From Bonnie Tyler to Marge Simpson: 10 solar eclipse moments in pop culture history
When the moon totally blocks the sun on April 8, who knows how the phenomenon could inspire artists and entertainers?
Solar eclipses like the one arriving April 8 to Michigan have been featured prominently in past movies, TV shows, novels and songs. Thus the primeval power of sudden darkness in the daytime could lead to some future hit tunes, action film sequences or fantasy novels.
With Detroit expecting about 99% coverage of the sun, we’re 100% ready to cover every aspect of eclipse mania, including with this top 10 list of best-known uses of eclipses in popular culture.
1. 'You're So Vain'
The 1972 break-up anthem “You’re So Vain,” written and performed by Carly Simon, depicts men who’d rather stare into a mirror than evaluate their own behavior. The third verse perfectly captures their obsession with status: “Well, I hear you went up to Saratoga/ And your horse naturally won/ Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia/ To see the total eclipse of the sun.” In 2015, Simon told People that the second verse is about Warren Beatty, but the third verse remains a mystery. Hmm, anyone have flight information for Canada timed to the 1970 eclipse?
2. '2001: A Space Odyssey'
The opening of Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 sci-fi masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey” begins with the sun emerging from a total eclipse as the majestic notes of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” (aka the “2001”theme) play. But the shot is even more epic than it seems at first glance. As Lisa Yaszek, a former president of the Science Fiction Research Association, told Vox in 2017 (the last time the United States experienced a total solar eclipse): “You see the sun and the moon and the Earth in alignment, but you realize very quickly that you’re not actually seeing that eclipse from the Earth. You’re at some vantage point beyond the Earth, and presumably it’s from the vantage point of the aliens who plant the monolith.” Whoa, our brain just broke!
3. 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'
The 1983 hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart” was a career high for singer Bonnie Tyler and doubtless will land on various playlists for the upcoming eclipse. Moody, intense and filled with the pain of an unhealthy romance, it casts a long, emotional shadow: “Once upon a time I was falling in love/ Now I’m only falling apart/ There’s nothing I can do/ A total eclipse of the heart.” During last year’s 40th anniversary of the pop classic, Tyler told the Guardian that songwriter Jim Steinman originally began work on it for a possible musical about Nosferatu. Well, Dracula does have bright eyes.
4. 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'
Mark Twain’s 1889 novel “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” follows the adventures of a man who’s magically transported back to medieval England. Sentenced to burn at the stake for his strange modern ways, the time traveler uses his knowledge of an eclipse from the year 528 (conveniently timed to his execution) to convince King Arthur to save his life. The inventive tale has been adapted into a 1949 cinematic musical starring Bing Crosby, a Bugs Bunny special and a two-episode story arc on the original “MacGyver” TV series. Can a Netflix miniseries be far behind?
5. 'Star Trek: Voyager'
The opening credits of a slightly more humble space opera, the “Star Trek: Voyager” TV series (1995-2001), concludes with Capt. Katherine Janeway’s (Kate Mulgrew) state-of-the-art ship zipping through outer space as a solar eclipse occurs in the background. That particular “Voyager” sequence is among the fan favorites of the various openings for "Star Trek” TV shows. What makes it special is the CGI depiction of the Intrepid-class U.S.S. Voyager, circa 2371 (thanks, Wikipedia!) as it explores the nooks and crannies of the galaxies.
6. 'The Simpsons'
In 2009, “The Simpsons” had a storyline in “Gone Maggie Gone” that doubled as a public service announcement on eclipse hazards. In it, Homer, Lisa and Bart view the eclipse indirectly by using homemade "camera obscura" pinhole boxes, while Marge —who has given hers to Homer after he broke his — can’t resist looking straight at the sun with unprotected eyes. Bad move, because Marge’s injured eyes must then be covered with bandages for a couple of weeks, during which time baby Maggie goes missing. Optical warning received! (And here's a Freep article on how to view the eclipse safely).
7. 'Little Shop of Horrors'
The 1986 movie musical “Little Shop of Horrors,” adapted from the off-Broadway version, hinges on the geeky hero, Seymour (Rick Moranis), bringing an exotic plant he names Audrey II to the flower shop where he works. As is explained in the song “Da-Doo,” Seymour purchased the plant during a solar eclipse. Soon, the identity of Audrey II (voiced by Motown great Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops) is revealed to be that of an extraterrestrial being that craves human blood and wants to take over the world. The moral of the story: Maybe don’t make an impulse buy on April 8?
8. 'Heroes'
BC’s 2006-10 series “Heroes” depicted an eclipse on its logo and employed the astronomical event as a recurring theme. The pilot episode involved an eclipse that seemingly triggers the superpowers of the show's characters. In the third season, a two-part episode follows how an eclipse makes all of those special abilities vanish. As Gizmodo noted in 2017, the mysteries of the eclipses were never fully examined. Instead, they “never amounted to being much more than a nifty visual effect used to create a sense of import” in the plot.
9. 'Mad Men'
A real-life 1963 solar eclipse popped up in AMC’s “Mad Men” in the 2009 episode titled “Seven Twenty Three,” where ad executive Don Draper (Jon Hamm) accompanies his daughter, Sally (Kiernan Shipka), to an eclipse party in order to flirt with her attractive teacher (Abigail Spencer). Too suave for precautions, Don winds up looking briefly at the eclipse through his sunglasses, which serve as a mirror to the celestial event. Great image for an iconic series, awful choice for a fictional self-destructive leading man.
10. 'Barabbas'
The 1961 religious saga “Barabbas,” filmed in Italy, starred Anthony Quinn in the title role of the prisoner who is released instead of Jesus by Pontius Pilate at a crowd’s request. The film’s crucifixion scene employed actual footage from the 1961 eclipse, a rare intersection of real life and movie magic.
Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2024 solar eclipse: 10 great eclipse moments in pop culture history
