THE OMEN - Cursed Production?
The Curse of the Omen
Released in 1976, The Omen remains one of the most revered horror classics ever released.
Written by David Seltzer and Directed by Richard Donner, the story follows American diplomat Robert (portrayed by Gregory Peck), and his wife Katherine (portrayed by Lee Remick).
Unable to tell his wife their baby is stillborn he accepts a baby boy passed to him by a priest, who he states the mother has just died. After death and misfortune fall upon anyone who crosses the boy’s path, Robert grows suspicious that his new son may be the antichrist.
Curse definition
a solemn utterance intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something.
Robert Munger
Before filming the cast and crew were warned that the set would be cursed. This warning was issued by Robert Munger, the mastermind behind The Omen.
A devout Christian he warned, “If the devil’s greatest single weapon is to be invisible and you’re going to do something which is going to take away his invisibility to millions of people, he’s not going to want that to happen.”
Here we look at the tragic events that surrounded this production, was it just circumstance, or was Munger right? The Omen was cursed….
Here’s a look at some of the evidence.
When Lightning strikes
[ ] Travelling to England to film, Peck’s plane was struck by lightning, the engine caught fire and nearly crashed into the Atlantic.
[ ] Exec producer Mac Neufeld’s plane was also struck by lightning while en route to Los Angeles.
[ ] Writer David Seltzer’s plane was also struck by lightning.
[ ] While filming in Rome, lightning narrowly missed producer Harvey Bernhard.
[ ] Just a side note about Gregory Peck, his son Jonathan committed suicide two months before filming started on The Omen. The role of Robert he accepted in a way to reconcile the guilt of not being around for his son.
Plane tragedy
[ ] A local small plane was hired for the crew to take some aerial shots and also bring Gregory Peck to a filming location.
[ ] However, getting a better deal from someone else the airline company rented the plane to someone else. The plane would crash killing all occupants. Including the pilot’s family on the ground.
IRA Explosions
[ ] Exec Producer Mace Neufeld and Gregory Peck were headed out one evening for a meal, this meal never happened as the building had been destroyed in an explosion.
[ ] Neufeld again narrowly missed tragedy when luckily he checked out of his hotel earlier than expected with his wife, the hotel was levelled by another explosion.
Decapitations
[ ] One of the most famous scenes in the film is the decapitation scene, isn’t it odd that Effects Designer respnsible for this scene, John Richardson, was in a head-on car crash where his wife, was decapitated?
[ ] He also claims he also saw a road sign off to one side of the accident that pointed out the town of Ommen was 66.6 kilometers away.
Animal incidents
[ ] The very next day after filming the famous baboon scene, the animal trainer was killed by a tiger.
[ ] The films Rottweilers attacked a stuntmen on set, their trainer unable to restrain the normally placid dogs.
It’s reported Harvey Bernhard carried a cross on set. Who can blame him?
#theomen #cursed #conspiracies