New OMEN 2-Disc Set (6/20)

[AndyDursin]

Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up on this set streeting next week, specifically what it has over the previous 1-disc Special Edition:

-Deleted scene (extended dog attack) w/commentary by Donner and Stuart Baird...referred to on the earlier commentary but left off that DVD for whatever reason.

-New commentary with Donner and Brian Helgeland, who's a big fan of the movie...amusing to hear from what I've listened to thus far, though I've read on other reviews that Donner contradicts himself in relation to the older commentary with Baird (also contained here). Wouldn't be the first time.

-THE OMEN LEGACY documentary in its entirety on the 2nd disc...a nice inclusion if you don't have the older Image, standalone DVD release.

-All the extras from the previous DVD (including the Goldsmith interview, the 45 minute documentary, trailer).

In all this is a nice package, not an essential pick-up, but the new commentary and deleted scene make it attractive -- and if you didn't already own THE OMEN LEGACY DVD I'd say this is a must-have for fans.

BTW that Image OMEN LEGACY DVD did have a DAMIEN OMEN 2 featurette and trailers for the other films in the series, which aren't included here.

[Monterey Jack]

Sounds very nice, although the lack of the isolated score track from the '96 laserdisc is regrettable.

[Monterey Jack]

BTW, does anyone find it a really dumb business move to release this new SE two weeks after the remake came out? Most times, when a remake inspires a new SE of the original movie, the studio tries to have it in stores a week or two before the remake hits theaters (and often with free "movie cash" to sweeten the deal), but in this case, I honestly have no intention to pick this up until it pops up in a Best Buy "2 for $20" sale.

[Carlson2005]

Usually, companies prefer to keep the originals away when a remake debuts - in the old days they wouldn't just lock them up in the vaults, they'd physically destroy the originals. But with DVD releases, there's always the fear in the theatrical division that they'll lose ticket sales to the original: when I was working on the 1953 War of the Worlds SE, Spielberg had the release date pushed back until after his version debuted on DVD! It's simple economics: they've got more money tied up in the theatrical version than they could make from the DVD.