Eclipse

Since its cinematic release back in 1977, ECLIPSE has remained a rather forgotten affair though now it has blown on shore again in the shape of a 2K Blu-ray release. Quintessentially a psych-drama (and a three-hander at that) the story unfolds in a cliffside house on the Scottish coast, with Tom Conti playing a dual role.

Directed by Simon Perry, ECLIPSE is an adaptation of Nicholas Wollaston’s novel and concerns Tom (Tom Conti), an apparently tormented soul who continuously seems to battle his own demons since the untimely death of his twin brother Geoffrey (also played by Conti, albeit sporting a moustache) during a boating accident. The film begins with the corpse of Geoffrey whose body has just been discovered washed up on shore by a woman walking her dog along the beach. Yes, clearly the man drowned but he also has a rather ghastly wound on his head…
We then move forward to the inquest, during which Geoffrey’s young widow Cleo (Gay Hamilton) is present and listens on to Tom’s explanation as to how the tragedy unfolded, with Tom citing that he and he brother went on a nightly boating trip to observe the lunar eclipse when, suddenly, the weather turned and Geoffrey fell overboard - remarking that he must have hit his head somewhere while falling overboard. Unbelievably, the Sheriff (David Steuart) seems satisfied with Tom’s answers, despite the fact that the wound on Geoffrey’s head would suggest that perhaps foul play may have been the cause. With Geoffrey’s death officially declared as ‘accidental drowning’, the chapter is closed.

Scenes change from flashbacks to the present and now we’re at a point when Christmas is approaching and Tom decides to return to his former childhood home to keep Cleo and her young son Giles (Gavin Wallace), who has lost his father, company over the festive season. While Giles seems to have moved on from the harrowing events surrounding his father’s death relatively unscarred (psychologically speaking), it’s a different story for Cleo. Bottles of Gordon’s Gin stacked away in every room, even in her bathroom cabinet, suggest that since the death of her husband, she has developed a serious drinking problem - made worse by the fact that she knocks back tumbler after tumbler of gin without as much a Schweppes tonic (or any tonic) to water down the potion. Given the amount she drinks, it’s a surprise her speech isn’t permanently slurred. But hey, Tom is here to help out and ensure that Cleo and her wee lad make it ok through the holidays, even presenting them fancy gifts. As Christmas Day approaches, it becomes clear that Tom certainly has a thing going for Cleo and who knows, perhaps he always had. Which might be the reason why he feels rather irritated by a big painting that hangs in the living room, depicting the late Geoffrey in the nude. Slowly but surely, it becomes evident that there’s something not quite right about Tom’s behaviour and tensions rise further when he attempts to roast a Christmas turkey which, despite apparently correct cooking time, is still not done on the inside. Over a meal, Tom reveals an incident which is shocking beyond words, it is an incident involving a poor cat (you are hereby warned and feel free to press the ‘fast forward’ button on your player), with Tom entirely at fault. This revelation is the turning point because from then on, we see his true colours shining true and, as perhaps we suspected all along, come to realise that Geoffrey’s death was no accident…

If there is one flaw with this low budget effort then it’s the overall vibe which makes the film feel like a stage play. Apart from a few flashback scenes at sea and some brief excursions into the surrounding coastline together with Cleo and Giles, the remaining action takes place exclusively inside the cliffside house. With only Tom Conti, Gay Hamilton and Gavin Wallace as the main protagonists, it’s dialogue-heavy and even the rising tension can’t change the fact that the film’s relatively short running time of 85 minutes feels like an eternity. That said, strong performances from Conti and Hamilton compensate for the lack of action.

Special Features include audio commentary / Tom Conti discusses ‘Eclipse’ (2025, 10min), / various short films and public information films, brand new trailer, image gallery and illustrated booklet (first pressing only).