"The Omen" - Jerry Goldsmith

The Omen

Composer: Jerry Goldsmith

Release date: June 25, 1976

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Amazon users rating: 4,5 out of 5 stars.

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All About Soundtracks Review:
In the successful The Omen, from 1976, the wonderful score from Jerry Goldsmith garnered him his only and deserved Academy Award.
(Read more.)


The movie depicts the birth of the Antichrist himself, who is adopted by a couple. The little boy, Damien, then shows his supernatural powers, even if not aware of them.
Jerry Goldsmith’s score is powerful and terrifying. Its structure was recently reflected in the score for Drag Me To Hell, by Christopher Young: moments of bombastic brass and intimidating choral chants, contrasting with tender, hopeful piano-driven cues.
The first cue, the main theme of the score, Ave Satani, was nominated apart of the score for Best Song Oscar too. And it’s deserved. The choir has got the spotlight here, in its most menacing and terrifying appearance. The Latin chant can be translated as “Hail Satan”, “Hail Antichrist”, “We drink the blood”, “We eat the body”, “Elevate the body of Satan”. The strings and brass play another portion of the theme, and the fusion of the two provides an amazing effect, that’s oppressive and scary as hell. It will give you shivers.
This theme has violent renditions in Killer’s Storm, Demise of Mrs. Baylock, The Fall, The Dog’s Attack, and in the climactic The Altar, also with a brief appearance through Safari Park. The choir use is the most memorable aspect of this score, with the shouting and also the whispering creating a suspicious, dark, foreboding atmosphere. Its use always leads to a tremendously violent climax.
Surprisingly, the other thematic component of the score, is a hopeful and romantic theme that represents the couple that adopts Damien. As with the tender theme from Young’s Drag Me To Hell, this theme played in piano, strings and occasional woodwinds seems out of place, though its use is effective in film to create the illusion of calm, hope and happiness. This theme can be heard in cues like The New Ambassador and The Homecoming, and is the base for the song The Piper Dreams, interpreted by Jerry Goldsmith’s wife, Carol Goldsmith.
There’s a score that’s inspiration for good and bad horror composers nowadays. It’s another constantly excellent highlight in Jerry Goldsmith’s career. Even if running for just 35 minutes, the listening experience of this album is intense as hell.

Ups: intense, disturbing listening experience, with an incredibly opressive and menacing main theme, constrating with the fragily tender family theme; a good album if you enjoyed Drag Me To Hell, by Christopher Young

Downs: the quality of the recording is not the best.

Noteworthy tracks: all of them.

Score note: 9,5/10

Preview:
Track 1 - Ave Satani


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