The Eclipse (2009)

In a seaside Irish town, a widower sparks with a visiting horror novelist while he also begins to believe he is seeing ghosts.

Director:

Conor McPherson

Writers:

Conor McPherson (screenplay), Billy Roche (story and screenplay)

Stars:

Ciarán Hinds, Iben Hjejle, Aidan Quinn

5 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Roche	...	Jim Belton
Eanna Hardwicke	...	Thomas Farr
Hannah Lynch	...	Sarah Farr
Ciarán Hinds	...	Michael Farr
Mac	...	Ringo the Dog
Avian Egan	...	Eleanor Farr
Aidan Quinn	...	Nicholas Holden
Hilary O'Shaughnessy	...	TV Interviewer
Jim Norton	...	Malachy
Nuala Casey De Backer	...	Festival Organiser
Sarah Murphy	...	Festival Volunteer
Iben Hjejle	...	Lena Morrell
Mia Quinn	...	Ghost Girl
Declan Nash	...	Man in Hotel Bar
Valerie Spelman	...	Jenny Sewell

Storyline

Having lost his beloved wife to cancer, the dejected widower and father of two, Michael Farr, is still struggling to find his feet in the Irish seaport town of Cobh. To keep his mind occupied, Michael volunteers for the picturesque town's annual literary festival, transporting famous authors such as the self-centred American novelist, Nicholas Holden, and the quiet British ghost-story writer, Lena Morelle, to various events. Once, those two polar opposites had a meaningless fling; however--even though Nicholas is still eager to pick up where they left off--more and more, Lena finds herself attracted to the sombre Michael, whose father-in-law's eerie ghost haunts him in the dead of night. Is this dreadful apparition a tangible manifestation created by a wounded soul?

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Plot Keywords:

widower | ghost | novelist | irish | kiss | 

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Taglines:

If there is life after death - love lives on

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some disturbing images

User Reviews

"I wait in a place where the shadows run from themselves." Cream; White Room

"The Eclipse" is a surreal walk in the shoes of a few Irish villagers. Some have criticized this piece for being somewhat disjointed and confusing. I must heartily disagree! It is simply a limited time in life of a few very interesting people in Ireland at a Literary Conference and how those lives rode a little rougher when disturbed by the supernatural.

For those who have forfeited pieces of your heart a bloody chunk at a time after losing someone dear, this movie will inspire. Our psyche, often in partnership with our dreams, can work through some regret, pain, loss, guilt and loneliness by gifting us very real visions in which we touch or hug that loved one, possibly even sharing meaningful words with them. In 2006 my sister died in a fire. On and off, for a few years, I experienced the sound of her calling my name in the night shortly after I fell asleep. This happened several times, waking me, bringing me to actually look for her. In fact, many years before that, I had the opportunity to be with and hold my infant daughter, who died of SIDS when she was 5 months. I held her preciousness in my arms and played with her several times over a matter of years. This always seemed to occur in the twilight of my sleep. At first, I experienced the loss of her, magnified when I awoke, knowing it was a dream; after a couple of years, I unexpectedly became grateful for the privilege to spend that time with her. Since my loss, I have talked with so many people who have experienced similar incidents. I can almost imagine these phenomena taking themselves just a step further. Can't you?

The enigmatic Ciaran Hinds has held my attention since I first noticed him in Jane Austen's "Persuasion". He seemed an unlikely, oafish sort for the part. I was wrong. The man, as I have witnessed since, is a great character actor and quite a strong, yet vulnerable, lead.

The music was beautiful and apropos, the subject matter intriguing, the acting well done and as a note of interest, the writer, Billy Roche, was the host of the literary event. While he was just short of invisible, he managed to create some comic relief. This was an eccentrically mysterious movie you will either love or not. It IS definitely worth the time to give it a try.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 April 2010 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Oliki ekleipsi

Filming Locations:

Cobh, County Cork, Ireland

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,207, 28 March 2010

Gross USA:

$133,411

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$159,852

Company Credits

Production Co:

Treasure Entertainment, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Broadcasting Commission of Ireland

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1