Kirk Douglas

Agostina Belli

Simon Ward

Anthony Quayle

Adolfo Celi

Romolo Valli

Ivo Garrani

Spiros Focás

Massimo Foschi

Virginia McKenna

John Carlin

Alexander Knox

Vittorio Fanfoni

Eugenio Masciari

Sergio Serafini

Domenico Di Costanzo

Geoffrey Keen

Allan Hendrick

Peter Cellier

Gerard Hely

Caroline Langrishe

Penelope Horner

Jenny Twigge

Richard Cornish

Denis Lawson

John Bancroft

Joanne Dainton

Alberto De Martino

Nick Farnes

Uberto Bertacca

Ennio Morricone

Peter James

Roberto Giussani

Enrico Sabbatini

Erico Menczer

Vincenzo Tomassi

Roberto Brega

Fabrizio Vicari

Gian Maria Avetta

Giuseppe Auriemma

Joe Pollini

Giorgio Aureli

Peter Horrocks

Pasquale Germano

Pamela Davies

Georgette Steinbach

Anthony Waye

Gilda De Guilmi

Franco Schioppa

Nik Power

Terry Smith

Armando Pace

David Stevenson

Giannetto De Rossi

Colin Jamison

Giorgio Garibaldi Schwarze

Robin Vidgeon

Benito Stefanelli

Benito Mancini

Peter Handford

Gerry Humphreys

Trevor Rutherford

Clara Fratarcangeli

Penny Steyne

Fausto Ancillai

Edmondo Amati

Sergio Donati

Michael Robson

Vanio Amici

Science Fiction

Drama

Horror

Holocaust 2000

Embassy Productions

Aston Films

Italy

United Kingdom

I'm not counting on God. I put my faith in Nuclear Energy.

Holocaust 2000 is directed by Alberto De Martino and co-written by Martino and Sergio Donati. It stars Kirk Douglas, Simon Ward, Agostina Belli, Anthony Quayle and Virginia McKenna. Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Erico Menczer.

Nuclear industrialist Robert Caine (Douglas) refuses to heed warnings that the Antichrist is closer to home than he ever could have imagined...

Caine and Angel

Casting aside the fact that it is a cash in on the success of the far superior The Omen, it simply isn't smart or good enough to make its own mark. Knowing what is going on in the first instance is not a great thing for the audience, it would be were the narrative strong enough to keep us on our toes, but it never is. The plot speeds along merrily following the same trajectory as expected; mysterious deaths, pregnancy, loads of ominous warnings, repeat sequence of doom and on to the unsubtle reveal in preparation for a less than satisfying ending.

The makers do try to add some salt to the satanic broth, such as having Douglas roam around naked in a feverish nightmare, and some moments are kinda fun in that tacky Italian/England production way, but the zip, the originality, is sorely lacking. Cast seem to be working off of a different screenplay to each other, though Douglas is at least working hard to make the duff regurgitation come alive. It looks nice on occasions, and it's fun for the wrong reasons, but its low standing reputation is fully justified and therefore near impossible to recommend to anyone but Kirk Douglas completists. 5/10

"Holocaust 2000" ends at the point where the climatic action should actually be beginning: the plot details are all well established and now it is time for Robert to take decisive action to defeat Angel. But alas, no. This film is instead left in a position where nothing really works the way it ought to, especially in light of the more high profile horror films from the 1970's. These films, primarily "The Exorcist" (1973) and "The Omen" (1976), have an intensity about them which makes for compulsive and exciting viewing and the action set piece sequences will undoubtedly continue to retain a high shock value well into the future, but sadly that isn't the case here. What the filmmakers have managed to produce in this instance is an incredibly well paced film that lacks impact and isn't even particularly engaging or memorable and surely that is something of a regrettable and disappointing feat in itself.

English

The Chosen (1977) Original Trailer [FHD]

The Chosen (1978) - Official Trailer (HD)