Warlock (1989 film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Warlock is a 1989 American supernatural horror film directed by Steve Miner and written by David Twohy. Julian Sands stars as the title character, a son of Satan who travels from the late 1600s to modern times with the mission of destroying the world. Lori Singer and Richard E. Grant co-star as a 20th century woman and a 17th century witch-hunter attempting to stop him.
The film was shown internationally in 1989, but did not receive an American release until January 11, 1991. It received mixed reviews and grossed $9 million on a $15 million budget. Two sequels would follow, Warlock: The Armageddon in 1993 with Julian Sands reprising his role, and a straight-to-video release titled Warlock III: The End Of Innocence starring Bruce Paine in the role. Both sequels serve as standalone films with no connection to the original.
Plot
The Warlock is taken captive in Boston, Massachusetts in 1691 by the witch-hunter Giles Redferne. He is sentenced to death for his activities, including the death of Redferne's wife, but before the execution, Satan appears and propels the Warlock forward in time to late 20th century Los Angeles, California. Redferne follows through the portal.
When the Warlock crash lands in the flat of a waitress named Kassandra and her gay roommate, Chas, he is taken in by them. While Kassandra is out, the Warlock attacks Chas, cutting off his finger with a carving knife to acquire his ring, before biting out his tongue, leaving him to die of shock. The Warlock confronts a fake psychic, tricking her into allowing her to be possessed by Satan who tells him to reassemble The Grand Grimoire, a book scattered in three pieces across the world that will reveal the "true" name of God which when spoken backwards will unmake Creation. Satan promises to make the Warlock his second-in-command if he accomplishes this task. Ripping out the psychic's eyes and using them as a Satanic compass, the Warlock finds the first piece of the Grand Grimoire hidden inside an antique table at Kassandra's flat. Whilst there, he places an ageing curse upon her and takes her bracelet. Redferne arrives with a "witch compass" with which to track the Warlock. After Redferne explains some basic rules of Witches and Warlocks, such as their weakness to purified salt, Kassandra follows him in order to regain her bracelet which will break the spell and allow her to become young again. Meanwhile the Warlock acquires the power of flight by murdering an unbaptised child and then boiling and consuming his fat.
Using Redferne's witch-compass, Redferne and Kassandra pursue the Warlock to the rural home of a Mennonite family where the Warlock has located the second piece of the Grimoire, increasing his power. After a brief battle with Redferne, the Warlock attempts to fly away but is struck down by a weathervane made of cold iron thrown by Redferne. Redferne, Kassandra and the Mennonite couple hold the Warlock down and attempt to bind his hands and feet with a pair of blessed manacles that will stop him from using his power but the Warlock hexes the Mennonite farmer with the Evil Eye before escaping on foot. Redferne gives Kassandra a blessed hammer with which to hammer nails into the Warlock's footprints while he and the farmer's wife carry the ailing farmer back to the house. While the Warlock sheds his shackles, Kassandra follows him and hammers nails into his footprints, causing the Warlock unbearable agony. He manages to escape via a train but not before Kassandra recovers her bracelet from him, restoring her youth. The farmer is terribly injured, but Redferne believes he will recover and leaves him a cure in the form of bronze keys. Kassandra does not wish to go with him but is reluctantly persuaded to when Redferne tells her that the Warlock intends to destroy the universe.
They take a plane to follow the Warlock to Boston where the third and final piece of the Grand Grimoire is supposed to be buried on sacred earth. There they arrive at the Church where the Grimoire is held and warn the local priest that the Warlock is coming for it. The priest, whose family has protected the Grimoire for generations, reassures Redferne and Kassandra that the book is buried in sacred earth, directing them to the graveyard where it is buried. Upon arriving however, Kassandra realises that due to construction, many coffins have been moved from the graveyard to the other side, which is not consecrated ground. They find Redferne's coffin and break it open to get the Grimoire when the Warlock arrives, having forced the priest to reveal the location of the book by threatening to give his wife a miscarriage. Redferne quickly carries the book onto hallowed ground but the Warlock grabs Kassandra and threatens to kill her if Redferne does not bring him the book. Redferne challenges the Warlock to a fair fight without weapons or magic and the Warlock agrees. He flings Kassandra into a lake and he and Redferne fight. The Warlock quickly gains the advantage and Redferne is forced to cheat by throwing soil from the sacred ground in the Warlock's face. With the rules broken, the Warlock uses his magical abilities to subdue Redferne and claim possession of the final third of the Grimore. He assembles it and learns the true name of God.
Before the Warlock can speak the word backwards, however, Kassandra stabs him in the neck with the syringe she normally uses to inject insulin, which she has filled with salt water from the lake. The Warlock's throat seals shut and he bursts into flames. Redferne and Kassandra bid one another an emotional farewell before Redferne returns to his own time.
Kassandra takes the Grimoire and buries it in the middle of the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Cast
- Julian Sands as Warlock
- Lori Singer as Kassandra
- Richard E. Grant as Giles Redferne
- Mary Woronov as Channeler
- Kevin O'Brien as Chas
- Richard Kuss as Mennonite
- Rob Paulsen as Gas Station attendant
