The Omen [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [Soundtrack]

Marco Beltrami (Composer), Jerry Goldsmith (Composer), Pete Anthony (Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Conductor: Pete Anthony
• Composer: Marco Beltrami, Jerry Goldsmith
• Audio CD (June 6, 2006)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B000FILWQ8
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #173,431 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Omen Main Titles (2:58)

2. The Adoption (4:12)

3. Ambassador Gets Fired (1:33)

4. New House / Damien’s Deliverance (2:20)

5. The Nanny’s Noose (2:05)

6. A Cross To Bear (2:49)

7. Ms. Baylock (1:50)

8. Damien’s Tantrum (1:52)

9. More Tantrums (2:12)

10. Kate Doubts (1:05)

11. Scooter (2:44)

12. Don’t Let Him Kill Me (1:29)

13. On The Heels Of Spiletto (6:58)

14. Dogs In The Cemetery (2:02)

15. Drive To Bugenhagen (1:31)

16. Dirty Deeds (4:12)

17. Altar Of Sacrifice (4:10)

18. The Funeral (1:41)

19. Boy Genius (2:52)

20. Omen 76/06* (3:30)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beltrami's Omen Pleases..., June 19, 2006

By 

Christopher Sherbanuk (Camrose, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Omen [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (Audio CD)

With all due respect to the Goldsmith purists worldwide (and to the composer himself), the maestro is DEAD. His extraordinary and music for the Omen trilogy is LEGENDARY. It is the ultimate template for a horror film score. Having said that, Beltrami's music for the remake is simply exquisite. It succeeds for the most part, because it is not simply an extension of Goldsmith's material, but a genuine hommage to the spirit of the maestro's work. Beltrami's Omen is a rich and vibrant score, with a wealth of thematic material that is expertly crafted. I also appreciate that Beltrami's score is not obvious or contrived -- the music flows with a sense of assuredness unlike anything I've heard from Beltrami previously, and is the staple of an outstanding horror score. A strong (and moving) central theme, combined with a frantic sense of desperation makes Beltrami's Omen a WORTHY entry into the realm of great horror film scores.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "The Omen" is taken in a very different direction......., June 21, 2006

By 

Nicholas Cody Smallwood (Delbarton, WV USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Omen [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (Audio CD)

Beltrami has been given some BIG shoes to fill. I've always been an admirer of Jerry's original score, and the revolution in horror scoring that it spawned, so my expectations for this new "reincarnation" were pretty high. I must admit that Beltrami has risen to the occasion, but this is not to say that it is an exceptional score.
It's clear from the outset that Beltrami has given this score his own compositional style, mainly in the way he uses percussion and his choices in orchestration and instrumentation. One reviewer mentioned that Beltrami's "Omen" is the serious side of his previous score for "Hellboy" and to be honest, I'm inclined to agree. Much of the action material from that score is given similar treatment here, only without the obvious comic book flair. The softer moments of "Omen" have some very nice writing at times, often with gentle piano or Beltrami's good use of woodwinds.
One major aspect of the score that I think detracts from its merit greatly is the lack of a significant tie to the religious themes of the film. This pseudo-religious scoring is what gave Jerry's original its appeal and I was suprised to hear so little of it here. Beltrami was given a wonderful choir, heard in full in the last track but only a little elsewhere in the score.
As a stand-alone horror score, it's very effective: his rhythmic and percussive writing suits the genre very well, and we hear a lot of that here (i.e.-in the opening track). However, there are times when the score doesn't lend well to its own seriousness and I really felt that this tended to take the music from "Omen" to another typical "slasher" flick. In my opinion, this arises from the same lack of a religious musical tone (just my opinion!) On a more positive note, he uses Jerry's original material to a good effect, just enough to give flavor while putting his own unique touch to the score.
Overall, Beltrami's score for the new "Omen" is a good one: an entertaining listen, although one that I probably won't have in my player as often. In reality this score will probably live out its days in the shadow of its predecessor, however there are very good bits to be found here and any fan of Beltrami's work on previous scores for this genre should try it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Omen Score Showdown: Goldsmith vs. Beltrami, June 8, 2006

By 

C. N. Zachary "Thematic Score Aficionado" (Memphis, TN United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Omen [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (Audio CD)

First of all it is important to note that Marco (Hellboy)Beltrami was a student of Jerry(Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Omen Trilogy, Many Others)Goldsmith, and the master's musical influence is present in subtle echoes.

Goldsmith's original Omen score, his only Oscar winner by the way, is a rousing and unforgettable choral tour de force that elevates the film tremendously. The haunting chants that underscore the evil powers protecting Damien are a hallmark to Goldsmith's genius at evoking emotions while still using memorable themes.

Most horror film scores today are little more than transparently digital incidental music on top of overproduced percussion that are forgettable at best and annoying at their worst.

This being said, Beltrami's capable and appropriate score just doesn't have the majesty and power of Goldsmith's sinister black mass. There is only one brief tribute to the signature Omen theme, Ave Satani, in the closing credits, and the score suffers because of this. Surely there was a way to update the score without ignoring the signature them completely? Imagine remaking Jaws without the well known two-note motif. Something is definitely missing in this score.

Screenwriter David Seltzer managed to elevate his original screenplay in this remake, but I believe it suffers from Beltrami's passable but clunky attempt to "depart" from the classic Omen themes.

A Thematic Film Score Fan