foxworth, Leo Mc Kern, Sylvia Sidney, Lew Ayres.
Directed by Don Taylor.
The original Omen was the best successor to The Exorcist, having a good blend of the satanic, menace and cinema style. This sequel goes for the unsubtle approach while retaining the same basic ingredients and this makes for a disappointing and ordinary film. The pop-fundamentalist presentation of John's Revelation gets the full treatment as Damien now grows up in Chicago moving, with human minions, into U.S. wealth and technological power. Uncle William Holden steps into Gregory Peck's shoes and Lee Grant, Leo Mc Kern, Sylvia Sidney and Lew Ayres head a regularly and rapidly diminishing cast - but with an emphasis on special effects for gory scares more than anything else.
1. The popularity of the original film? Its occult and satanic content? Its vigorous and violent style? A well made satanic horror film? The interest of the '70s in evil and the Devil.
2. Was there need for a sequel? The second film leaving the way open for a further sequel? Why the appeal of such a series?
3. The significance of the title and its focus on Damien? The nature of the omen from the original film? The use of St. John's Revelation? The use of scripture texts and the fundamentalist interpretation? The final quotation from the Letter to the Corinthians? The interpretation of scripture and its application to contemporary situations - how credible, plausible theory? Religious fiction? The focus on the Antichrist and the significance of an Antichrist in the contemporary world? The takeover of evil? How much would a popular audience share this presupposition?
4. The appeal of the occult? Presuppositions about the existence of God? Belief in evil and the possibility of evil incarnate? Old Testament and New Testament traditions? The film's presentation of medieval art, archaeological discoveries? The minions of the Devil in particular positions of power in the world? The power of evil and audience response to this?
5. The transition from an English to an American setting? The world of Chicago, big business and wealth, the multinationals? A contemporary setting for an incarnation of evil and the takeover of the Devil? The Thorn family and Damien's opportunity for supremacy? The fact of Damien having the power yet not knowing his identity, his minions revealing this to him and his struggle for identity, his survival, his acceptance of his role?
6. Richard Thorn as the American type? William Holden in this role? Wealth, position, prestige and status? His work, his visits to the plant, treatment of his men? His values and his advice from his aides? His second wife and his love for her, her devotion to the children? Aunt Marion at the beginning as a source of contradiction? His siding against her? His care for his son, for Danden? Providing for their education and training? The domestic sequences, the parties, the skating? The beginning of the build-up of disasters and the way that this affected him?
7. The friendship between Danden and Mark, their life within the Thorn family, the mutual influences and Marion's suspicion? The importance of their going to the military school and its background, traditions, background of war, discipline? Loyalty? The pleasant aspects of the two boys and their friendship, the transition to uglier aspects especially in Damien's behaviour at school, the jealousies of the boys and his power over them to make them afraid and put them in pain? The military academy as a situation for Danden to achieve success and be the best cadet?
8. How credible were the Devil's minions and their particular positions of power? Paul Buher and his selfish plans for the exploitation of the Third World? His power to put these into practice - and the critique of many foreign policies of the Nationals? Neff and his position in the school? Their guiding Damien into his role and revealing his identity to him? The illustration of their ideas and their ruthlessness in getting people out of their way? The irony of Ann being the Devil's minion and serving him, protecting him, especially in killing her husband and dying in the holocaust for the sake of Damien? Audience response to these 'devils'?
9. The importance of the warnings - the character of Aunt Marion and her voicing her suspicions yet being rejected, the two boys and their reaction, Ann's reaction to her - especially in the light of Ann's identity? Bill Atherton and his more benign policy towards Third World countries and towards progress? The ugliness of his being murdered beneath the ice? Joan Hart and her warnings, the terror of her death on the road? The doctor and his suspicions and his information about Danden's cell structure and the violence and special effects of the lift? Pesarion and his death? The curator of the museum and his being killed on the train? The cumulative effect of so much death?
10. The significance of death within the film and its relationship to the domination of evil and the Devil incarnate? The pictorial violence of the deaths, the qualities of the special effects? Did they draw attention to themselves too much or did they fit into the atmosphere of the film?
11. The significance of the prologue, the link with the original film? Bugenhagen and his anxiety and haste, conferring with his colleague, preparing the letter for Richard Thorne? Thorn's reaction in contrast to his playing down of suspicions? The flight to New York? Being present at the curator's death?
12. How well did the film provide an atmosphere of tension, menace? The culmination in the death of Mark and the confrontation between the two boys in the forest? Thorn and his inability to cope, his decision to kill Damien? The confrontation between Ann and Richard and the spectacular ending? Where did this leave audiences in appreciation of Damien and his satanic evil, Ann and her role, the future of the world with Damien in possession of the Thorn wealth and power?
13. How particularly American was the film? The many sequences of domestic Americana? How well did these combine with aspects of the horror film and gore., the overtones of the occult, themes of good and evil? A popular fable?
