The Seventh Sign (1988)

Director:

Carl Schultz

Writers:

Clifford Green (writer)
Ellen Green (writer)

Release Date:

1 April 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Thriller

Tagline:

The seals have been broken. The prophecies have begun. Now only one woman can halt the end of our world.

Plot:

Around the world, the signs of the apocalypse--as outlined in the Book of Revelation--seem to be coming to pass in the wake of a mysterious wanderer...

Plot Keywords:

Cardinal | Butcher Knife | Childbirth | Biblical Quote | Earthquake

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

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
Glynn Edwards	...	Newscaster
Robin Groth	...	Newscaster
Dick Spangler	...	Newscaster
Darwyn Carson	...	Reporter
Harry Bartron	...	Reporter
Dale Butcher	...	Reporter
Dorothy Sinclair	...	Reporter
Larry Eisenberg	...	Reporter
Lisa Hestrin	...	Nurse
Christiane Carman	...	Nurse
Irene Fernicola	...	Nurse
Karen Shaver	...	Nurse
Kathryn Miller	...	Nurse
Cornelia Whitcomb	...	Nurse
Yukiko Ogawa	...	Nurse
Mariko Tse	...	Private Nurse
Adam Nelson	...	Paramedic
David King	...	Paramedic
Sonny Santiago	...	Medical Technician
Fredric Arnold	...	Surgeon
Rabbi Baruch Cohon	...	Cantor
Leonardo Cimino	...	Head Cardinal
Richard Devon	...	2nd Cardinal
Rabbi William Kramer	...	Rabbi Ornstein
Blanche Rubin	...	Mrs. Ornstein
John Heard	...	Reverend
Joe Mays	...	Motel Clerk
Jane Frances	...	Game Show Woman
Bob Herron	...	Jimmy's Guard (as Robert Herron)
J.N. Roberts	...	Jimmy's Guard
Hank Calia	...	Jimmy's Guard
Gary Epper	...	Jimmy's Guard
John Sherrod	...	Jimmy's Guard

Directed by
Carl Schultz

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Clifford Green		writer (as George Kaplan)
Ellen Green		writer (as W.W. Wicket)

Produced by
Robert W. Cort	....	producer
Ted Field	....	producer
Paul R. Gurian	....	executive producer
Kathleen Hallberg	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche

Cinematography by
Juan Ruiz Anchía

Film Editing by
Caroline Biggerstaff

Casting by
Pennie DuPont

Production Design by
Stephen Marsh

Art Direction by
Francesca Bartoccini

Set Decoration by
Cricket Rowland

Costume Design by
Durinda Wood

Makeup Department
Adam Hill	....	makeup effects moldmaker/caster/body impressions
Greg Nelson	....	special effects makeup application
Gail Rowell-Ryan	....	hair stylist (as Gail Ryan)
Robert Ryan	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Pieter Jan Brugge	....	unit production manager
Ted Zachary	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael L. Fink	....	second unit director (as Michael Fink)
Richard Graves	....	first assistant director: second unit
Cynthia Riddle	....	second assistant director
Chris Soldo	....	first assistant director
Robert Yannetti	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Cate Bangs	....	assistant art director
Greg John Callas	....	construction coordinator
Hugh Conlon	....	construction general foreman
Bruce Edwin Gregory	....	set dresser
Robin L. Miller	....	assistant property master
Luigi Mugavero	....	set dresser
Charles Nixon III	....	lead man
Vic Petrotta Jr.	....	property master
Tom Southwell	....	conceptual artist

Sound Department
Bobbi Banks	....	assistant sound editor
David Gertz	....	dubbing recordist
Lisle Hebert	....	sound editor
Petur Hliddal	....	sound designer
Joseph Holsen	....	sound editor
Michael Hoskinson	....	sound editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jerry Jacobson	....	sound editor
Dessie Markovsky	....	supervising sound editor
Charles McCann	....	sound editor
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anthony Milch	....	supervising sound editor
Roger Pietschmann	....	boom operator
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
Emile Razpopov	....	supervising sound editor
Fred Stafford	....	sound editor
Earl Watson	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Phil Cory	....	special effects coordinator (as Philip Corey)
Scott Forbes	....	special effects technician
Hans Metz	....	special effects supervisor
Ray Svedin	....	special effects supervisor
Kevin Yagher	....	special effects makeup application

Visual Effects by
Tracy Bader	....	visual animation effects
James Balsam	....	visual effects photography
Eric Brevig	....	special visual effects supervisor
Michael L. Fink	....	visual effects supervisor
James Green	....	visual effects photography
Patric Kenly	....	animation camera operator
Patric Kenly	....	visual effects photographer
Candace Lewis	....	visual animation effects
Jeff Matakovich	....	visual effects
Tim McHugh	....	visual effects photography
George Muhs	....	visual effects photography
Craig Newman	....	visual effects production supervisor
Nina Salerno	....	visual animation effects
Lorraine Salk	....	assistant visual effects editor
Robert Scifo	....	visual effects matte artist
Steve Socki	....	visual animation effects producer
James Valentine	....	rotoscope supervisor

Stunts
Phil Adams	....	stunts
Charlie Brewer	....	stunts
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts
Jim Connors	....	stunts
Bob K. Cummings	....	stunts (as Bobby Cummings)
Laura Dash	....	stunts
Bud Davis	....	stunts (as Bud George Davis)
Mike De Luna	....	stunts
Stefan Gudju	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts
Roy E. Harrison	....	stunts (as Roy Harrison)
Steve Holladay	....	stunts
Marcia Holley	....	stunts
Gary Hymes	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Bob Orrison	....	stunts
Jimmy Ortega	....	stunts
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (as Ronald Rondell)
Michael Runyard	....	stunts
Ray Saniger	....	stunts
Linda Kaye	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Ortega	....	stunt coordinator: West Indies sequence (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Missy Boswell	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Chris Centrella	....	key grip
Henry Cline	....	second assistant camera
Skip Cook	....	dolly grip
David Dubois	....	best boy electric
Eric Engler	....	camera operator
Gregg Heschong	....	camera operator
Gregg Heschong	....	director of photography: second unit
Ian Kincaid	....	gaffer
George Mooradian	....	camera operator
Daniel P. Moore	....	video operator
Krishna Rao	....	first assistant camera
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer
Philip Sloan	....	rigging key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Victoria J. Auth	....	costumer
Kathleen Brodbeck	....	costume supervisor
Amanda Chamberlin	....	costumer
Danna Edwards	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Kimberley Bennett	....	assistant film editor (as Kimberly Ney Bennett)
Frederika Kesten	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
Michael Hoenig	....	music score producer
Pamela Neal	....	score engineer
Richard Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Linda Cipperley	....	transportation
Joseph Sullivan	....	transportation captain
Bryce Guy Williams	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
H. Hunt Burdick	....	production assistant
Philip A. De Bevoise	....	assistant production coordinator
Denny Dugally	....	production assistant
Pam Ellington	....	first assistant production accountant (as Pam Snyder)
Amy Feldman	....	production assistant
John Fideler	....	production assistant
Tim Healey	....	location manager
Mary Cay Hollander	....	production coordinator
Wes Irwin	....	production assistant
Lev Mailer	....	adr voice
Gail Martin-Sheridan	....	production accountant
Amy Ness	....	assistant location manager
Douglas Nickel	....	production assistant
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Tracy Pulliam	....	production assistant
Carri Sabel	....	assistant: Mr. Gurian
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator
Frank Tudisco	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Interscope Communications
• ML Delphi Premier Productions
• TriStar Pictures

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Films (1988) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (USA) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• TriStar Pictures

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

Dominica

Company:

Interscope Communications

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 on May 23, 2007. Had it not been cut, it would be Ellen DeGeneres first film role.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Abby visits the old rabbi's apartment, the mezuzah on his doorframe is tilted the wrong way. (It should be tilted top-inward.) Avi's (the fellow across the hall) is also placed incorrectly, as it is straight up and down, and should also be tilted inward.

Quotes:

Centurion Cartaphilus: Will you die for him? WILL YOU DIE FOR HIM?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show: (2007-05-23)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

MUMMIES

Another film about the end of the world

When it comes to religious horror films where a female takes the lead role; there are two contenders, namely The Exorcist and Rosemary's Baby. The Seventh Sign is bound to be compared to those two masterpieces often, and it will lose out every time. This Demi Moore vehicle isn't essentially a bad film; but it doesn't have a lot going for it, and serves as merely just another addition to already overpopulated horror sub-genre. This film sets its scope broader than the likes of The Exorcist, and rather than making a personal battle the centre of the piece, we follow the fate of the entire world. The Seventh Sign takes its plot from the idea of the seven signs of the apocalypse from the book of Revelations. As strange events begin to happen around the globe, the church is acting very strangely by trying to pass them off with scientific reasons. For one woman, however, the signs are very real; as the seventh sign will be the birth of her child. As the world draws nearer to oblivion, only a heavily pregnant Demi Moore and some dorky kid with huge glasses can save the day...

The plot isn't a bad base for a horror film, despite being unoriginal, but the way that the film is set out really lets it down. There isn't much suspense in The Seventh Sign, and as the plot is spoon-fed to the audience; it's easy to know what's going on all the time...which makes watching it a bit pointless. I could have pretty much guessed the ending before seeing the film. The way that it takes in ideas from the bible is good, however, as it gives the plot some kind of credibility; and the way that it veers away from demons and black magic ensures this further. But then again, the fact that it tries to keep the plot grounded in reality makes the film more boring than it should have been...and going out on a limb more often may have ultimately helped Carl Schultz's film. Demi Moore takes the lead role, and it's easy to believe that this film was made just for her. Not because she fits the role so well or anything; just because the entire piece feels like an excuse to have her on screen. Michael Biehn stars opposite and gives one of his trademark forgettable performances in a movie that I won't be remembering for long. The Seventh Sign does have its moments...just not many. Only see this if you have literally seen everything else.