The Relic (1997)

A homicide detective and an anthropologist try to destroy a South American lizard-like god, who's on a people eating rampage in a Chicago museum.

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writers:

Douglas Preston (novel), Lincoln Child (novel)

Stars:

Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore, Linda Hunt

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Penelope Ann Miller	...	Dr. Margo Green
Tom Sizemore	...	Lt. Vincent D'Agosta
Linda Hunt	...	Dr. Ann Cuthbert
James Whitmore	...	Dr. Albert Frock
Clayton Rohner	...	Det. Hollingsworth
Chi Muoi Lo	...	Dr. Greg Lee
Thomas Ryan	...	Tom Parkinson
Robert Lesser	...	Mayor Robert Owen
Diane Robin	...	The Mayor's Wife
Lewis Van Bergen	...	John Whitney
Constance Towers	...	Mrs. Blaisedale
Francis X. McCarthy	...	Mr. Blaisedale
Audra Lindley	...	Dr. Zwiezic
John Kapelos	...	McNally
Tico Wells	...	Bailey

Storyline

A detective is puzzled after recent spate of deaths involving decapitations. He visits a museum when a new victim is found murdered in the same way. In the museum, he encounters an evolutionary biologist who herself is puzzled after discovering a mutated beetle that possesses both insect and reptilian DNA. The detective finds a common link between the murders, hypothalamus missing from the brains of the victims. Together they both try to defeat a monster/killer who is on a killing spree.

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Plot Keywords:

relic | museum | human versus monster | police sergeant | giant bug | 

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Taglines:

What Terrifies You?

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for monster violence and gore, and for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

The disappearance of the Blaisedales explained: When the Kothoga attacks the 5 people left behind in the museum after the blackout, the Blaisedales embrace each other and scream. Then the screen shot changes a couple times, and that's the last you see of them. In the original cut, the Blaisedales run through the lab, and are attacked by the Kothoga. They are then partially consumed by the bone stripping museum beetles.

When Margo is later chased through all the closed doors by the Kothoga, she falls over them and screams when she sees their bloody corpses. This scene was most likely cut out of the film because it was deemed too gruesome for audiences.

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Goofs

The tank into which Margo falls only contains hot water, used to loosen skin from a carcass. At the time she enters this tank, it is switched off and the water is cold.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[Dr. Whitney sits around the fire with the Zenzera tribe, who then hand Dr. Whitney a drink from the boiling pot over the fire]
John Whitney: [Dr. Whitney takes a drink before coughing, when one of the tribe members crawls towards him wearing some sort of beastly outfit] Oh, my God! The Kothoga.
[Dr. Whitney moans in fear, then begins uncontrollably screaming when the tribe member crawls up to him and hisses]

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Great Horror Movies with Bad Rotten Tomatoes Scores (2019)

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Soundtracks

SUNRISE
STRING QUARTET IN B FLAT MAJOR
Written by Joseph Haydn (as F.J. Haydn)
Performed by Kodaly Quartet
Courtesy of Naxos of America
By Arrangement with Source/Q

User Reviews

Relic is Fast paced fun

If you're looking for cinematic perfection or art, this movie is not for you. It involves a monster going on a murderous rampage through the natural history museum in Chicago. Penelope-Ann Miller plays Dr. Green, who along with her mentor, wheel-chair bound Dr. Frock (James Whitmore), and police Lt. D'Agosta (Tom Sizemore) investigates several murders that have taken place in the museum. Although one would think these murders would shut down the museum, Dr.Cuthbert (Linda Hunt), the museum director, insists that it stay open in order to hold a much needed fundraising gala. This party is the film's climax and involves Frock, D'Agosta and Green trying to kill the monster while Dr. Cuthbert, the Mayor and several guests and police attempt to wade through chest deep water in dark tunnels under the museum in order to escape (but of course there's something in the water). I would say this movie is a mix between The Poseidon Adventure and Predator. The acting is very good and is aided by the chemistry between Miller and Sizemore and veteran actors Hunt (who won best supporting actress 1983) and past best actor oscar nominee Whitmore.

Details

Country:

UK USA Japan Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Relic

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,064,143, 12 January 1997

Gross USA:

$33,956,608

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$33,956,608

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Cloud Nine Entertainment, H2L Media Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1