List of films featuring eclipses

Last updated

There is a body of films featuring stellar eclipses and eclipses of natural satellites. Compared to other astronomical events featured in films, such as full moons and asteroid strikes, solar eclipses are less commonly seen. When they have featured in films, they often drive the plot and have a portentous presence. [1] NPR's Glen Weldon said that films use eclipses "to signal to audiences that the normal rules have temporarily lifted, and things are about to get weird". The first film to feature a solar eclipse was the 1907 silent film The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon that featured a solar eclipse as a fantastical consummation between the Sun and the Moon. [2] Eclipses have been seen as bad omens throughout history, so filmmakers leverage that belief "as visual cues or key plot points", according to The Oregonian 's Amy Wang. [3] The most accurate depiction of a solar eclipse in film is seen in the 1961 religious epic film Barabbas due to the filming of an actual solar eclipse during its crucifixion scene (see solar eclipse of February 15, 1961). [4]

Contents

List of films

FilmYearDescription
2001: A Space Odyssey 1968The American science fiction film's opening sequence shows an eclipse of the Sun by both the Earth and the Moon. The three bodies and the camera (which is farther out in space) are aligned; the sequence starts with the Sun fully eclipsed to the camera, and shows the eclipse ending and the Sun becoming visible past the Earth and Moon. [3] [4]
Almanach 1999-2000 1999The Canadian documentary film explores divination in a humorous way and includes eclipses as part of its subject matter. [5]
Ambuli 2012The Tamil-language paranormal film features a monster that was born when a pregnant woman living in a village went outside during a solar eclipse, despite her people's beliefs, and gave birth. [6]
Apocalypto 2006The Yucatec Mayan-language action-adventure film, set in pre-Columbian Yucatan and Guatemala around the year 1511, Mayan leaders take advantage of a solar eclipse as a sign of an angry god whose blood thirst is satisfied by the leaders. [5] [1] [7] [2] [8] [9] [10] [11] [3] The moon is shown as being near full, rather than as a new moon, on the night after the eclipse.
Avatar: The Way of Water 2022An eclipse occurs during a pivotal moment in the final battle of the film. [12]
Barabbas 1961In the religious epic film about Barabbas, a solar eclipse takes place during a crucifixion scene. A real eclipse was filmed for the scene (see solar eclipse of February 15, 1961). [5] [1] [7] [2] [9] [3] [4]
Bloody Birthday 1981In the American horror film's opening, three children are born during a solar eclipse, which leads them to grow up with violent personalities. [1]
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court 1949The American film, based on Mark Twain's 1889 novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court , features an American protagonist from 1912 who wakes up in Arthurian Britain in AD 528 and uses his knowledge of an upcoming solar eclipse to his advantage. [5] [1] [2] [3]
Darkness 2002The English-language horror film features a house that was built for a supernatural ritual to sacrifice seven children for a solar eclipse that happens every forty years. [5]
Dolores Claiborne 1995In the American psychological thriller film, a housekeeper is sent home by her boss to witness a solar eclipse. In the midst of the eclipse, she confronts her abusive and alcoholic husband. [5] [1] [2] [8] [10] [3]
Dragonslayer 1981The American fantasy film features the climactic battle with a dragon during a solar eclipse. [5] [2] [9]
Dune: Part Two 2024In the science fiction film's opening scene, a solar eclipse occurs during the Fremen's ambush of hostile troops. [13]
Eclipse 1994The Canadian drama film features a kid who films a documentary about an upcoming solar eclipse. [5]
The Eclipse, or the Courtship of the Sun and Moon 1907The French silent film shows a solar eclipse resulting from a consummation between the Sun and the Moon. [5] [7] [2] [9] [4]
Fantasia 1940In one of the segments of the American animated film, a solar eclipse takes place after dinosaurs go extinct, and the landscape is changed into a sea. [7]
Farinelli 1994The biographical drama film, set in 18th-century Europe, features a scene of singing during a solar eclipse. [14]
From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money 1999 Vampires in a criminal gang raid a bank and attack people they find one night. Dawn appears to defeat them, but a solar eclipse turns the tide turns back in their favor. [15]
Gerald's Game 2017The American psychological horror film, based on Stephen King's novel Gerald's Game , features a solar eclipse in a memory flashback in which the female main character, a preteen at the time, is sexually assaulted. [16]
Hellboy 2004In the American superhero film, Hellboy has to open a gate to hell during a lunar eclipse. [5] [11] [3]
The House of the Devil 2009The American horror film, set in the 1980s, features a small-town university student who is hired to stay at a house in the middle of nowhere to take care of an old woman on the night of a full lunar eclipse. [17]
Judy Berlin 1999In the American drama film, the town of Babylon, New York experiences an hours-long solar eclipse, and it affects the world of the characters who wander the streets in memory and in search of meaning to their suburban lives. [7] [2]
The Kid Who Would Be King 2019The English-language fantasy film features a solar eclipse that fully empowers the wicked sorceress Morgana. [18]
King Solomon's Mines 1937The British adventure film features in its climax one of the protagonists predicting a solar eclipse to their advantage. [5] [9]
A Knight in Camelot 1998The American television film features a scientist who is zapped back to the time of King Arthur, and she predicts a solar eclipse to avoid being burned at the stake. [11]
Ladyhawke 1985The ending of this American medieval fantasy film, set in 13th-century Europe, features a solar eclipse foretold by a divine riddle. It brings an end to an infernal curse. [5] [1] [7] [9] [3]
The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration 2003The American animated family film about dinosaurs features a solar eclipse whose occurrence scares off predators. [11] [3]
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 2001The English-language action-adventure film features a solar eclipse as part of a rare planetary alignment that allows access to a relic that can control space and time. [9] [3]
Little Shop of Horrors 1986In the American horror comedy film, the monstrous houseplant Audrey II appears during a solar eclipse. [1] [7] [2] [8] [9] [3]
Little Sinner 1935Episode of the Our Gang series. When a solar eclipse creates confusion, two white boys escape church to go fishing. They come across a black church revival whose members are also confused, and afraid. Professor Lisa Yaszek said of the racist depiction, "Apparently somehow these black Americans don't know what an eclipse is, so they have that very stereotypical reaction of confusion and fear, which causes chaos for the boys... the way it plays out is so stereotypical and really horrible." [4]
Perfect Strangers 2017The Spanish dark comedy film features a dinner party that takes place on the night of a lunar eclipse. [19]
Pharaoh 1966In the Polish production, with the story set in Ancient Egypt, Egyptian priests use the occurrence of a solar eclipse to subdue the crowds. [20]
Pitch Black 2000In the American science fiction film, a criminal and other people trapped on a desert planet have to evade underground predatory creatures who go above ground when an eclipse occurs. [5] [2] [9] [11] [3] [4]
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story 2016In the Star Wars film, the Death Star–a spherical space station–briefly causes a solar eclipse over the holy city of Jedha shortly before firing on the city. [3]
Sister Death 2023In the supernatural horror film, a prequel to the 2017 film Verónica , a nun stares at a solar eclipse and damages her eyesight and eventually goes blind by Verónica. [21]
The Seventh Sign 1988The American horror film, which focuses on the Book of Revelation and a battle over an unborn child, features a solar eclipse as a key plot device. [1]
Verónica 2017In 1991 Madrid, while the rest of her classmates watch the solar eclipse of July 11, 1991, a teenager becomes possessed by a demon after using an Ouija board. [22] In reality, the eclipse was not visible anywhere in Europe.
The Watcher in the Woods 1980The American young-adult horror film features the mystery of a girl who disappears in the woods of New England decades ago and concludes with a climactic scene featuring a solar eclipse. [1] [7] [3]
The Wild Thornberrys Movie 2002The American animated family film features a solar eclipse at the film's climax. [5]
Wolf Creek 2005In the Australian horror film features a solar eclipse during a serial killer's pursuit of a victim. Peter Shelley wrote in Australian Horror Films, 1973-2010, "The solar eclipse that is shown adds a yin-yang element to the treatment. The shadow over [the victim] Ben and a dark profile of the Swedish backpacker wearing a Mick-type hat creates the expectation of [the serial killer] Mick finding him." [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Ashmore</span> Canadian actor (born 1979)

Aaron Richard Ashmore is a Canadian actor. He is known for his roles on American television series such as Jimmy Olsen on Smallville, Steve Jinks on Warehouse 13 and Johnny Jaqobis on the Canadian television series Killjoys. He is the identical twin brother of actor Shawn Ashmore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veronica Cartwright</span> British-American actress (born 1949)

Veronica Cartwright is a British-born American actress. She is known for appearing in science fiction and horror films, and has earned numerous accolades, including three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Her younger sister is actress Angela Cartwright.

This is a list of fictional stories in which solar eclipses feature as an important plot element. Mere passing mentions are not listed.

<i>Little Sinner</i> 1935 American film

Little Sinner is a 1935 Our Gang short comedy film directed by Gus Meins. It was the 139th Our Gang short to be released, and the first appearance of two-year old Porky.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Wingard</span> American filmmaker (born 1982)

Adam Wingard is an American filmmaker. He has served as a film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, cinematographer, actor, and composer on numerous American films.

<i>The Twilight Saga</i> (film series) Series of romance fantasy films about vampires

The Twilight Saga is a series of romance fantasy films based on the book series Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. The series has grossed over $3.36 billion worldwide. The first installment, Twilight, was released on November 21, 2008. The second installment, New Moon, followed on November 20, 2009. The third installment, Eclipse, was released on June 30, 2010. The fourth installment, Breaking Dawn – Part 1, was released on November 18, 2011, while the fifth and final installment, Breaking Dawn – Part 2, was released on November 16, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandler Riggs</span> American actor (born 1999)

Chandler Carlton Riggs is an American actor and musician. He rose to prominence for his regular role as Carl Grimes on the AMC horror-drama television series The Walking Dead from 2010 to 2018. For his work on the series, Riggs won three Saturn Awards from five nominations and a Young Artist Award from three nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Bay filmography</span> List of films directed and produced by Michael Bay

American director and producer Michael Bay started his career directing music videos and commercials. This included a commercial for the American Red Cross in 1992 which received a Clio Award, and music videos for Donny Osmond, Styx and Meat Loaf. Jerry Bruckheimer recognizing his achievements on commercials offered the chance to direct one of his productions as Bay's feature film debut. Bay did so with Bruckheimer's action comedy Bad Boys starring Will Smith, and Martin Lawrence. In the same year he also received a Directors Guild of America Award for his work on commercials. Bay followed this with action film The Rock starring Sean Connery, and Nicolas Cage. The film was a commercial success grossing over $335 million at the worldwide box office. In 1998, he directed, and produced the science fiction disaster film Armageddon which was the highest-grossing film of the year, and Bay received the Saturn Award for Best Director. After the success of Armageddon he also became the youngest director to gross $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A24</span> American independent entertainment company

A24 Films LLC, commonly referred to as A24, is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. The company is based in Manhattan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Taylor Dudley</span> American actress

Olivia Taylor Dudley is an American actress. She is known for her horror film roles such as Chernobyl Diaries (2012), The Vatican Tapes (2015) and Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015), for her television roles such as the Syfy fantasy series The Magicians, and for her work in the internet sketch group 5-Second Films.

<i>Sharknado</i> 2013 film by Anthony C. Ferrante

Sharknado is a 2013 American made-for-television science fiction comedy disaster film directed by Anthony C. Ferrante. It tells about a waterspout that lifts sharks out of the ocean and deposits them in Los Angeles. It is the first installment in the Sharknado film series. The movie first aired on the Syfy channel on July 11, 2013, and stars Tara Reid, Ian Ziering, and John Heard. It was also given a one-night-only special midnight theatrical screening via Regal Cinemas and Fathom Events, where it earned $200,000 from 200 screenings. The over-the-top premise and theatrics of the film quickly earned it a cult following.

<i>From Dusk till Dawn: The Series</i> American horror television series

From Dusk till Dawn: The Series is an American horror television series developed by Robert Rodriguez. It forms part of the franchise of film, direct-to-video, and comics of From Dusk till Dawn, expanding on the chronicles of the Gecko Brothers, Seth and Richie, the Fuller family, and Santanico Pandemonium. The series adds to the tone of the film, with new characters and backstories, while expanding the snake creatures' Mesoamerican mythology. The series also references the Popol Vuh, drawing on its rich, mythological history and, in particular, on the legend of the Hero Twins Hunahpú and Xbalanqué to add greater depth to the backstories and to fully flesh out the characters of the show's protagonists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgina Campbell</span> English actress (born 1992)

Georgina Alice Campbell is an English actress. She won the 2015 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for Murdered by My Boyfriend (2014), making her the first non-white actress to win that award. Her other television credits include Flowers (2016), Broadchurch (2017), the Black Mirror episode "Hang the DJ" (2017), and Krypton (2018). She starred in the films Barbarian (2022), Bird Box Barcelona (2023), T.I.M. (2023), Lovely, Dark, and Deep (2023) and The Watchers (2024).

<i>Channel Zero</i> (TV series) American anthology horror TV series

Channel Zero is an American horror anthology television series created by Nick Antosca, who serves as writer, showrunner, and executive producer. The series was greenlit for two 6-episode, self-contained seasons, which aired in late 2016 and late 2017 on Syfy. The storylines for the series are based on popular creepypastas. On February 9, 2017, Syfy renewed the series for a third and fourth season.

Amy Forsyth is a Canadian actress. On television, she appeared as a series regular on the Hulu drama The Path (2016–17), the second season of SyFy horror anthology Channel Zero (2017), and the NBC musical drama Rise (2018), along with recurring roles on the science fiction Western Defiance (2014–15) and the historical drama The Gilded Age (2022). She appeared in the horror films A Christmas Horror Story (2015), Hell Fest (2018), and We Summon the Darkness (2020) and the drama films Beautiful Boy (2018), CODA (2021), and The Novice (2021).

Shudder is an American over-the-top subscription video on demand service featuring horror, thriller, and supernatural fiction titles, owned and operated by AMC Networks. The streaming service offers original films, TV series—such as Creepshow, based on the 1982 film of the same name—and documentary series. Shudder's library also features non-original programming, including well-known horror films. Shudder annually airs a Halloween "Ghoul Log".

<i>Verónica</i> (2017 Spanish film) 2017 film

Veronica is a 2017 Spanish supernatural horror film directed by Paco Plaza which stars Sandra Escacena alongside Claudia Placer, Bruna González, Iván Chavero and Ana Torrent. It is loosely based on true events from a 1991 Vallecas case in which Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro died mysteriously after séance using a ouija board.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hickman, Matt (August 8, 2017). "9 movies starring solar eclipses". MNN. Mother Nature Network . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Weldon, Glen (August 17, 2017). "In Movies, A Solar Eclipse Means Change Is Coming". npr.org. NPR . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Wang, Amy (August 6, 2017). "15 movies that include eclipses (not always accurately)". The Oregonian . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 White, Amy (August 18, 2017). "Solar eclipses have been a science fiction theme for thousands of years". Vox . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Bakich, Michael (August 18, 2014). "15 movies that feature eclipses". Astronomy . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  6. ↑ Staff (May 16, 2012). "Predictable climax". The New Indian Express . Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Salazar, Doris Elin (August 20, 2017). "Our Favorite Total Solar Eclipses from Movies and TV". Space.com . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 Holub, Christian (August 21, 2017). "5 of the most meaningful eclipses in movies and TV". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Spry, Jeff (August 22, 2017). "10 sci-fi, fantasy and horror films featuring a total eclipse". Syfy.com. Syfy . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  10. 1 2 Spata, Christopher (August 18, 2017). "Five great solar eclipse moments from movies and TV, from 'Mad Men' to 'The Simpsons'". Tampa Bay Times . Retrieved September 11, 2017.[ dead link ]
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Kaufman, Mark (May 26, 2017). "Eclipses in Movies Are Ridiculous and Terrifying". Inverse . Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  12. ↑ Bacon, Thomas (December 18, 2022). "Real Meaning Of Avatar: The Way Of Water's Eclipses Explained". Screen Rant .
  13. ↑ Edwards, Belen (March 24, 2024). "Sandworms and solar eclipses: 5 things we learned from 'The Art and Soul of Dune: Part Two'". Mashable . Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  14. ↑ Dupont, Joan (December 16, 1994). "The Movie Guide: Farinelli". The New York Times . Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  15. ↑ "DVD Verdict Review - from Dusk till Dawn / From Dusk till Dawn 2 (Blu-ray)". Archived from the original on 2011-09-27.
  16. ↑ Romano, Aja (September 30, 2017). "Netflix's Gerald's Game is a graceful, mold-breaking Stephen King adaptation". Vox.com . Retrieved December 18, 2017. But there's still a touch of magical realism present, particularly in the couldn't-be-timelier element of a solar eclipse that occurred the day of Jessie's past assault... Thanks to the director's surreal solar eclipse filter, we see the world through blood-colored glasses.
  17. ↑ Honeycutt, Kirk (October 26, 2009). "The House of the Devil -- Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  18. ↑ DeFore, John (January 12, 2019). "'The Kid Who Would Be King': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  19. ↑ Holland, Jonathan (December 8, 2017). "'Perfect Strangers' ('Perfectos Desconocidos'): Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  20. ↑ Kuśmierczyk, Seweryn (2023). "The Cinematic Image of Ancient Egypt: Pharaoh by Jerzy Kawalerowicz". Masterpieces of Polish Literature and Film: Pharaoh, The Wedding, Mother Joan of the Angels. University of Warsaw Press. pp. 45–46. doi:10.31338/uw.9788323558316. ISBN   978-83-235-5823-1.
  21. ↑ Mullor, Mireia (November 16, 2023). "Sister Death ending explained, and how it connects to Verónica". Digital Spy . Retrieved February 14, 2024.
  22. ↑ Whalen, Andrew (March 2, 2018). "Is 'Veronica,' the New Netflix Horror Movie, a True Story?". Newsweek . Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  23. ↑ Shelley, Peter (2012). Australian Horror Films, 1973-2010. McFarland. p. 203. ISBN   978-0-7864-6167-7.
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.