12:01 (1993 film)
Encyclopedia
12:01 is a 1993 television film directed by Jack Sholder
, and starring Helen Slater
, Jonathan Silverman
, Jeremy Piven
, and Martin Landau
. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States.
It is an adaptation of Richard Lupoff's short story "12:01 PM
," published in the December 1973, issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
. The story had previously been adapted into an 1990 Academy Award nominated short film
starring Kurtwood Smith
.
, this version saw the main character reliving the same 24-hour period, which would restart at one minute past midnight (rather than midday as in the other versions).
Lowly clerk Barry Thomas is very interested in his co-worker and scientist Lisa Fredericks who barely notices him. That night Barry witnesses her death in a drive-by shooting as he heads home from work. Much later as he laments her death, he receives an electrical shock at exactly midnight. The next morning he slowly becomes aware that all the events of the previous morning are repeating themselves. The shock has caused him to be aware of the time loop, while everyone else is oblivious to the repetition. Over several loops, Barry learns how to save Lisa while in the process getting fired and arrested for being in the wrong place and for superior knowledge of events, a problem that often occurs in time travel stories. In some loops he gets much closer to Lisa than others, though there is a general theme of progression of the relationship. Barry eventually learns that Lisa’s boss, Dr. Thadius Moxley, illegally and unethically proceeded with a prohibited scientific experiment involving faster-than-light particle acceleration that caused the time loop. Dr. Thadius Moxley’s henchmen are also behind Lisa’s murder, as she had uncovered aspects of his illegal activities. With the help of an undercover government agent. Barry and Lisa must stop her boss and prevent him from ever activating the machine again or the world will remain trapped in a time loop forever.
It also contains a happy ending
, as the protagonist ultimately finds a way to correct the time loop over the course of the film’s 94-minute running time. The movie was released on DVD in the United States on November 28, 2006.
, which has a similar time loop
premise, was also released in 1993. The writers and producers of 12:01 believed their work was stolen by Groundhog Day.
According to Richard Lupoff:
The ABC television show Day Break
, seen in the fall 2006 televison season, also has a very similar plot.
Jack Sholder
Jack Sholder is a director, best known for his work in the horror film genre, notably Alone in the Dark, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, The Hidden, and Wishmaster 2: Evil Never Dies.In the DVD commentary of The Hidden Jack Sholder states that his favorite film director is Jean...
, and starring Helen Slater
Helen Slater
Helen Rachel Slater is an American actress and singer-songwriter.She appeared in the title role in the 1984 film Supergirl. In the following years she starred in several very successful comedy-drama films such as Ruthless People, The Secret of My Success, and City Slickers...
, Jonathan Silverman
Jonathan Silverman
-Personal life:Silverman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Devora and Hillel Emanuel Silverman, a rabbi. He is the grandson of famous Conservative Rabbi Morris Silverman. David Schwimmer was his best friend in high school. He is married to actress Jennifer Finnigan who he briefly co...
, Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor....
, and Martin Landau
Martin Landau
Martin Landau is an American film and television actor. Landau began his career in the 1950s. His early films include a supporting role in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest . He played continuing roles in the television series Mission: Impossible and Space:1999...
. It originally aired on the Fox Network in the United States.
It is an adaptation of Richard Lupoff's short story "12:01 PM
12:01 PM
"12:01 PM" is a short story by American writer Richard A. Lupoff, which was published in the December 1973 edition of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The story was twice adapted by Hollywood, first in 1990 as a short film, and again in 1993 as a television movie...
," published in the December 1973, issue of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
. The story had previously been adapted into an 1990 Academy Award nominated short film
12:01 PM (1990 film)
12:01 PM is a 1990 short film starring Kurtwood Smith. Directed by Jonathan Heap, it originally aired on cable television in 1990 as part of the Showtime 30-Minute Movie anthology series. It was nominated for an Academy Award....
starring Kurtwood Smith
Kurtwood Smith
Kurtwood Larson Smith is an American television and film actor. He is best known for playing Clarence Boddicker in RoboCop and stern parental characters , and for his appearances in the genre of science fiction...
.
Plot
Expanding on the original's premise of a one hour time loopTime loop
A time loop or temporal loop is a common plot device in science fiction in which time runs normally for a set period but then skips back like a broken record. When the time loop "resets", the memories of most characters are reset...
, this version saw the main character reliving the same 24-hour period, which would restart at one minute past midnight (rather than midday as in the other versions).
Lowly clerk Barry Thomas is very interested in his co-worker and scientist Lisa Fredericks who barely notices him. That night Barry witnesses her death in a drive-by shooting as he heads home from work. Much later as he laments her death, he receives an electrical shock at exactly midnight. The next morning he slowly becomes aware that all the events of the previous morning are repeating themselves. The shock has caused him to be aware of the time loop, while everyone else is oblivious to the repetition. Over several loops, Barry learns how to save Lisa while in the process getting fired and arrested for being in the wrong place and for superior knowledge of events, a problem that often occurs in time travel stories. In some loops he gets much closer to Lisa than others, though there is a general theme of progression of the relationship. Barry eventually learns that Lisa’s boss, Dr. Thadius Moxley, illegally and unethically proceeded with a prohibited scientific experiment involving faster-than-light particle acceleration that caused the time loop. Dr. Thadius Moxley’s henchmen are also behind Lisa’s murder, as she had uncovered aspects of his illegal activities. With the help of an undercover government agent. Barry and Lisa must stop her boss and prevent him from ever activating the machine again or the world will remain trapped in a time loop forever.
It also contains a happy ending
Happy ending
A happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which almost everything turns out for the best for the protagonists, their sidekicks, and almost everyone except the villains....
, as the protagonist ultimately finds a way to correct the time loop over the course of the film’s 94-minute running time. The movie was released on DVD in the United States on November 28, 2006.
Legal action
The film Groundhog DayGroundhog Day (film)
Groundhog Day is a 1993 American comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, based on a story by Rubin....
, which has a similar time loop
Time loop
A time loop or temporal loop is a common plot device in science fiction in which time runs normally for a set period but then skips back like a broken record. When the time loop "resets", the memories of most characters are reset...
premise, was also released in 1993. The writers and producers of 12:01 believed their work was stolen by Groundhog Day.
According to Richard Lupoff:
- A brilliant young filmmaker named Jonathan Heap made a superb 30-minute version of my short story "12:01 PM". It was an Oscar nominee in 1990, and was later adapted (very loosely) into a two-hour Fox movie called 12:01. The story was also adapted—actually plagiarized—into a major theatrical film in 1993. Jonathan Heap and I were outraged and tried very hard to go after the rascals who had robbed us, but alas, the Hollywood establishment closed ranks. We were no Art BuchwaldArt BuchwaldArthur Buchwald was an American humorist best known for his long-running column in The Washington Post, which in turn was carried as a syndicated column in many other newspapers. His column focused on political satire and commentary...
. After half a year of lawyers' conferences and emotional stress, we agreed to put the matter behind us and get on with our lives.
The ABC television show Day Break
Day Break
Day Break is a television program for which one 13-episode season was produced. The series starred Taye Diggs as Detective Brett Hopper, who is framed for the murder of Assistant District Attorney Alberto Garza. Due to a time loop, Hopper lives the same day over and over...
, seen in the fall 2006 televison season, also has a very similar plot.