Charles Collingwood Movies
- 1992
- Add Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After? to QueueAdd Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After? to top of Queue
Since two TV movies were inspired by the marriage of England's Prince Charles and Princess Diana, it is only logical that at least one made-for-TV feature would greet the decline and fall of that overexposed union. Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After, permitted the viewer the perverse delight of seeing Catherine Oxenberg, who'd previously played Diana in 1982's The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana, back again as the same (albeit older and wiser) character. Roger Rees costars as the redoubtable Charles, who despite his mile-wide character flaws comes off as relatively sympathetic. Other "royals" lurking about are Amanda Walker as Queen Elizabeth, David Quilter as Prince Philip, Benedict Taylor as Prince Andrew, and Tracy Brabin as "Fergie". Our favorite scene: Diana, dressed to the nines, sitting in the back of her luxurious limo and talking into her designer car phone, whining about how miserable her life is. Later retitled Charles and Diana: A Palace Divided, this gloriously trashy endeavor was first telecast December 13, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Jim Henson ventures into Tolkien territory in his all-Muppet fantasy feature The Dark Crystal. The titular Crystal maintains equilibrium in a mythical kingdom. When the Crystal is broken, the evil Skeksis take over, killing off the good-guy Gelflings and enslaving everyone else. Two of the Gelflings have survived: Jen was raised by the all-knowing Mystics, while Kira grew up amongst the swamp-dwelling Podlings. Jen and Kira join forces to "heal" the precious Dark Crystal and restore order to their world. Adults may find the whole affair a little precious, while children may be disturbed by the film's mortality rate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Henson, Kathryn Mullen, (more)
Frances Hodgson Burnett's children's classic The Secret Garden has been filmed several times, most successfully by MGM in 1949. The 1975 version of Secret Garden is a serialized TV adaptation, first telecast in England. Sarah Hollis Andrews stars as the insufferable little girl sent to live with her eccentric uncle. Neglected by her parents, Andrews has built a wall of selfishness from her. In the company of a handicapped boy, Andrews wanders into a wondrous secret garden, where she learns that true happiness is gained by helping others. This seven-episode version of Secret Garden was run in the US over the Public Broadcasting System, courtesy of a grant from McDonald's. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sarah Hollis Andrews, John Woodnut, (more)
