Full Eclipse

Last updated
Full Eclipse
Fulleclipse.jpg
GenreSci-Fi
Crime
Horror
Written by Richard Christian Matheson
Michael Reaves
Directed by Anthony Hickox
Starring Mario Van Peebles
Patsy Kensit
Bruce Payne
Anthony John Denison
Jason Beghe
Paula Marshall
Victoria Rowell
Theme music composer Gary Chang
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producers David R. Ginsburg
Richard Christian Matheson (co-executive producer)
ProducersPeter Abrams
Robert L. Levy
Norman Marcus (associate producer)
Tom Patricia (co-producer)
Lee Rafner (line producer)
Production location Los Angeles
Cinematography Sandi Sissel
Editor Peter Amundson
Running time93 minutes
Production companies Citadel Entertainment
HBO Pictures
Tapestry Films
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseNovember 27, 1993 (1993-11-27)

Full Eclipse is a 1993 science fiction crime film directed by Anthony Hickox. Starring Mario Van Peebles and Bruce Payne, the story is set in Los Angeles where the police department has assembled a unique squad of officers who possess the ability to turn into werewolves. The tagline of the film was: There's a new police force on the streets... and they only come out at night.

Contents

Plot

Max Dire is a Los Angeles detective who is feeling the strain that his profession entails when his wife of two years, Liza, accuses him of bringing his work home. Max's partner, Jim Sheldon, commits suicide by shooting himself in the head. Realising that Max is experiencing problems, Adam Garou, a high-ranking officer, distinguished by his success in reducing crime in other big cities, invites Max to join him at his apartment for a weekly meeting with other police officers who are experiencing difficulties. Adam advises Max that since he is a good detective and he should try to solve his problems rather than quitting the force. Although Max is sceptical as to whether he will derive any benefit from the meeting, as he and his wife had already attended counselling sessions without success, he reluctantly attends the meeting where he meets other police officers such as Casey Spencer and Ramon Perez. Everyone who Max meets at the meeting praises the impact that Garou's influence has had on their fortunes. Max soon realizes that the activities of the group also entail embarking on vigilante missions to clean the streets of criminals. Max notices that each of the group members injects themselves with a strange chemical, which he learns has been produced by Garou. After they have injected this chemical, Garou and his team become more powerful and seemingly impervious to injury. The next day Max attempts to advise his incredulous boss of the strange goings on, but to no avail. Max eventually begins taking the chemical and participating in the vigilante missions. However, he meets a deformed ex-police officer, who used to work with Garou, in a holding cell. The ex-officer warns Max that after the streets are cleaned of crime, all of the officers who work with Garou are killed (though he had escaped). He also explained that his deformity was caused by overuse of the chemical. Max subsequently finds Garou extracting the chemical from his own brain with a syringe and realizes that he is a werewolf.

Cast

Reception

The film has received mixed to positive reviews. Kim Newman, who reviewed the film for Empire magazine, described it as "harebrained fun with lotsa guns and lotsa cool lines". [1] Joseph Savitski, who reviewed the film for Beyond Hollywood, stated that although the film is 'slick and entertaining, it’s too bad Full Eclipse is never able to live up to its innovative concept and become a superior werewolf movie'. [2] Savitski also commented that "Payne is masterful as Detective Garou, a seductive and evil villain with arrogance and confidence to spare. When he's on-screen, Payne demands the attention of the audience, and you're hard pressed to resist his performance. Payne is also the perfect adversary, the kind you're supposed to hate, but who has the charisma to draw you in nonetheless". [2] The script writer Richard Christian Matheson stated that "most monsters have a sort of grudge against humanity, but I don't think Garou does: he simply dislikes crime. That makes him interesting, and Bruce really brings all of these nuances out. He's a wonderful actor and a very bright man". [3] Matty Budrewicz of UK Horror Scene stated that Payne's performance was 'completely electric..., unleashing a turn of magnetic and seductive evil'. [4] Bryan Kristopowitz stated that Full Eclipse 'is a very cool movie and a terrific concept'. [5] Kristopowitz commented that 'Mario Van Peebles does a good job as Max Dire', 'Patsy Kensit does a fine job as Casey' and that Bruce Payne is terrific as Garou as 'he just oozes malice and sleaze before you even know what Garou is all about, and then Payne somehow manages to amp up all of Garou’s horrible qualities'. [5] Another reviewer stated that Full Eclipse 'is an epic action/horror hybrid with enough twists and turns to keep every viewer engaged'. [6]

Gary Collinson stated that 'what Full Eclipse lacks in logic (and humour) it makes up for in John Woo-esque action sequences and a reasonable budget to unleash a decent amount of destruction'. [7] Another reviewer described the film as 'like an early 90's John Woo flick, only with werewolves' and stated that 'while Mario Van Peebles was excellent as the lead, special attention must be made to the lead villain here, played by none other than resident bad guy Bruce Payne, and oh my word is he just amazing here'. [8] In Dan Lopez's view although Full Eclipse 'is initially exciting and interesting, it decays into an overly simplistic, badly orchestrated horror film about midway through'. [9] Garrett Collins stated that the film was a 'pretty pleasurable hour and a half, which is also infused with a real listenable, almost John Carpenter-ish score by Gary Chang' and that 'Peebles is watchable enough, and Payne ( Passenger 57 ) is a slimy bad guy'. [10] Scott Weinberg described the film as a 'so-so amalgam of cop procedural and werewolf mayhem'. [11] Ryan Turek noted the influence of the X-Men comics on the film and stated that it was 'awesome' and 'overlooked'. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Werewolf</span> Mythological human with acquired ability to transform into a wolflike creature

In folklore, a werewolf, or occasionally lycanthrope is an individual who can shape-shift into a wolf, either purposely or after being placed under a curse or affliction, with the transformations occurring on the night of a full moon. Early sources for belief in this ability or affliction, called lycanthropy, are Petronius (27–66) and Gervase of Tilbury (1150–1228).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Werewolf fiction</span> Fantasy genre

Werewolf fiction denotes the portrayal of werewolves and other shapeshifting therianthropes, in the media of literature, drama, film, games and music. Werewolf literature includes folklore, legend, saga, fairy tales, Gothic and horror fiction, fantasy fiction and poetry. Such stories may be supernatural, symbolic or allegorical. A classic cinematic example of the theme is The Wolf Man (1941) which in later films joins with the Frankenstein Monster and Count Dracula as one of the three famous icons of modern day horror. However, werewolf fiction is an exceptionally diverse genre, with ancient folkloric roots and manifold modern re-interpretations.

<i>Werewolf: The Apocalypse</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Werewolf: The Apocalypse is a role-playing game of the Classic World of Darkness game series by White Wolf Publishing. Other related products include the collectible card games named Rage and several novels. In the game, players take the role of werewolves known as "Garou". These werewolves are locked in a two-front war against both the spiritual desolation of urban civilization and supernatural forces of corruption that seek to bring the Apocalypse. Game supplements detail the other shape-shifters.

<i>An American Werewolf in London</i> 1981 film by John Landis

An American Werewolf in London is a 1981 comedy horror werewolf film written and directed by John Landis. An international co-production of the United Kingdom and the United States, the film stars David Naughton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne and John Woodvine. The title is a cross between An American in Paris and Werewolf of London. The film's plot follows two American backpackers, David and Jack, who are attacked by a werewolf while travelling in England, causing David to become a werewolf under the next full moon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mario Van Peebles</span> American actor and film director

Mario Van Peebles is an African-American film director and actor best known for appearing in Heartbreak Ridge in 1986 and known for directing and starring in New Jack City in 1991 and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage in 2016. He is the son of actor and filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles, whom he portrayed in the 2003 biopic Baadasssss!, which he also co-wrote and directed.

<i>I Was a Teenage Werewolf</i> 1957 film by Gene Fowler Jr.

I Was a Teenage Werewolf is a 1957 American science fiction horror film directed by Gene Fowler Jr., and starring Michael Landon as a troubled teenager, Yvonne Lime and Whit Bissell. Co-written and produced by cult film producer Herman Cohen, it was one of the most successful films released by American International Pictures (AIP).

<i>Bitten</i> (novel) Fantasy novel about werewolves and vampires

Bitten is a fantasy novel by Canadian writer Kelley Armstrong, published in 2001. It is the first book in the Women of the Otherworld series, and her first novel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Werewolf by Night</span> Comics character

The Werewolf by Night is the name of two werewolves appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first incarnation of Werewolf by Night, Jack Russell, first appeared in Marvel Spotlight #2. The second incarnation, Jake Gomez, first appeared in Werewolf by Night #1.

Bruce Martyn Payne is an English actor, producer, screenwriter, film director and theatre director. Payne is best known for portraying villains, such as Charles Rane in Passenger 57, Jacob Kell in Highlander: Endgame, and Damodar in Dungeons & Dragons and Dungeons & Dragons 2: Wrath of the Dragon God.

<i>Submerged</i> (2005 film) 2005 American film

Submerged is a 2005 American action film directed by Anthony Hickox, who also wrote it with Paul de Souza and produced with Michael P. Flannigan, Daphne Lerner and David Varod. The film stars Steven Seagal, William Hope, Vinnie Jones and Christine Adams. The film was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on May 31, 2005.

<i>Howling VI: The Freaks</i> 1991 film

Howling VI: The Freaks is a 1991 British direct-to-video horror directed by Hope Perello, from the screenplay by Kevin Rock, starring Brendan Hughes, Bruce Payne, Michele Matheson, Sean Gregory Sullivan, and Carol Lynley. "The Freaks" is the sixth entry in the series of seven standalone films with a loose continuity.

<i>Werewolf of London</i> 1935 film by Stuart Walker

Werewolf of London is a 1935 horror film directed by Stuart Walker and starring Henry Hull as the titular werewolf. The supporting cast includes Warner Oland, Valerie Hobson, Lester Matthews, and Spring Byington. Jack Pierce, who is best known for creating the iconic makeup worn by Boris Karloff in the 1931 film Frankenstein, created the film's werewolf makeup. Produced by Universal Pictures, Werewolf of London was the first feature-length werewolf film.

<i>The Werewolf of Paris</i>

The Werewolf of Paris (1933) is a horror novel as well as a work of historical fiction by American writer Guy Endore. The novel follows Bertrand Caillet, the eponymous werewolf, throughout the tumultuous events of the Franco-Prussian War and the Paris Commune of 1870–71. Some literature experts have compared this book with Dracula of Bram Stoker and they have indentified it as the Dracula of Werewolves.

<i>La Maldicion de la Bestia</i> 1975 Spanish film

La Maldicion de la Bestia is a 1975 Spanish horror film that is the eighth in a long series about the werewolf Count Waldemar Daninsky, played by Paul Naschy. The film has also been known as The Werewolf and the Yeti, Night of the Howling Beast and Hall of the Mountain King. This film ignored the events from the earlier Hombre Lobo films and provided an all-new origin for Waldemar's lycanthropy, having the curse transmitted to Waldemar by the bites of two female werewolves. A yeti is woven into the storyline, but in this film the Yeti is not the direct cause of Waldemar's lycanthropy. Fernando Florido and Adolfo Ponte handled the special effects throughout the film.

<i>Fool Moon (The Dresden Files)</i> Novel by Jim Butcher

Fool Moon is a 2001 contemporary fantasy novel by author Jim Butcher. It is the second novel in The Dresden Files, which follows the character of Harry Dresden, present-day Chicago's only advertising professional wizard.

<i>Sweepers</i> (film) 1998 South African film

Sweepers is a 1998 American-South African action film directed by Keoni Waxman and starring Dolph Lundgren, Claire Stansfield and Bruce Payne.

<i>Big Top Scooby-Doo!</i> 2012 American film

Big Top Scooby-Doo! is a 2012 direct-to-DVD animated comedy mystery film, the eighteenth entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films. The DVD was released on October 9, 2012, by Warner Home Video, and made its TV premiere on September 8, 2012, on Cartoon Network in the United States.

<i>WolfCop</i> 2014 Canadian film

WolfCop is a 2014 Canadian superhero film written and directed by Lowell Dean, and starring Jesse Moss, Amy Matysio, Jonathan Cherry, Sarah Lind, Aidan Devine, Corrine Conley and Leo Fafard. The film's plot concerns an alcoholic small town cop who transforms into a werewolf after being cursed; he still possesses his human intelligence in wolf form and continues his work as a police officer even in wolf form.

<i>The Howling</i> (franchise) American media franchise

The Howling is an American werewolf-themed horror media franchise that includes three novels and eight films. The series began with the 1977 horror novel The Howling by Gary Brandner, which was in 1981 adapted into the film of the same name, directed by Joe Dante.

<i>Among the Shadows</i> 2019 film by Tiago Mesquita

Among the Shadows is a 2019 American supernatural horror thriller film directed by Tiago Mesquita and written by Mark Morgan. The film stars Charlotte Beckett, while Gianni Capaldi, Dominik Madani, Reynald Bialès, Barry Jay Minoff, Kristoffel Verdonck, Olivier Englebert, Peter Organ, Jean-Michel Vovk, John Flanders and Lindsay Lohan appear in supporting roles. The plot follows a private investigator, descendant from a line of werewolves, who tries to solve the murder of her uncle and discovers a political conspiracy. The film was released via video on demand on March 5, 2019.

References

  1. ↑ Newman, Kim. "Full Eclipse". Empire. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  2. 1 2 Savitski, Joseph (5 September 2004). "Full Eclipse (1993) Movie Review". BeyondHollywood.com. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
  3. ↑ Matheson, Richard Christian. "Full Eclipse: Full Moon Fever: Police Lycanthropy". Fangoria. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Budrewicz, Matty (26 April 2014). "COPS AND WEREWOLVES: A FULL ECLIPSE retrospective with director Anthony Hickox". UK Horror Scene. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  5. 1 2 Kristopowitz, Bryan (21 October 2020). "The Gratuitous B-Movie Column: Full Eclipse". 411mania.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "WEREWOLF COPS RUN AMOK IN LA IN FULL ECLIPSE (1993)". ultimateactionmovies.com. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  7. ↑ Collinson, Gary (3 August 2014). "The Dusty VHS Corner: Anthony Hickox, from Sundown to Full Eclipse". flickeringmyth.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "90s Action Attack!: Full Eclipse". robotgeekscultcinema.com. 5 September 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  9. ↑ Lopez, Dan (5 October 2001). "Full Eclipse (1993)". digitallyobsessed.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  10. ↑ Collins, Garrett (18 November 2011). "[Rewind] Full Eclipse (1993) by Garrett Collins". supermarcey.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  11. ↑ Weinberg, Scott (28 September 2004). "Full Eclipse". eFilmCritic.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  12. ↑ Turek, Ryan (1 September 2014). "A Look Back at Full Eclipse: When Early-'90s Action, Werewolves & X-Men Influences Collide". comingsoon.net. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.