David Kaufman Movies
One of the most notorious slasher films of the 1980s returns to terrorize filmgoers with this blood-soaked remake that proves just how horrifying high school dances can truly be. Donna Keppel (Brittany Snow) has survived a terrible tragedy, but now the time has come to leave the past behind and celebrate her senior prom in style. When the big night finally arrives, Donna and her best friends prepare to enjoy their last big high-school blowout by living it up and partying till dawn. But while Donna is willing to look past her nightmares and into a brighter future, the man she thought she had escaped forever has returned for one last dance. An obsessed killer is on the loose, and he'll slay anyone who attempts to prevent him from reaching his one and only Donna. Who will survive to see graduation day, and what will Donna do when she's forced to confront her greatest fear? Scott Porter, Jessica Stroup, and Dana Davis co-star in the slasher remake that will have tuxedo-clad teens everywhere nervously looking over their shoulders as they file out onto the dance floor. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brittany Snow, Scott Porter, (more)
- 2005
Although the concept of a children's cartoon series starring a cast of flying insects was hardly original to The Buzz on Maggie, this weekly, half-hour Disney Channel series set itself apart from such earlier endeavors as Honeybee Hutch and Maya the Bee by relying upon computer-generated imagery rather than traditional cel animation. The series was set in Stickyfeet, a city largely populated by flies. Heroine Maggie, who in "anime" tradition boasted an oversized head and enormous eyes (with lashes!), was fun-loving and adventurous. Her efforts to buck convention and explore the world beyond Maggie drove her friends and family crazy and often placed herself in jeopardy, but in general her strong, forceful attitude proved a positive role model for the kids at home. Other characters included Maggie's older brother Aldrin, her kid brother Pupert, Aldrin's girlfriend Dawn, and Maggie's best friend Rayna. After debuted over the Disney Channel on June 17, 2005, The Buzz on Maggie was picked up by sister network ABC in the fall of that same year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jessica Di Cicco, David Kaufman, (more)
- 2004
From Fairly OddParents creator Butch Hartman, the half-hour animated series Danny Phantom was all about Danny Fenton, a shy, geekish freshman who attended Casper High. Thanks to an accident in the laboratory of his paranormal-expert father Jack, Danny was transformed into a half-human, half-phantom, endowed with ghostly superpowers. As "Danny Phantom", our hero periodically skipped out of school to save the world from a vast array of evil (and sidesplittingly funny) ghosts, spooks and phantoms. Meanwhile, Casper High's vice-principal and English teacher Mr. Lancer, in the anal-retentive tradition of all animated adult authority figures, imposed harsh punishments on Danny for his frequent absences--or at least, he tried to. Other characters included Danny's level-headed mom Maddie, his ultra-perfectionist sister Jazz, and his best friends, talkative techno-nerd Tucker Foley (whose various inventions were designed for maximum efficiency in the Ghost World where Danny spent of his time), and freewheeling Goth Girl and vegetarian Samantha "Sam" Manson. The bane of Danny's existence was bullying high school football star Dash Baxter, who often as not ended up embarrassed or humiliated thanks to Danny's spectral skills. Danny Phantom joined the Nickelodeon lineup on April 3, 2004, and later was seen as part of the weekend-morning schedule of Nickelodeon's sister network CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Kaufman, Rob Paulsen, (more)
- 2003
In the conclusion of a two-part story, the vengeful Dr. Destiny continues using his ESP machine to control the dreams -- and the minds -- of others, and to destroy the Justice League. At this point, virtually all the Leaguers are enslaved in their own personal nightmares, with seemingly no way out. Only Batman and J'onn J'onnz remain free to battle the insidious Destiny -- but in order to triumph of evil, our two heroes must stay awake...stay awake...STAY AWAKE!!! ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Atherton, Dana Delany, (more)
- 2003
Having already inspired two feature films combining live action with computer animation, E.B. White's whimsical 1945 children's book Stuart Little was transformed into a 13-episode, cel-animated TV series, which debuted in America over the HBO Family cable channel on March 8, 2003. As before, the stories centered on the Manhattan-dwelling Little family, who managed to adjust to the fact that their "son" Stuart was a three-inch-tall talking mouse. While Mr. and Mrs. Little and Stuart's brother were amenable to this setup, the family cat, Snowball, was sorely annoyed at having to play up to a "master" who under any other circumstances would have been Snowball's midnight snack. Forsaking the gentle New Yorker humor of the White original and the daffy slapstick of the movies, the TV series adhered to the Kid Vid party line by having Stuart help his family solve all their problems ("You're never too little to do big things"). Of the actor who appeared in the films, only Hugh Laurie provides the voice for the cartoon version of Mr. Little, while the computerized Stuart of the big screen was seen only in wraparound segments. Stuart Little was produced by Sony Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Kaufman, Hugh Laurie, (more)
- 2002
The title of the CBS doctor drama referred to the fictional Presidio Medical Group of San Francisco. Distinguishing this effort from all other forcep-and-scalpel weeklies was the fact that the staff of Presidio Med was virtually all-female, save for a brace of "token" handsome hunks. Still, in standard TV fashion, the doctors became emotionally (and sometimes intimately) involved in the welfare of their patients. The main characters included OB-GYN specialist Harriet Lanning (Blythe Danner), oncologist Rae Brennan (Dana Delany), cardiologist Letty Jordan (Anna Deavere Smith), plastic surgeon Jackie Collette (Sasha Alexander), pediatrician Jules Keating (Julianne Nicholson), and, from the male contingent, internist Matt Slingerland (Paul Blackthorne) and Greek-born surgeon Nicholas Kokoris (Oded Fehr). Created by former ER producers Lydia Woodward and John Wells, Presidio Med debuted Tuesday, September 24, 2002, before settling into its usual Wednesday-night time slot. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dana Delany, Paul Blackthorne, (more)
Mark Twain's classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is re-created here as an animated adventure movie. Featuring a country music soundtrack with songs by Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings and Lee Ann Womack, the video is also accented with famous voices, like those of Don Knotts and Betty White. The characters have all been resurrected as animals; Tom and Becky are cats, Huck is a fox, and Injun Joe (more sensitively corrected to be "Injurin' Joe" in this production) is a bear. The animation is excellent, though the plot itself is a looser interpretation of Twain's story. Children aged five to 12 should enjoy the story and lively animation while getting a basic introduction to a classic piece of literature. ~ Sarah Block, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thom Adcox, Dee Bradley Baker, (more)
- 1999
Monica (Roma Downey) is the leader of a support group consisting of five terminally ill people: Corey (David Kaufman, Stasi (Lisa Jane Persky), Dolores (Eileen Brennan), Larry (Lenny Clarke), and Rachel (Nancy McKeon). It is Monica's task to help each group member realize the one big goal that must be achieved before his or her death. All are willing to take on the challenge (though Rachel is at first strangely resistant), but the journey towards that goal is fraught with surprises--not least of which is the fact that the five main characters have always shared a common bond. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1999
John Ward served as producer, director, screenwriter, and star of this satiric comedy with a romantic undercurrent. Ward plays a would-be filmmaker whose girlfriend wishes that he could develop a bit more maturity. After an argument, he packs his bags and heads to California, where he indulges in his Hollywood fantasies as he tries to get his foot in the door of the film business. However, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and the time away from his significant other makes him realize just how much he misses her. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sydney Penny, John Ward, (more)
Unlike the first season of the animated superhero spoof Freakazoid!, in which most of the episodes contained three to four separate segments, eleven of the twelve Season Two episodes are comprised of a single, self-contained narrative--thereby providing even more time for computer-generated superhero Freakzoid!, aka nerdy Dexter Douglas, to make a fool of himself before an audience of millions. In the season opener, "Dexer's Date" is interrupted by The Lobe's plan to destroy the entire TV industry (the fiend!). "The Freakazoid" illustrates the fact that a superhero's birthday party is hardly cause for celebration (turns out that HE is expected to dole out the favors). In "Mission: Freakazoid", our hero must rescue his family from the oppressive country of Vuka Nova. "Virtual Freak" finds all the characters we care about being sucked into a VR world, while The Lobe raises Holy Ned at the local mall. "Hero Boy" pits Freakazoid! against traditional enemy Guieterrez, who's now developed a cloning process. In "A Matter of Love", a "dream" girl turns out to be a nightmare--namely, an ancient monstrous succubus. "Statuesque" reaches a peak of terror as Dexter's girlfriend Steph gets stoned--literally. Then, it's Freakazoid vs. the Orangumen in "Island of Dr. Mystico", followed by Cave Guy and Cobra Queen teaming up for trouble in "Two Against Freak". And in "Normadeus", The Lobe reverses Freakazoid!'s resonance frequency, which may cause our hero to go to pieces. That leaves one final two-adventure episode, consisting of "Freak-a-Panel" , in which Freakazoid discovers that tracking down Cave Guy may be less of a challenge than "escaping the mediocrity" of a sci-fi convention; and "Tomb of Invisibo", a double takeoff of "The Mummy" and "The Invisble Man", all in one, and even together, also too, hey. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Rugg, David Kaufman, (more)
The only thing that anyone could be certain of in Season One of the animated superhero spoof Freakazoid! is that no one can be certain of anything. Most of the season's 12 episodes contained three to four short segments, interrelated only by the fact that the star of each one is Freakazoid!, a super-powered but somewhat doltish good guy whose alter ego is teenage computer geek Dexter Douglas. Also appearing are Dexter's sort-of girlfriend Steph, the neurotic police sergeant Cosgrove, and seedy master villain The Lobe. This season's consignment of craziness includes a bloodless spoof of the "Friday the 13th" movies, filmed in SCREAM-O-VISION; an escapade with Lord Bravery, a shameless takeoff of Hanna-Barbera's Jonny Quest; the ongoing plight of the Huntsman, an unemployed superhero who goes into hissy-fits because there aren't any criminals in his city; and a Woody Allen-esque luncheon in which a group of old, out-of-shape superheroes kvetch about how life has passed them by. Also, a group of lawn gnomes try to improve their malevelont image; Freakazoid! is saddled with a self-appointed sidekick, the obnoxious Fan Boy; our hero tries to tame a mad dog, dubbing his new pal "Foamy"; Christmas is threatened by the misbehavior of crime czar "Arms" Akimbo; "The Nerdator" kidnaps all the nerds in the world, thereby diminishing Freakazoid!'s fan base; the Cobra Queen grosses everybody out, dude, when she sets up headquarters in a sewer; and Leonard Nimoy is pestered by autograph seekers (Wait: Are you sure this is really a cartoon?) The only episode containing a single segment is "The Chip" which explains the computer meltdown that transformed Dexter Douglas into Freakazoid!, narrated by Motion Picture Association of America executive Jack Valenti (we swear we're not making this up). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Rugg, David Kaufman, (more)
- 1995
Having set a date for their wedding, Joe (Tim Daly) and Helen (Crystal Bernard) begin seeking out a good location for the ceremony. To save money, Joe and Helen decide to crash another wedding and test out the facilities -- only to nearly scuttle the other couple's happiness with their endless bickering. Incidentally, newlyweds Rick and Karen are played by real-life husband and wife David Kaufman and Lisa Picotte. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
In this Romanian-set fantasy, a man becomes invisible in order to fight an evil, masked madman called Drago. Drago turns mobs of peasants insane and sends them to surrounding villages to kidnap young women. Behind all the mayhem is a wheelchair-bound mad scientist who controls a robot called Mandroid. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1991
When a pair of teen-aged boys break away from their summer camp to lose their virginity to an infamous hooker (Sonia Braga), they discover that she's since gone straight to become a rancher. After hiring on as stable boys, they learn about the real meaning of love and sex. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
When an overprotective mother discovers that her son has joined the United States Air Force against her wishes, she soon ends up training right alongside him in this lighthearted tale of motherly love starring Hector Elizondo I Dream of Jeannie's Barbara Eden. When mother shoes up in training camp to run the gamut with her patriotic son, the aspiring military man is embarrassed to no end. Thankfully for both mother and son, the pair is able to come to a tentative understanding that allows both to pursue their own dreams on their own terms. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1989
Alexandra Maynard's (Jill Clayburgh) nightmare begins when her wallet is stolen by a psycho. In possession of Alexandra's identification and credit cards, her tormentor is able to follow her all over town, anticipating her every move. Adding to Alexandra's agony are those mocking phone calls from her ubiquitous stalker. But then...then Alexandra's friends and family form a united front, and the stalker finds himself the stalkee. Made for television, Fear Stalk debuted December 17, 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Comic actor Michael McKean delivers a powerful dramatic performance in Father's Homecoming. Long separated from his teenaged son (Jonathan Ward) and daughter (Marcianne Warman), Michael (McKean) comes into contact with them in a most unexpected fashion. He is appointed headmaster of the exclusive New England private school where they both are enrolled. Future Star Trek regular Nana Visitor has a good supporting role. Made for TV, Father's Homecoming was released with a remarkable lack of fanfare on June 19, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
Quon Le (Denice Kumagai) races against the clock to be sworn in as a US citizen before her baby is born. Ah, you're way ahead of us: The moment she raises her right hand, Quon Le goes into labor--and at the same time, her husband Mac (Charlie Robinson) is stricken with appendicitis. As things turn out, Quon Le's child may very well be delivered by a podiatrist! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Robert Ginty, star of James Glickenhaus's The Exterminator (1980), returns for a similar outing in the 1985 actioner Mission Kill. He plays Cooper, an explosives expert summoned by a Green Beret friend Harry (Cameron Mitchell), on a mission to smuggle arms into the (fictional) South American country of Santa Maria. The picture co-stars Merete Van Kamp and Harry Darrow. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Ginty, Merete Van Kamp, (more)
- 1985
Kids Don't Tell stars Michael Ontkean as a free-lance documentary filmmaker. Concerned over the increasing sexual abuse of children, Ontkean hopes to make a film on the subject, with the cooperation of the local police and social services. For reasons unknown, Ontkean's wife JoBeth Williams becomes surly and distant as he continues work on his film. It turns out that JoBeth is far more intimately familiar with the subject of sexual abuse than she's ever let on (hence the film's title). Made for television, Kids Don't Tell handles its subject matter with an admirable absence of sensationalism, thanks to the low-key script by Peter Silverman and Maurice Hurley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Still grieving over the death of his son John, Mr. Edwards (Victor French) has begun drinking again. Ordered out of his own home by his long-suffering wife, Grace (played by Corinne Camacho, replacing former series regular Bonnie Bartlett), Edwards returns to Walnut Grove and his friends the Ingalls, hoping to start life anew. Alas, he is unable to give up the bottle, and while drunkenly making a delivery to Sleepy Eye, he causes an accident that seriously injures Albert Ingalls (Matthew Laborteaux). His best friends having all but given up on him, Edwards must regain his inner strength on his own -- though he still has some "special help" from a higher source. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Landon, Karen Grassle, (more)
