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"Damien Omen II" is a tense, top end film production. Though perhaps a bit dated in production technique, its a superb well produced thriller of the occult, end of days theme which is still so popular today. Current movies such as 'The Sign', 'Prophecy', 'Stigmata', and 'Armageddon' bear testimony to this. The film is part 2 of the Omen Trilogy which originally started in the 1970s. Currently the Omen Trilogy has been released on DVD celebrating the 25th anniversary this 20th Century Fox Film Production. "Damien Omen II" was made in 1978, the second of a three part series. It features William Holden as Richard
Thorn, the uncle of Damien. He is the CEO of Thorn, a mighty industrial company. Thorn and his second wife adopt his deceased brother's son, who is actually the
child of the devil. Much of it is filmed in a military academy with a long pants uniform. Many teenagers are involved.
Damien Omen II is part 2 of the Omen Trilogy which originally started in the 1970s. Currently the Omen Trilogy has been released on DVD celebrating the 25th anniversary this 20th Century Fox Film Production. Damien Omen II was made in 1978, the second of a three part series.
"Damien Omen II" features William Holden as Richard Thorn, the uncle
of Damien. He is the CEO of Thorn, a mighty industrial company. His neurotic and at times dotty second wife, Ann Thorn, is played by Lee Grant. Damien's cousin, Mark Thorn (Richards son from his first marriage) is played by Lucas Donat. He is the older boy of about 14 and at times quite naive. Paul Buher, played by Robert Foxworth, is on the board of
Thorn Industries. He is a scheming man playing a pivotal role in the film of questionable motives. Sergeant Neff, the platoon officer of Damien's military academy school for boys, is played by Lance Hendrikson. He is in cohorts with Paul Buher
in the grand scheme of things for Damien. Charles Warren, played by Nicholas Pryor, is Thorn Industries museum curator. Damien Thorn, played by Jonathan Scott-Taylor, is the nephew of Richard Thorn. Damien's father was mysteriously killed seven years ago when he (Damien's father) tried to kill his own son (Damien), believing that his son, born from jackal, was the son of the Devil. Damien and his cousin Mark attend the elite Davidson Military Academy for boys.
Damien, of whom the film is about, is the son of the Devil. He is the anti-Christ that is revealed in the Revelations chapter of the Bible. Jonathan Scott-Taylor who the plays role of the demon boy, does it exceptionally well. He is a handsome,
dark haired, well built boy with steely blue grey eyes. He has well defined features, intense and has an air of being in command and always confident. Even in the lighter moments of the movie, there seems to a subtle aura of omnipotent power about him. He is about 13 years old.
The film starts in the Middle East in a dusty desert Arabic town where a significant archaeological find has been discovered. The opening sequence is quite a familiar one. It has striking resemblance to that of The Exorcist or Stargate. An archaeologist has discovered an ancient mural with a painting that has a striking resemblance to Damien.
He also finds a statue that represents the Whore of Babylon and ancient knives that are to be used to kill the anti-Christ. There is also other evidence that proves that the Damien has to be killed. He persuades a disbelieving colleague to come have a look. They go but when the ancient wall with its mural is revealed, there is a ground subsidence and the two die a terrible death being buried under the collapsing sand and stone.
The movie then cuts to Chicago, seven years later. We see the beautiful and luxurious large home of industrialist Richard Thorn. The two boys, Damien and Mark prepare to go back to the military academy for the next term. The boys are dressed in their military dress suits and look very smart. It is a light blue/grey double breasted military jacket
with its military flashes and epilates. Beneath is a white shirt and dark tie. The trousers look smart and they wear black shoes. Perhaps another HBC reader with a knowledge of American military dress could elaborate on what they are wearing here.
Damien says goodbye to his ageing aunt Marion, a major shareholder of Thorn Industries. She openly disapproves of him. However, she is very fond of Mark. Despite his charming good looks and friendly manner towards his aunt, Damien can't understand why his aunt dislikes him but he takes it in his stride. When the two boys are in the chauffer driven car
heading for the academy, Damien's friendly and outgoing nature as they chat to the driver far outshines his more mundane cousin. Damien is a typical 13 year old boy of pukka upbringing; exuberant, smart, outgoing, a bit cocky and taking great delight in caricaturing the academies teachers--much to the delight and amusement of the driver and his cousin. His cousin, a bigger boy of about 14, is blond also good looking with an engaging personality. However, Damien has a more commanding presence and aura of control than himself.
Back at the house after a sumptuous tea, Aunt Marion try's to persuade Richard (Marks father) that the boys should be separated as she believes that Damien is a bad influence on Mark. This is met with disbelief. Later that evening, after Aunt Marion has retired to bed, she is awakened by a black crow perched at the foot of the bed. (She had left the window open earlier). The evil looking crow looks at her as she tries to get away and she collapses on the floor from a severe heart attack.
Back at the military academy, the two boys are put through their paces in drill on the parade ground. The boys look resplendid in their dashing uniforms. An interesting observation is that Damien's hair is perhaps a bit longer than what military dress would allow. This could be 'poetic licence' to meet the needs of wardrobe and makeup for
this superb film as it did not distract from the continuity of the production. I think that Damien's hair, though typically a 1970s style cut, was well styled and matched his features.
At the parade ground after their drill exercise, the boys of the school are introduced to their new platoon commander, a Sergeant Neff. He makes it immediately clear to the boys he will be a strict disciplinarian and will tolerate no mischief. However, when he talks to Damien, he seems to be more tolerant and indicates to Damien he will be more receptive
to him than the other boys. Later during a recess, another bigger boy in the academy scuffles with Damien's cousin because of an argument. Damien intervenes, much to the delight of the big burly boy who wants to precipitate a fight with Damien. Unnerved, Damien looks back at him. This has a dramatic effect on the bully, the 'force' of Damien's
stare throws him down onto the ground clutching at his throat choking loudly in agony. The boys watching this spectacle are startled and (including Damien) don't understand what happened.
In the next scene in the city centre, Richard Thorn is accosted by an intrusive reporter by the name of Joan Hart. She knows about the demise of the archaeologist and the legacy of Damien but Richard spurns her request for an interview and scoffs at her knowledge. She decides to go to the military academy to see how Damien looks like herself.
At the academy the boys are practicing American football. It is a grey misty day - more of an eerie European type light than American. In this light there is no distinct shadow and the colours of the boys football gear blend in well with the environs. The bright yellow football jerseys, the white helmets and the knee high white tube socks with red
border and the blue scrumming bags make a comfortable mix with the even light on the green fields with the brooding backdrop of scraggly trees and thick mist in the background.
To add to the above composition of textured colour, the reporters dress is a singular red which is striking and makes her stand out as the lighting cameraman intended her to. This is a standard movie technique so that the audience can quickly identify the principle character for that scene. She asks another spectator which boy is Damien. She sees him and is struck by the striking resemblance of his looks to the painting of the face on the ancient
mural. She leaves.
Dramatically, the dreaded black crow appears again on the forbidding looking lonely road the reporter is travelling on. Her car sputters to a stop and she can't start it again. She climbs out to look for help. The crow then viciously attacks her and gouges out her eyes whilst she rolls around helplessly on the road while tying to fend off the bird amidst screams and shrieks of agony. Its a terrifying scene. The black crow flies away leaving her face and hair drenched in blood, eeringly complementing her vivid red dress outfit. Totally disorientated, she staggers back onto the road right in front of a fast approaching
big truck and is gruesomely annihilated.
Its Marks 14th birthday party. A joyous occasion and everybody is having fun on the snowskis. Richard's neurotic wife looks on through the window. She beams as she looks on watching Damien riding a snowski. They later gather inside to continue with the party festivities. The boys (and family) are well dressed. Mark wears a sweater with alternating horizontal colour stripes--typical of the fashion for the 70s and a white lounge
shirt. Paul Bahur, a member on Thorns executive board, and of questionable business ethics is also at the party. He aptly wears a black polar neck and a grey jacket. He seems to be preoccupied in trying to engage in a conversation with Damien. Damien is wearing a white wool sweater and with his handsome features and nicely styled black trousers looks relaxed.
Damien has not met Paul before and is taken aback at Paul's conversation of the 'coming of age' and puberty. Paul then invites Damien and his friends for a tour of Thorns factory. Afterall, Paul points out, he (Damien) and his cousin are heirs to Thorns industry and should know what is going on. The next day, the family go to play ice hockey on a frozen lake. Its a lively occasion with the townsfolk there. All the children are beautifully dressed in colourful ice hockey gear and there is much gaiety and laughter. Damien is fetchingly dressed in a snappy blue anorak with white relief on the arms with a yellow
border separating the two colours. He's wearing red gloves and a woollen headcap of various horizontal colours. With the family is Bill, also a member of Thorns executive board. He does not like Paul Bahur's questionable business practices.
Damien enjoys himself with much glee as he partakes in the ice hockey game. Suddenly the puck is hit out to a remote and unplayed area of the frozen lake and Bill pursues it. Then in an eerie and dramatic moment, the camera pans away to a clump of desolate trees where the black crow is sitting. A harbinger of terrible death. Bill gets close to the puck but skates over an area of thin ice. Its a terrible moment, the weak ice
gives way and Bill falls into the frozen waters of the lake. The crowd gather and desperately try to rescue him from under the frozen sheets of ice. There efforts are in vain and Bill's life ends in a cold watery grave in front of them. Richard Thorn, CEO of Thorn industries is shocked by this terrible accident. He decides that he and his wife must take a break. He appoints Paul Bahur to be acting CEO whilst he is away. Paul can scarcely conceal his joy and starts to implement his unethical business plans which Bill opposed almost at once.
The action now cuts back to the military academy. Damien's class are having a history lesson. The boys in the class are restless and up to mischief behind the teachers back. The teacher catches Damien with an unflattering drawing of himself which is being passed around the class. He hauls Damien into the front of the class to reprimand him. He decides to ask Damien if he can answer questions about the lecture he was giving. Without hesitation, Damien answers the rapid fire questions with ease. The teacher is flummoxed. He then continues by asking him a string of historical dates. Damien answers them with equanimity. Now flustered and embarrassed, the teacher starts to loose his composure whilst Damien remains in control.
The moment becomes tense and although Damien's voice is on the edge of breaking with
puberty, it is articulate and in control - there's an element sexual tension detectable in the vocal chords as he at rasps off the answers form the now dazed teacher. At a crucial moment, the platoon officer comes in and rescues the humiliated teacher from his predicament. He takes the boy outside and asks what on earth is he doing. Damien does not understand and says he was just merely answering the questions. The platoon officer impresses on him not to draw attention to himself as his 'time will come'. Damien does not
understand. The platoon officer goes on to discuss with him the book of Revelations.
. It is a brilliantly executed scene. The actor who played the role of the teacher did it magnificently. The tense cutting between the cameras was outstanding.
Its now the end of the day. Whilst the boys of the military band play the closing of the day ceremony in the main hall of the dormitory, Damien goes to his room to read the chapter of Revelations the platoon sergeant told him about. In this scene, an opportunity is given to look at the fine uniforms the cadet boys are wearing. Regretfully I have no knowledge of American military dress code and hopefully another HBC reader can expand on the salient details. However, the boys look very smart in their fine ceremonial military dress. It is interesting to note how close fitting the uniforms (and civilian clothes) are of the 1970s as compared to today where casual clothing is far more loose fitting and relaxed.
Damien is in the dormitory reading Revelations chapter 13 from the Bible. He is alone.
Somehow the passages he reads from the Bible seem to be relevant and symbolic to the military band that is playing in the hallway. The camera cuts between Damien and the band as he reads the passages. The chapter talks about the mark of the beast and it's number - 666. Damien goes to the ablution block and starts to examine himself with a mirror. Unrepentantly he finds he has the mark of the beast on the top his head by his crown when he parts is hair. He is shocked and confused and runs out onto the academy's grounds to the riverside. The platoon officer looks on from his office window. Damien is sobbing out aloud, now aware of his foretold fate.
Next day Damien and his friends go to visit Thorn industries as invited by the dodgy Paul Buhar who is still the temporary CEO whilst Richard Thorn is still away. The boys wear naval type(?) caps, dark blue overcoats that go to the knee, light grey trousers, black leather shoes, white shirts and ties. The factory is modern and sophisticated with all sorts of electronic systems governing its workings. They enter an area where they have to wear hard safety hats. Whilst the tour guide shows them a system, there is an explosion
and the area is exposed to a dangerous leaking chemical gas. The boys are rushed out coughing loudly as the inhale the poisonous fumes. During the explosion, another employee of Thorn that is aware of the anti-Christ and Damien, can not make it time to get out and dies. Damien, who is now aware of who is now, watches dispassionately as sees the man dies. Damien's demeanour has dramatically changed.
Richard Thorn returns from his leave and is shocked to hear about the accident with the boys. He demands they get the best treatment possible. The doctor who sees to the boys tells Richard that though the boys were slightly injured in the accident, they will heal and there is no harm. However he says he would like to keep Damien longer for tests as he can not understand why Damien suffered no injury. Damien protests
loudly to this and wants to go home. The puzzled doctor relents. We see Damien lay his head down on the pillow of the hospital bed, he has an all knowing look on his face and an ominous expression calculated subterfuge.
Later in a laboratory, we see the doctor pouring over thick medical text books and peering into a microscope to look for clues why Damien was not effected by the leaking poising gasses. He suddenly makes a discovery. He hastily gathers his evidence to show a colleague. He leaves to take a lift to another floor in the big building. Once inside the lift, the controls inexplicably jam and the lift moves by its own accord to the top 27th floor. Moments later, the stop controls of the lift let go and the cage plummets to the ground. Miraculously, the doctor survives the fall. Unbeknown to him, the lifts power cables suddenly become loose, and come crashing down onto the cage with electrical power still surging through them. With the force of the fall, the cables cut through the cage and violently dismember the doctor into two in blazing shower of electrical sparks. Yet another violet and gruesome death. Back at the luxury home, Richard hears of the doctors terrible death. He also knows that Damien was the only boy who was not effected by the leaking poison gas.
Thorns museum curator, Charles, is at the New York museum. He knows the truth of Damien
and gets hold of the ancient sacrificial knives and locks them away. The ancient wall with the mural bearing a likeness to Damien's (good) looks is busy being shipped to New York.
Damien and his cousin Mark are home for the weekend. They are watching a movie with Marks uncle and his wife, Ann. It is clear that his wife adores Damien as he sits snuggled up next to her on the couch. Damien is dressed in a close fitting green sweater and trim jeans with a bit of flaring at the bottom hem was so typical of 1970s fashions. Damien's clothes sit on him nicely. The doorbell rings, its Charles the curator back from New York. He looks anxious and wants to speak to Richard urgently. Damien and Charles look at each other
degradedly. There is a tangible of 'knowing' between them. Damien looks calm but calculating whilst Charles looks decidedly uncomfortable.
Charles and Richard go to the drawing room to talk behind closed doors. Charles blurts out to Richard all he knows--Damien is the Devils son, born from a jackal. Damien's father tried to kill his son but was killed himself. Richard looks on disbelievingly as listens to Charles's outrageous tale. He refuses to believe what Charles has said. Even the invitation to go to the New York Museum to see the archaeological proof is met with dismay. Charles leaves distressed that Richard won't believe him. The next day, Richard Thorn tells his wife what the museum curator has told him. She is incredulous and persuades her husband to dismiss it and not to go to New York. He agrees and they decide to walk through the forest.
Unbeknown to them, Mark, Damien's cousin had overheard their conversation. He is shocked. Suddenly the unexplained events of the past make sense. Mark, who is still overwhelmed of what he heard the night before, also decides to take a walk in the forrest, walking on his own. Damien, sensing what is happening with his cousin, decides to follow him into the forest. He wears a blue fur lined snow jacket that has a cape and a white polar neck. Somehow Damien's usual confident features are missing. He looks tense and withdrawn as he goes to look for his cousin in the woods. He finds Mark and the contact is tense and uncomfortable. Mark looks evasive and Damien looks unsure of himself. Damien asks Mark why he is avoiding him. Mark tells him he knows everything. Damien declares his love for his cousin and asks that he comes with him. Mark declines and walks away.
Just as Damien had done before with the school bully at the academy, Damien's bearing changes and with an authoritive voice, commands Mark to stop and to turn around. Once again, as he did with the school bully, Damien stares at his cousin intently. Mark clutches at his throat, emitting painful strangulation noises and collapses to the ground and dies. Damien's character changes again, looks at his fallen cousin in dismay and cries for help. Richard and Ann arrive but it is too late.
The funeral for Mark is with full military pomp and pageantry. The platoon officer, Sergeant Neff and Paul Buher of Thorn industry, are present at the ceremony. They look at each other, with just a hint of satisfaction on their faces, you can see they acknowledge each other, both aware that all that has come to pass has been successful for them.
Damien's uncle decides to go to New York, much to his wife's hysterical dismay. Damien looks on from distance as his uncle boards the Lear Jet for the flight. There is an air of malevolence about him.
In New York Richard meets the curator Charles who has been pleading with him to come and
look at the archaeological evidence that proves that Damien is the anti-Christ. Charles takes Richard to a busy rail shunting yard where the container containing the ancient wall with the mural art is being delivered. They have a perilous walk between the busy shunting yard to get to the container. They find it and with Richard opening the container to look inside, Charles decide to wait outside. Whilst Richard rummages through the container to find the wall with the mural on it, a shunting loco in the railway yard engages itself to move forward on the track that has the trailer with the container on it. It gathers speed. Charles who is standing in front of a coupling link of a trailer does not see what's happening. The runaway loco smashes into him, killing Charles instantly as he is jammed into the coupling pin. At this moment, Richard has seen the mural artwork on the ancient wall. The picture shows an uncanny resemblance of Damien.
Back at Davidsons Military Academy, its graduation evening and the cadet boys look splendid in their full ceremonial dress. Once again I have no knowledge American military ceremonial dress but it is most certainly fascinating and a HBC reader with knowledge of this will be most welcome. It is most certainly a prestigious and grand occasion. Damien wins the hallowed and sought after accolade prize of the Golden Sabre. Damien accepts the award graciously. He is surrounded and swooned by adoring pretty young girls, all clamouring for his attention. Its a wonderful and auspicious evening. He unecpectantly leaves.
Richard Thorn returns from New York, he now accepts what people have been trying
to tell him. He tell his shocked wife who is dismayed that her husband now believes the prophecy. Richard says they must find the ancient sacrificial knives which the curator had hidden and kill Damien. They break open a desk and find them. His wife slowly extracts them from there folder. Suddenly she turns around clutching the two knives and stabs her husband to death. As he dies, she declares her allegiance to Damien.
Damien, who had unexpectantly left the gala evening is next door. He is still dressed
in his full military regalia. Somehow he doesn't look the same anymore. His youthful
and at times carefree countenance is gone. He looks like an evil man in a child's body.
His bleak face looks grim and serious. As if preparing for the next phase of the prophecy.
He hears Ann's call next door and enters. Damien is the Omen. He is not that engaging
and likeable young boy anymore. With his satanic forces, he engulfs Ann in a ball of fire.
She totters around meaninglessly as the fire consumes her.
Damien walks to the entrance of the museum building, the sirens of the police vehicles
wail in the background, approaching to the fire alarm. As he walks along the shadows
of the corridor, the dark and black shadows cast a menacing figure. With the peaked
cap on his head, Damien looks like an evil Nazi officer from World War II. He comes to the
buildings entrance, the chauffer of the now deceased Richard Thorn opens the
limos door for him to climb in. Damien is now the heir to the mighty Thorn empire.
The varied costuming is discussed in the different scenes of the plot section. Much of the film is shot at school with the boys in ther military academy uniforms.
Damien liker most of the other boys in the academy are younger teenagers. All the boys hair are typical of the style of the 1970s and is not so sophisticated as it is today.
The hair is long on the top and sides, long fringes and sideburns with a bit of hair covering the ears, paths in the middle or on the side. Even today their hair still looks good and attractive with their smart military dress. One of the boy movie extras in the military band who plays the cymbals stands out from the rest with his mop top of blond hair, military upright posture.
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