The Omen Wins Original Score: 1977 Oscars

Jerry Goldsmith winning the Oscar® for Original Score for "The Omen" at the 49th Academy Awards® in 1977. Presented by Ann-Margret.

[@joshuawaring4180]

It must have felt badass walking into the stage with the music blasting

[@klausweasley]

This is a deserving win. It's too bad it's Jerry Goldsmith's ONLY win. He deserved at least 2 or 3 more.

[@shimmeringfairydust3275]

klausweasley Couldn't agree more. A wonderful composer. That being said, could Ann-Margaret be any sexier or more gorgeous? And I'm a straight woman!

[@jwelch5742]

He also won 5 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Music Composition - For a Special Program - The Red Pony, Outstanding Music Composition for a Special - QB VII: Parts: I and II, Outstanding Music Composition for a Special - Babe (1975), Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series or a Special (Dramatic Underscore) - Masada: episode 2 and Outstanding Main Title Theme Music - Star Trek: Voyager.

[@buhoivampyr]

17 nominations

[@josiahtapia2029]

Wish he could of won for the mummy the music was just as great

[@teeahtate]

@@buhoivampyr Wow

[@Jessica-pq6rj]

what a humble acceptance speech. Even if it was later rather than sooner, it's good that he got this recognition in his lifetime.

[@markelijio6012]

This is a deserving win. It's Jerry Goldsmith's only Oscar win for scoring The Omen in 1977. He has nominated for scoring Freud, A Patch of Blue, The Sand Pebbles, Planet of the Apes, Patton, Papillon, Chinatown, The Wind and the Lion and writing the song from The Omen. What a legendary composer he is !

[@jwelch5742]

The Omen has great music score. It was Jerry Goldsmith's only Oscar win. According to Goldsmith's wife, Carol, the composer initially struggled with ideas for the score until one evening when he suddenly, happily announced to her, "I hear voices", referring to an orchestral chorus or choir.

[@tracydavis8982]

LOVE "THE OMEN." Jerry Goldsmith, DEFINITELY, deserved to win the Academy Award for Best Musical Score!!!! I am so HAPPY that he Won. The Haunting Music was an asset to the Movie. The Theme Music, the Music for the Cemetery Scene, with the Attack by The Rottweilers, the Music when the Priest was killed by The falling Church Spear, the Music with The Rottweiler walking down the Hall, as Gregory Peck's character arrives home, and the Music when Lee Remick's character is pushed out of the Hospital Window, was Brilliant!!!!!! Jerry Goldsmith, you were so TALENTED and BRILLIANT!!!!!!

[@goodguyjas]

Goldsmith should have been up on that stage a lot more often than this one time. Huge shame some of the greatest film music written by Goldsmith was ignored by academy voters.

[@Grdnp03]

He should have won at least 3 more oscars

[@teeahtate]

One of the few times the Academy got it right.

[@jwelch5742]

The Academy voters has the opinion and so do I.

[@michaeltimme5467]

WRONG taxi driver should have won !

[@xristinamusic9940]

@@michaeltimme5467 if the omen wasnt nominated sure

[@damianlatimer6472]

@@michaeltimme5467 yeah right.it deserved it because that was a frightening score

[@teeahtate]

@@damianlatimer6472 Very true.

[@raindrops21_9]

The thing I love about Goldsmith's scores is that you don't need the moving pictures to tell the story. His music alone is so evocative that you see and feel it all. This is never more evident than here in with score (the music is truly frightening) and again in Legend (such magic and whimsy) and also Alien (there are moments of such isolation and desolation)

[@shimmeringfairydust3275]

Freshcookies 21 couldn't agree more, especially "Alien" in which the music was so key.

[@julesf.meloborges811]

That's a great quality. Not even Williams tracks have that.

[@desbarry8414]

Goldsmith was a true modernist. He didnt write Academy friendly music, his music is all about atmosphere and creating emotions that the visuals cannot. Thats probably why he didnt win more oscars but he definitely deserved to. I love his off the wall stravinsky esque scores.

[@counterpointify]

Despite the first class competition so very much deserved. He should have received many more Oscars.

[@EdPlays1997]

Rightfully deserved. Should have won a lot more though. :(

[@TANKTREAD]

I agree very much!

[@boneeatingsilicate580]

Goldsmith said when he heard he was up against Herrmann for two scores "Heck, that's a slam dunk for Benny"

[@nikreece6295]

The omen deserved to win a oscar and especially Jerry goldsmith for ave santini.. One of the best horror films ever made...And should've won more oscars this year too

[@alexiatorrez7680]

Once when you listened that score you never forget it

[@King_Colombia_Inc]

He composed the Legendary 21 year old beautiful and fantastic Universal Pictures Fanfare.

[@MountDoomPictures]

The Omen has great music score.

[@silentgreybox]

is it possible to learn this power

[@michaelhammock1270]

Goldsmith is one of my musical heroes. So happy he won the Oscar though sadly for this one time. I personally think he should have won for A Patch Of Blue and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

[@verszka1678]

and Chinatown!

[@rayunited2010foryou]

His score in The Mummy was phenomenal too.

[@CodyJMinor0620]

John Williams said that just about every composer in Hollywood called Jerry "The Chameleon" because of his ability to adapt himself to any genre of film and the kind of music the film required.

[@Winduct]

He should have won 2 Oscars that same night both for the score and the song of the film. Seirously, best song written in Latin.

[@johndurrell1633]

For once everything went right for Jerry Goldsmith that year. The Omen was a massive hit movie (a key factor for the judges), there was no competition from the likes of John Williams that year (Jaws won the year before and Star Wars the year after), there was no Maurice Jarre, no John Barry (both of whom would win further Oscars in '84 and '85), no Disney revival, no musicals (i.e, all the things that had cost Goldsmith the award in previous years) and although Morricone had 2 nominations that year (having just died) the Academy refused to be sentimental and gave the award to the better score. Which it surely is. Although Taxi Driver has some haunting themes, The Omen is simply a better score in every way - better orchestrated, more original, more melodic with a wider range of melodies, moods and tone colours and superbly organised. The fact that it's one of the few film scores that stands up both in the cinema and the concert hall also tells you how good it is. As far as I know it is the only score for an out and out horror movie to win the award. It's a shame about Alien in '79. Even though he had produced the year's two best scores (Alien and Star Trek, Star Trek being exactly the kind of big bold blockbuster score that would have won had John Williams' name been attached to it) and was once again the best of the bunch of what was generally a poor year, you could tell the Academy was pissed at him for complaining in public about the (admittedly appalling and unprofessional) way he was treated by Ridley Scott (who has never won an Oscar) and Terry Rawlings. If not for that he would have won. While the winner of Best Score for that year has rightly been forgotten, as has the film it came from, the score for Alien has stood the test of time. What an amazing decade for music the 70s was.

[@igorberigo9503]

What did you mean with Morricone having just died? He is still alive! Even won an Oscar in 2016.

[@Pazuzu82]

Fun fact: the money that got received from the omen helped George Lucas make star wars!

[@Wired4Life2]

​@@igorberigo9503 *I think John Durrell meant to write "Hermann".*

[@TheCosmicWinter]

@@Pazuzu82 the money that game of thrones received from the omen helped… WHAT?!

[@Wired4Life2]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the absence of Bill Conti's iconic score for Rocky, the Best Picture winner.

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

Jerry should have also won for Star Trek The Motion Picture - which happens to be the greatest, mind-blowing score in cinema history.

[@efan2011]

It's a shame Jerry didn't win more than one. in 1978 he had at least 4 scores in contention but didn't win for some odd reason. Goldsmith's always been underrated, I'd take him over Williams any day but that's my opinion anyways.

[@jandreidrn]

No, you're not the only one. Jerry Goldsmith was my favorite composer too, even though I discovered film music through John Williams, oddly enough. lol For me, Jerry Goldsmith should've won Oscars for: Planet of the Apes Patton Chinatown Papillon Star Trek: The Motion Picture Under Fire Hoosiers Basic Instinct

[@johndurrell1633]

Its okay to like Williams, even when you know that his most famous music contains blatant steals from other composers. Goldsmith has his influences too, but used them in much more original ways. Having said that I have always liked Williams' scores to AI:Artificial Intelligence and The Accidental Tourist.

[@pb12661]

+ChuckRazor the music in Papilon is great. man, they just don't make movies like that anymore!! It's a real shame.

[@shimmeringfairydust3275]

John Durrell And "The River." Weak movie, but Williams wrote a robust score to accompany it. The main theme can be tender, laid back or tumultuous.

[@terrelll.howard8660]

This is exactly what I keep saying Jerry does not plat politics well.

[@denwo1982]

Any reason why Bill Conti was not on the nominations list for Rocky?

[@SuperRod88]

Good call but I think that the Academy thought it was just one theme that made the movie and in the end it was actually a song (Gonna Fly Now which was nominated) rather than several musical bits.

[@ozymandias51]

The score for The Planet Of The Apes (1968) is one of the most incredible music I've ever heard and definiely deserved an Oscar.

[@BujoldComa78]

This man could do anything. What a genius. My favorite scores of his are Logan's Run-Powder-The Russia House and Coma. He should have won the Academy Award for any one of these scores. But they don't always reward excellence. But they got it right this time.

[@michaelmuldowney8]

Bernard Herrmans score for TAXI DRIVER is once of the greatest scores in the history of cinema.

[@dustmysticblackman2059]

WOW!!! JERRY. REALLY GREAT MUSICAL SCORE. CONGRATULATIONS ON OSCAR WIN.

[@mordecaiesther3591]

That was a tuff one ... Herman or Goldsmith ??? I would think omen . Just for originality .

[@nymet2454]

Ann-Margret looks so pretty.

[@loneranterism]

The 70s were so much ahead of times

[@bally28]

as a fan of goldsmith, i agree he was snubbed many times over, but Bernard Herrmann's score for Taxi Driver was legend too and also deserved to win. Bit of a paradox as both composers had been snubbed equally.. they now have one a piece.

[@teeahtate]

Good that they won one a piece. Jerry Goldsmith really deserved the Oscar because it worked so well with the film. I have not seen Taxi Driver. I will check it out.

[@kingchrisa4188]

@@teeahtateit’s a great movie. I recommend watching it in the middle of the night to get the full experience

[@jpk9902]

No hate, but let's be honest here. 95% of what made The Omen scary was this score.

[@teeahtate]

Agreed.

[@AngelofMusic04]

Jack Griffin He wasn't that scary. Now Billie Whitelaw, on the other hand...

[@abegohr2576]

Crackerjap very important but i think 95 is too, probably lets say 50 and that is a lot

[@nickwriter6274]

u forgot to mention the remaining scary percentage was the governess!

[@nikreece6295]

Agreed too

[@ezequielgomez7083]

Jerry Goldsmith was my favorite composer in flim The Omen, Gremlins 1 and 2, Damnation Alley, Alien, Poltergeist, The Swarm, Star Trek The Motion Picture, Planet of the Apes, Supergirl, Looney Tunes Back in Action and The Cassandra Crossing.

[@FernandoBp1812]

Personally i love taxi driver's OST, and Bernard Herrmann music in general. But the ost for the Omen is magistral

[@ThePdiggy123]

Genius

[@robertevans4165]

Jerry Goldsmith, what an absolute legend and its a shame that he only won for The Omen, there sre a few I could think of such as Papillon, Poltergeist but this was a deserving win for a true genius. Robert Bridgend 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@janyou17]

One of the few moments Oscars made it right. Till today after 47 years AVE SATANI the most chilling horror soundtrack of all time.

[@ElkundEklund]

Spotted Henry Mancini! (sitting far left)

[@bayarea60]

Masterpiece man!!!

[@playlistideale]

Herrmann absolutely should have won for Taxi Driver. Goldsmith should have won 1969 for Planet of the Apes and/or 1980 for Alien.

[@jandreidrn]

Alien wasn't nominated because Ridley Scott and Terry Rawlings cut and slashed Goldsmith's original score and replaced it with his earlier Oscar nominated score for Freud as well as the Howard Hanson classical piece. A travesty by all means.

[@markelijio6012]

@@jandreidrn For "Alien," Jerry Goldsmith has received an 1980 Grammy Award nomination for scoring Ridley Scott's 1979's film with very effective results. Released by Disney/Buena Vista (Fall 1992-present).

[@jandreidrn]

The greatest!!! He is very dearly missed.

[@ka5269]

Brilliant talent

[@gatewayski1]

Jerry Goldsmith should have won an Oscar [for A Patch of Blue]

[@trippytrellis7033]

This was the time when the presenter would read the nominees without any interruptions (clapping) from the audience. Those were the days.😷

[@Gorg0nops]

as a child I thought the song was composed by the devil himself... Now... wow, that's one humble devil we got there.

[@bardthenascarfanaticdragon]

That was actually Jerry Goldsmith who composed The Omen's Score.

[@trancosomarcus]

He had a beautiful wife!! Herrmann was with him two times. He deserved so much!!

[@pjangels609]

So many amazing soundtracks in '76, but felt Pino Donaggio's beautifully haunting score to "Carrie" should've been nominated.

[@anglinbros1]

Agreed.

[@juanuceda401]

No standing ovation??? Seriously???

[@jotasier7098]

Well deserved!! But... OMG!! His entrance with Ave Satani is hauntingly terrific. I mean, he's almost portraying the devil's role.

[@supermariofan03]

Very haunting score, absolutely deserving...but come on. The Omen deserves way more than that. Best Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress for Billie Whitelaw and Best Supporting Actor for Henry Stephens. Yes I know he didn't have much to say, but his devilish (literally) expressions are haunting enough.

[@christianlandaetatorres3836]

My god, what about that jazzy version of The Omen Main Titles theme !. BTW, the movie wouldn't be the same without Goldsmitn then innovative and daring score, huh? Will never forget when I first got ahold of the Tattoo pressing of this album here in Chile, back in the early 80's.

[@livon7533]

Absolute legend

[@jeffswim]

Thank you for posting this!

[@regisalexandregay]

Final dos anos 70 eram tão elegantes

[@CodyJMinor0620]

While it's sad that this was Jerry's only Oscar win, the Academy giving him at least one is recognition that he was and is without a single shred of doubt, one of the greatest and most artistically creative composers in film history.

[@ES-7766]

My favorite movie score. My mother thinks it sounds evil and my daughter thinks of me whenever she hears it.

[@KungaMatata]

No Bill Conti? It's like the most famous score ever!

[@lukeskywalker6809]

I agree. He should’ve won for Rocky and for Masters of the Universe.

[@Wired4Life2]

*Good thing he went on to win for 1983's The Right Stuff.*

[@lukeskywalker6809]

@@Wired4Life2 I love that score but it has many borrowed elements from other compositions. Rocky or Masters are more original, they represent Conti's talent more.

[@Wired4Life2]

​@@lukeskywalker6809 *True, but those borrowed elements can clearly be distinguished from, and without dilluting, the original material Conti composed for The Right Stuff, which remains phenomenal.*

[@lukeskywalker6809]

@@Wired4Life2 I agree, as I said I love the score for The Right Stuff. I just wish Conti had gotten more recognition for his other even more original and famous scores like Rocky.

[@dobazajr]

I read that Goldsmith didn't want to attend the Oscar ceremony because he thought he's not gonna win after many times being a loser. He was so nervous sitting there the whole time until his name was called.

[@willyrose3737]

Master.

[@eargasm1072]

Man did Hollywood drive the "Omen theme" type of music into the ground with every dramatic trailer since!

[@ULQUIORRASAMA4]

Sigo viendolo y me sigue siendo muy genial y una canción aterradora y muy bien hecha para esa magnífica película

[@ChildinTime67]

I don’t think it would have had a chance if the voters knew that the tenors are singing Hail Satin “Ava Satini” in Latin. A masterpiece non the less, especially the suite in the middle.

[@mach5zx10r]

I love this movie.

[@JessCruz]

That was a creepy movie! And the music made the movie feel even more creepy!! Good job Jerry Goldsmith! You truly deserve this Oscar.

[@transitny]

Goldsmith 1 Oscar Morricone 0 Oscars (outside of Honorary) Are we sure this award still has credibility?

[@Wired4Life2]

Wait, you have to consider the categories in which they were nominated. Goldsmith or Hermann deserved this one, but Morricone should've won in 86 for The Mission or 87 for The Untouchables.

[@jpk9902]

+transitny I really hope you're not hating on Goldsmith because he earned it that year

[@Wired4Life2]

***** In the absence of Bill Conti's score for Rocky, Goldsmith was a deserving winner (and Conti would receive his for The Right Stuff). Then again, Hermann was also nominated for Taxi Driver, but why give him a second one for (despite being his swan song) a relatively minor score of his compared to his Hitchcock collaborations when you can spread the love to Goldsmith (this ended up being his only one).

[@transitny]

+Uran Assol Both composers should have several, yet there is 1 between the two of them.

[@jpk9902]

transitny Morricone might finally get his for The Hateful Eight though.

[@caixapreta2]

wow, right? and I love everything about Taxi Driver!

[@dan_gabriel]

The music ir really from Hell. Astounding work Maestro!

[@Winduct]

I can not say he should have won for the score of Chinatown. Nino Rota and Carmina Coppola definately deserved their Oscar for the score of The Godfather Part II. I agree with the rest of your statement, and furthermore I believe he should have won for that incredibly powerful score of Basic Instinct in 1992 and for the song Ave Satani of The Omen. One of the finest film composers of all time.

[@markgriffiths8786]

He should have won for Chinatown !

[@MrLoaded2012]

Jerry Goldsmith was great, but could we please get more acting awards?

[@mitchellhodack657]

That was his only Oscar win.

[@henman09]

Totally agree with you. Should have won for Basic Instinct and Alien.

[@shimmeringfairydust3275]

henman09 oh I did not know he did "Basic Instinct" which was beautiful, yet terrifying.

[@edvsqzmartos8837]

Bien merecido, the omen es una obra maestra

[@kennels100]

Un clasico ese sonido quedara para la historia.

[@ildefonso1965]

Great soundtrack! ¡Gran banda sonora!

[@wiltner]

Jerry Goldsmith was a genius and rightly deserved the Oscar, but Jerry Fielding's Outlaw Josie Wales score is magnificent. A shame they both were nominated the same year.

[@northshore1000]

(1968 should’ve been) “...Jerry Goldsmith: Planet of the Apes! (1979 should’ve been) “...Jerry Goldsmith: Alien!!!”

[@jandreidrn]

Or Jerry Goldsmith: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

[@markelijio6012]

I wouldn't go that far!

[@lester5192]

Clearly that soundtrack was the best.

[@josephkearny5874]

His wig looks like something you dust a floor with!

[@vegancoffeeshop6360]

La caminata de Goldsmith a recibir su premio es brutalmente aterradora.

[@marcjusz]

Dream did come true

[@fernandodelatorre7489]

No se ustedes, pero está música es aterradora pero y hermosa a la vez...., de locos....

[@bardthenascarfanaticdragon]

John Carpenter should have won an Oscar for Halloween. That is movie has a great score.

[@markelijio6012]

I know the film made a whole lot of money these days in 1978, but the score didn't make the final cut.

[@bardthenascarfanaticdragon]

@@markelijio6012 Oh. Well the score is Oscar-Worthy these days.

[@markelijio6012]

@@bardthenascarfanaticdragon Well, it's true in those undeniable days.

[@bardthenascarfanaticdragon]

@@markelijio6012 Okay.

[@maxipazz8214]

Wow, Ann- Margaret

[@ImYourHuckleberry_29]

Who's the presenter? Very attractive.

[@ldhproductions112]

I think Pino Donnagio should’ve been nominated for Carrie. Now I love Bernard Herrmann’s soundtracks, but I don’t think he should’ve been nominated twice.

[@iceomistar4302]

He should have won more

[@rony41165]

Why wasnt the rocky theme nominated

[@terrelll.howard8660]

That was a tough pick

[@judacia]

spotted Paul Williams!

[@Richard40171]

Newman should have won for THE ROBE but wasn't even nominated; yet it's one of the greatest scores of the century. Herrmann should have won about 10 Oscars by my count yet received NO nods in the 50s, his greatest period. Waxman's TARAS BULBA is a great score as is Newman's DAVID AND BATHSHEBA, Young's SHANE should have won the Oscar. Lenny should have won for WATERFRONT. Rozsa, Korngold, Delerue, Rota, and Morricone occupy the Pantheon. Greatest horror score? Rustichelli's LONG HAIR OF DEATH.

[@edbingey]

Hmmm, it's great, but Obsession..pretty amazing.

[@dvlarry]

That's Dustin Hoffman pretending to be Jerry Goldsmith.

[@demh7823]

Ann-Margaret is HOT!

[@Dawgator]

Ave versus christus!

[@emiliobello2538]

Horror movies never get Oscars anymore

[@brianlusk2557]

😊

[@Profanum696]

Los satanicos orgullos de crear algo tan hermoso

[@vipulraj_1193]

Bernard Oscar don't deserve you You're god

[@markelijio6012]

That's why John Williams wrote this important letter about music and its terrible loss of Bernard Herrmann along with Arthur Bliss and Muir Mathieson in late September/October 1977. And he was right. Because music has so much for everyone to go with it.