Lord of Illusions (1995)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Clive Barker

Writers (WGA):

Clive Barker (story)
Clive Barker (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Fantasy

Tagline:

Prepare for the coming

Plot:

During a routine case in L.A., NY private investigator Harry D'Amour (Scott Bakula) stumbles over members of a fanatic cult...

Plot Keywords:

Cult | Illusionist | Resurrection | Fanatic | Crushed To Death

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

J. Trevor Edmond	...	Young Butterfield (as Trevor Edmond)
Daniel von Bargen	...	Nix
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Philip Swann
Joseph Latimore	...	Caspar Quaid
Sheila Tousey	...	Jennifer Desiderio
Susan Traylor	...	Maureen Pimm
Ashley Cafagna-Tesoro	...	Young Dorothea (as Ashley Lyn Cafagna)
Michael Angelo Stuno	...	Lead Male Cultist
Barbara Patrick	...	Lead Female Cultist
Scott Bakula	...	Harry D'Amour
Wayne Grace	...	Loomis
Mikey LeBeau	...	Exorcised Boy
Johnny Venocur	...	Tapert (as Johnny Venokur)
Jordan Marder	...	Ray Miller
Barry Del Sherman	...	Butterfield

Also Known As:

Clive Barker's Lord of Illusions

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and gore, and for language and sexuality.

Runtime:

109 min | Australia:104 min | Germany:119 min (director's cut) | USA:120 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Singapore:M18 | USA:R (certificate #33437) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) (director's cut) | Germany:18 (video premiere) | Spain:18 | UK:18 (video premiere) | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Iceland:(Banned) (original rating) | Iceland:16 (cut) | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Lacy Street Production Center - 2630 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Seraphim Films

Trivia:

The scene with Nix getting inside Swann's head in the cultist compound was excised and never used for the theatrical version of the film, on the grounds that it slowed the pacing of the story. It was later inserted into the unrated director's cut.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When D'amour throws Nix down the hole at the end, you can see that the hole is not rock but burlap walled.

Quotes:

Dorothea: What ARE you?
Nix: A man who wanted to become a god... then changed his mind.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Clive Barker: Raising Hell (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Messe de Requiem, op. 48: In Paradisum

"I was born to murder the world."

"There are two worlds of magic. One is the glittering domain of the illusionist. The other is a secret place, where magic is a terrifying reality. Here, men have the power of demons. And Death itself is an illusion."

Clive Barker's Lord of Illusions is a terrifying glimpse into another world in which few have traveled. Those who have been there, didn't like what Barker had to show them. I wasn't even impressed with it upon my first viewing. I simply forgot it, lumped it in with the other, countless horror films I've seen and will never see again. However, I recently rediscovered it...and was completely awestruck. The theatrical release did not do the film justice. It dropped priceless minutes of film and much need footage. I strongly urge you to seek out the uncut director's version on DVD format. This is a very big horror movie, and a hidden treasure at that; hidden under a brilliant detective story and surrounded by film noir. But I promise you there is a horror spectacle buried under there. It may be a little slow going at times...but all that build-up makes whatever happens all the more effective. Lord of Illusions is an unbelievably awesome, genre-twisting experience (and was never bastardized by a sequel). Everyone needs to take this journey again. Please Mr. Barker...make another film.

Dorothea: "What the f**k are you?"

Nix: "A man who wanted to be a God...and changed his mind."