Total Eclipse (1995)

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Forget Titanic for a moment, Leonardo Dicaprio was absolutely amazing at playing as the exuberant and crazy poet Arthur Rimbaud! He just did the job so well that I just couldn't believe this film didn't get a Golden Globe?!It was very sad, like I did cry a few times when his character died and of course had angry outbursts to Paul Verlaine aka David Thewlis. He was absolutely great too as an actor! I say the real poets would be very proud of the actors for doing a love story about them in a film more like! I think this film is the best sadist film I've ever came across!

On the surface, one would think that "Total Eclipse" would work as a film. A young and very gifted poet Arthur Rimbaud (played by Leonardo Di Caprio who looks the part, but cannot quite play it) is invited to Paris by Verlaine (Thewlis) and they become lovers and work together on some of the most revolutionary verse the literary world has ever known. Yet the problem with "Total Eclipse," from acclaimed Polish film-maker Agniezka Holland, is that its focus is all wrong. What makes Arthur Rimbaud and Verlaine fascinating are not their personalities, but their poetry. If the film focused on that, then it probably would have worked. Instead, this film narrate Rimbaud and Verlaine's cruelty at the expense of their literary contributions. This unpleasantly sadistic dynamic sometimes leads to some of the most lively and inspired scenes, such as when Verlaine ditches his wife and her mother at the train car and escapes with Arthur Rimbaud. But more often than not, Rimbaud and Verlaine come across as obnoxious bores. Since the victims of their malice are usually nice people, it becomes even harder to like or understand Rimbaud or Verlaine.Some might defend this picture by saying that Rimbaud and Verlaine were living life to the fullest. But living life to its fullest is not particularly thrilling, when it involves Rimbaud stabbing Verlaine's palm; Verlaine beating his pregnant wife and setting her hair on fire; and Rimbaud belching endlessly. If Holland is going to make a good film on this theme, then why not take two flamboyant people (like Rimbaud and Verlaine) and send them to Africa or another colourful part of the world where they can incorporate their life experiences into their poetry. That would be a more interesting film. Unfortunately, we get all this unpleasantness instead.

Many people who have seen this movie do not understand it at all. It has nothing to do with the sexual nature of the two men. It is how their lives intertwine and how they fall in love with each other's souls through their amazing writings. The sex comes naturally as two human beings - not two gay men or bisexuals.If all you got out of this movie is that, I am so sad for you! I am shocked this film hasn't made it to the top. I love it. I watch it all the time. My favorite European film of ALL TIME. The acting as well, excellent!!!!!I truly get lost in this film. You can't help but fall in love with the writing itself. Extremely well-written as well as acted out.

I think that Leo looked much to old to having sex with a guy thats like 5 times his age. The sex scenes were very racy and showed a lot. Leo didn't show much. The other guy showed a lot. I wonder why he picked this role. I don't think that it did much justice to his career. He couldn't be comfortable doing those sex scenes. Leo was pretty hott though. They did a horrible job of aging him at the end.Overall i thought that it sucked. The older guy looked Sick. Leo had to be agood actor to do some of the scenes. Gays wern't around back then or at least not noticed. It wouldbe weird if that movie won any awards!!!!!!!!!!!!!