Taglines: An ancient evil has been awakened and there is nothing you can do to stop it… except pray.
The Seventh Sign movie 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 happen when her baby is stillborn. What can she do to save her unborn son and mankind?
The Seventh Sign is a 1988 American apocalyptic drama horror film written by Clifford and Ellen Green and directed by Carl Schultz. The title and plot reference the seven seals described in the Book of Revelation, the final book of the New Testament of the Bible. The film received negative reviews and grossed $18.8 million at the box office.
About the Story
Around the world, unusual phenomena are occurring that bear resemblance to signs of the Biblical apocalypse; these include a mass death of sea life in Haiti and a devastating freeze in the Middle East, and at each of these locations, a mysterious traveler opens a sealed envelope just prior to the event taking place. The Vatican tasks Father Lucci with investigating these events, though Lucci advises that they are all either hoaxes or have scientific explanations.
Concurrently to this, Abby Quinn, a pregnant woman living in California, prepares for the birth of her child. Her husband, Russell, is a defense lawyer representing Jimmy Szaragosa, a man with Down syndrome, who is on trial for murdering his incestuous parents and claiming that he did so because of God’s teaching. Jimmy is convicted of the crime.
For additional income, Abby and Russell rent a room to the mysterious traveler, who identifies himself as David Bannon. Soon after, Abby begins to have terrible nightmares of a man resembling David being struck down by a soldier, who then asks “would you die for him?” of her. Abby also learns of the apocalyptic signs that have occurred, and combined with her nightmares and David’s suspicious behavior.
She begins to worry that something terrible is taking place. She snoops through David’s papers and discovers an ancient note that leads her to believe that he intends to harm her child. When Abby confronts David about this, he tells her that God’s grace is empty and soon, no souls will remain to be given to newborn people. Abby panics and stabs David, only for him to shrug off the injury and claim that he “cannot die again.”
It becomes apparent that he is actually the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Abby’s nightmares are visions of his original crucifixion, and she is the reincarnation of Seraphia, the woman who offered Jesus water only to be turned away by Cartaphilus, who was Pilate’s porter who struck Jesus.
The signs of the apocalypse continue to unfold and eventually cause a giant storm. Abby connects with Avi, a rabbinical student who helps her understand the events. Father Lucci, who has come to California as part of his investigation, finds her and hears her concerns. However, while meeting with Lucci, Abby spots a ring on his finger identical to the one that Cartaphilus wore and learns that Lucci is Cartaphilus himself who was cursed to wander the Earth until Christ’s return to judge humanity. He intends to allow the apocalypse to take place so that his curse will finally be broken.
Abby flees from Lucci with Avi’s aid, and together the two of them find a Bible to learn what will happen next. They discover that the sixth sign will be a solar eclipse that will take place the next day, meaning that the fifth sign — the tortured death of a martyr for God’s cause — must take place very soon. Abby realizes that clemency has been denied to Jimmy and his execution will be the fifth sign. In a panic, she drives to the prison to stop the execution; however, Lucci has already infiltrated the prison. As Abby approaches, Lucci kills Jimmy and wounds Abby and is taken away by the guards.
The Seventh Sign (1988)
Directed by: Carl Schultz
Starring: Demi Moore, Michael Biehn, Jürgen Prochnow, Peter Friedman, Manny Jacobs, John Taylor, Lee Garlington, Akosua Busia, Harry Basil, Arnold Johnson, John Walcutt, Patricia Allison
Screenplay by: Clifford Green, Ellen Green
Production Design by: Stephen Marsh
Cinematography by: Juan Ruiz Anchía
Film Editing by: Caroline Biggerstaff
Costume Design by: Durinda Wood
Set Decoration by: Cricket Rowland
Art Direction by: Francesca Bartoccini
Music by: Jack Nitzsche
MPAA Rating: R for adult situations, language and violence.
Distributed by: TriStar Pictures
Release Date: April 1, 1988
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