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The Omen won an oscar?

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Author	Topic: The Omen won an oscar?

Pete M Oscar® Winner	Does anyone else think that this is a little strange. I mean, it's a (mostly) cold, stark, demonic horror score. Not exactly typical Oscar material. I mean, if you only knew that Goldsmith had won one oscar, you'd think that it would probably be for a more "worthy" film - something like Patton or Papillon. I also can't think of another horror score that has won the oscar (they mostly like lovely, melodic, tuneful scores). The closest I can think of is Williams' Jaws the year before. But even that isn't all nasty stuff - Out to Sea, & Promenade leap to mind, plus it has a really well-known theme - how many people in the street can hum it? But if you mention The Omen, they just think of O Fortuna (which isn't even in the film anyway). So what was it, was there a lack of melodic scores that year, or what? I mean not that Goldsmith didn't DESERVE to win, but this is the oscars, deserving to win does not mean that you will - I mean, with both Alien & Star Trek TMP in '79 how could he lose? What does anyone else think? Any ideas about this curious (but happy) anomaly? np The Omen (surprisingly) ***/*** [This message has been edited by Pete M (edited 27 January 2000).]
posted 01-27-2000 06:07 AM PT (US)

HAL 2000 Oscar® Winner	It is rare for the Academy to recognise a horror score but they have on occassion nominated them when they were exceptional. For expample Poltergiest was nominated, as were Psycho and Sisters. I believe The Omen won becuase it, like the previous year's winner Jaws, had a score where the music virtually made the picture. The effect of Goldsmith's score was chilling and the impression it left was memorable. There wasn't another score that year that had a score that contributed as much to the film's overall impact. Personally, I think The Final Conflict is a far superior effort. I do think that Goldsmith should have won for other examples of his work. As you said, Patton is a clear case. Other times? Chinatown, Star Trek:TMP, Under Fire, Basic Instinct, Mulan.
posted 01-27-2000 06:56 AM PT (US)

Brad Wills Oscar® Winner	Sorry HAL 2000 but neither PSYCHO nor SISTERS was nominated in the score category. As a matter of fact Herrmann was only nominated one other time between his win in '41 for ALL THAT MONEY CAN BUY and double nominations in '76 for TAXI DRIVER and OBSESSION, and that was for ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM in '47. INTERVIEW WITH VAMPIRE, ALIENS, ALTERED STATES, SHANKS and THE AMITYVILLE HORROR are other "horror" scores that have been nominated. [This message has been edited by Brad Wills (edited 27 January 2000).]
posted 01-27-2000 07:41 AM PT (US)

Scott Oscar® Winner	Well, sometimes even the Academy gets it right. Scott NP:Field of Dreams (**/***)
posted 01-27-2000 07:47 AM PT (US)

H Rocco Oscar® Winner	All five nominees for Best Score that year were somehow dark and bleak: VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES, THE OMEN, and two by a dead guy Bernard Herrmann -- TAXI DRIVER and OBSESSION. If Herrmann had lived, he might well have seen a statue for OBSESSION. But no. Of the other nominees, Fielding was a Hollywood outsider; I doubt most of the voters even heard the Schifrin score; and then THE OMEN, which as someone said above just "made" the picture -- it was music that was demonically effective and also OBVIOUS in a way Goldsmith's previous nominees weren't. People came away from that movie remembering the music, as they did with JAWS, and so, he won.
posted 01-27-2000 01:46 PM PT (US)

Nicolai P. Zwar Oscar® Winner	It's also quite possible that Bernard Herrmann, who had just died, might have split up his votes. He may well have won if he would have been nominated for only ONE score.
posted 01-27-2000 11:38 PM PT (US)

Tom Scofield unregistered	THE OMEN was a landmark score for Goldsmith, and, unless you were old enough to remember how much fun that picture was in a theatre and how exciting the music was, Carl Orff or not, you just can't begin to understand how many people were rooting for Jerry. I know I was. It was terrific watching this handsome, silver-haired (no ponytail!) guy, with his gorgeous girl friend, win the award. I'll never forget how happy Jerry was and how funny and clever his acceptance speech was. Perhaps my favorite Oscar memory. One must remember that THE OMEN, just like director Donner's other classic SUPERMAN was a FUN movie. Horror, yes, but still lots of fun. [This message has been edited by Tom Scofield (edited 27 January 2000).]
posted 01-27-2000 11:49 PM PT (US)

H Rocco Oscar® Winner	Nitpicker that I am ... Goldsmith's "girlfriend" was already then his (second) wife, though she still used the name Carol Heather as on the lyrics and performance for "The Piper Dreams" for THE OMEN's album. In fact, practically his first words were to her: "A piper's dream did come true!" Not sure whether Carol Heather legally refers to herself as Carol Goldsmith or not. Them Hollywood types often don't. But notice also that Goldsmith tries to camouflage any use of family on his albums: e.g. his daughter Ellen, who performed the two songs in WILD ROVERS, was billed as "Ellen Smith." Joel Goldsmith always uses HIS name on his dad's albums (RUNAWAY, FIRST CONTACT etc.), but then, that's the one he's chosen to use professionally, and of Goldsmith's immediate family, Joel is the only one who really does music for a living.
posted 01-28-2000 11:57 AM PT (US)

John C Winfrey Oscar® Winner	The highly learned professor who gave the talk before the Goldsmith concert at Springfield, Mo in 1989, couldn't believe it either. He said "Patton was the only oscar he had won." I did not bother to correct him there. I didn't want to totally embarrass and make a fool of him. I just shook my head no. Best, John.
posted 01-28-2000 07:05 PM PT (US)

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