Holocaust 2000 (1977)

An executive in charge of a Middle Eastern nuclear plant discovers that his son is the Anti Christ and sets out to stop him from using the nuclear power at his fingertips to wipe out ... See full summary »

Director:

Alberto De Martino

Writers:

Sergio Donati (screenplay), Alberto De Martino (screenplay),

Stars:

Kirk Douglas, Simon Ward, Agostina Belli

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kirk Douglas	...	Robert Caine
Simon Ward	...	Angel Caine
Agostina Belli	...	Sara Golan
Anthony Quayle	...	Professor Griffith
Virginia McKenna	...	Eva Caine
Spiros Focás	...	Harbin
Ivo Garrani	...	The Prime Minister
Alexander Knox	...	Professor Ernst Meyer
Adolfo Celi	...	Dr. Kerouac
Romolo Valli	...	Monsignor Charrier
Massimo Foschi	...	Arab Assassin
Geoffrey Keen	...	Gynecologist
John Carlin	...	Robertson
Peter Cellier	...	Sheckley
Gerard Hely	...	Clarke

Storyline

An executive in charge of a Middle Eastern nuclear plant discovers that his son is the Anti Christ and sets out to stop him from using the nuclear power at his fingertips to wipe out mankind.

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Plot Keywords:

nuclear | twin birth | pregnancy | vision | nightmare sequence | 

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Taglines:

The world will be destroyed in a rain of fire. It is written.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 November 1977 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Lucifer's Curse

Filming Locations:

Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aston Film, Embassy Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There is a TV Spot/clip on the Cheezy Horror DVD Volume 1 by Cheezy Flicks.

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Connections

Referenced in We Are the Strange (2007)

User Reviews

HOLOCAUST 2000 (Alberto De Martino, 1977) **1/2

There's no question about it: Italian film-makers used to make the most enjoyable crap – and this one is a prime example. Whenever a Hollywood movie became a runaway box office success, the Italians would waste no time in making their own carbon copy of it and, in this field, director Alberto De Martino was one of the top "go to" guys in the country; having recently made his own "pasta" versions of THE GODFATHER (1972) and THE EXORCIST (1973) – in THE COUNSELLOR (1973) and THE ANTICHRIST (1974) respectively – it was natural for him to be entrusted with concocting an Italianized clone of THE OMEN (1976). As it happens, this was an Italo-British co-production (as that impressively star-studded cast can attest) and the end result is, as I said, far more enjoyable than a half-arsed imitation has any right to be.

The film's ageing American star, Kirk Douglas (in the first of 4 horror/sci-fi outings he did in quick succession – the others being Brian De Palma's disappointing THE FURY [1978], the maligned-but-fair SATURN 3 [1980] and THE FINAL COUNTDOWN [1980], which I haven't watched in ages), does have one up on Gregory Peck from THE OMEN in that he gets to share a nude love scene with leading lady Agostina Belli! The rest of the cast, unsurprisingly, is a mix of established Brits and Italians: Geoffrey Keen, Alexander Knox (as the requisite professor who unravels the diabolical scheme and who's given a memorably subtle death scene), Virginia McKenna (like in the subsequent BLOOD LINK [1982], also from De Martino, she's killed off during the opening scenes!), Anthony Quayle, Simon Ward (effectively cast as a cold-blooded Antichrist), as well as Adolfo Celi and Romolo Valli (playing the equally indispensable and ill-fated priest).

The plot comes up with an ingenious modernization of the Apocalypse prophecies, illustrating a plausible analogy between mythical and modern monsters. Among the film's most notable sequences is Douglas' surreal nightmare (in which he's stranded stark naked in the desert, witnesses the demons rising from the sea and is haunted by the presence of a religious fanatic in a Diabolik-like outfit!) and one where a Middle Eastern political leader – opposed to industrial progress – gets the top of his head chopped off by a helicopter blade (thus anticipating the more celebrated moment in George A. Romero's DAWN OF THE DEAD [1978]). Once again, Ennio Morricone's score may sound overly-familiar (given that he composed THE ANTICHRIST and also EXORCIST II – THE HERETIC [1977])…but there's no denying that it serves the taut proceedings admirably.

Ultimately, though, the film results in not being at all scary: for one thing, the Antichrist has no direct relation to the 'accidental' deaths of those who stand in his way; also, he's left pretty much to his own devices (with no diabolical helpers as in THE OMEN), yet, nobody ever seems to question his decisions. Besides, there's no explanation as to just how Ward became "the chosen" (one of the titles by which the film's also known, as seen in an alternate opening sequence included on the DivX copy I watched) – in THE OMEN, at least, it was a case of babies exchanged at birth! Other narrative flaws: why is the Agostina Belli character afraid of entering a church – considering that the child she's carrying turns out not to be the Antichrist after all (as Douglas himself had feared)?; the second scene in the psycho ward (with the religious fanatic going berserk and inciting his fellow inmates to kill Douglas) is baffling and somewhat redundant – since the latter has, by this time, become aware of Ward's true intentions!

The film concludes rather abruptly with the fairly ludicrous – and pretentious – suggestion of a new 'Holy Family'; I much preferred the alternate ending also found on the (once again) problematic DivX copy I have, after missing out on this title more than I care to remember on Italian TV over the years: while admittedly conventional, at least, we're shown Douglas willing to keep up the fight the only way he knows how – through violence. Finally, I have to wonder what's holding up the film's release on DVD; it doesn't seem to be available in any region and, while no classic, it's eminently watchable – apart from being, definitely, a commercially viable item (especially for fans of "Euro-Cult")...