The Seventh Sign (1988)

Abby Quinn is eagerly awaiting childbirth but is haunted by dreams where she suffers a miscarriage. When she decides to rent a room to a mysterious stranger, she realizes a chain of events that will unleash the end of humanity.

Director:

Carl Schultz

Writers:

Ellen Green (as W.W. Wicket), Clifford Green (as George Kaplan)

Stars:

Demi Moore, Michael Biehn, Jürgen Prochnow

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Demi Moore	...	Abby Quinn
Michael Biehn	...	Russell Quinn
Jürgen Prochnow	...	David Bannon
Peter Friedman	...	Father Lucci
Manny Jacobs	...	Avi
John Taylor	...	Jimmy Szaragosa
Lee Garlington	...	Dr. Margaret Inness
Akosua Busia	...	Penny Washburn
Harry Basil	...	Kids Korner Salesman
Arnold Johnson	...	Janitor
John Walcutt	...	Novitiate
Michael Laskin	...	Israeli Colonel
Hugo Stanger	...	Old Priest
Patricia Allison	...	Administrator
Ian Buchanan	...	Mr. Huberty

Storyline

In Haiti, the sea and its lifeforms die; in the Middle East, a town is frozen. These are signs of the Apocalypse and the Vatican is investigating, but Father Lucci advises that these omens are a hoax or technologically explained. In California, housewife Abby Quinn is pregnant and the delivery is scheduled on February 29, a leap year. Her husband, lawyer Russell Quinn, is defending a weird case of teenager Jimmy Szaragosa, who killed his parents, saying that it was because he was following the Word of God. Meanwhile, Abby rents a garage apartment to the mysterious David Bannon. The hopeless Abby has strange nightmares and soon finds that around the world there are signs of the Apocalypse in accordance with the Book of Revelation. She learns also that David Bannon is Jesus and has returned; Father Lucci is the Pilate's porter Cartaphilus who was doomed to wander the Earth for eternity; and she is a woman who tried to help Jesus. Further, she is the Seventh Sign and the Apocalypse will ...

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Plot Keywords:

apocalypse | revelation | baby | reference to god | supernatural power | 

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Taglines:

An ancient evil has been awakened and there is nothing you can do to stop it... except pray

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ellen DeGeneres filmed a small role, but it was cut from the film before release. The cut scene was shown on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) on May 23, 2007. Had it not been cut, it would have been her first film role.

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Goofs

When Russell Quinn is holding his newborn son, you can clearly see an actor supposedly "dead" on the table behind him breathing and moving their mouth.

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Quotes

Old Priest: It is you, Morrell. But that was seventy years ago!
Father Lucci: That was just yesterday to me.

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Connections

Referenced in Bless the Child (2000)

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Soundtracks

MUMMIES
Recorded by J.S. Roberts
From the album "Caribbean Island Music"
Courtesy of Nonesuch Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Very underrated movie; Jurgen Prochnow, wow!

Most critics wrote this movie off simply because it was a supernatural or horror film. I didn't have high hopes for it myself, but I watched it because I like the actor Jurgen Prochnow. And I was pleasantly surprised. The movie itself looks good; a lot of films of this type look cheap and flimsy, but not this one. The story was cohesive, suspenseful, eerie and had some truly skillful acting. There is the always good Michael Biehn as the husband and the two young actors Manny Jacobs and John Taylor are standouts. Even Demi Moore, an actress I normally find irritating, comes off well here. She played a pregnant woman and was pregnant herself, which certainly added a dimension to the nervous Abby. But it is Jurgen Prochnow who truly makes an impression; his eyes, his face, his voice are so expressive of the character. I won't reveal more, but let's just say a lot of actors have played this role, and this is one of the most believable interpretations of it that I've ever seen. Rent this movie!

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew

Release Date:

1 April 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Boarder

Filming Locations:

Raleigh Studios - 5300 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,768,707, 3 April 1988

Gross USA:

$18,875,011

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,875,011

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Interscope Communications, ML Delphi Premier Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1