Peter Iacangelo Movies
Shot in 33 days, this $9.6 million biographical drama of behind-the-scenes interactions within the Rat Pack group of Frank Sinatra (Ray Liotta), Dean Martin (Joe Mantegna), and Sammy Davis Jr. (Don Cheadle) is set against the political backdrop of the '60s, establishing links of singers, gangsters, actors, and politicans (sometimes brushing shoulders in the same rooms). The film also explores Sinatra's relationship with John F. Kennedy (William Peterson). Deciding to support Kennedy, Sinatra patches up his feud with Peter Lawford (Angus Macfadyen), since Lawford's wife, Pat (Phyllis Lyons) is JFK's sister -- and a Sinatra-Kennedy friendship soon follows. However, when Joe Kennedy (Dan O'Herlihy) decides Sinatra's nightclub, mob and commie connections are a no-no for JFK, the patriarch's interference angers Sinatra. Meanwhile, Sammy Davis Jr. enters into an interracial liaison with May Britt (Megan Dodds), and the dynamics of the situation are visualized in an imaginative musical fantasy sequence in which Davis sees himself singing and dancing for an unresponsive line of white supremacists. Broadway's Savion Glover stepped in with the film's choreography. Substitute singers featured the voice of Michael Dees for Sinatra and Mantegna duplicating Dino. Also covered here are the events that led to the filming of Ocean's Eleven (1960). For an actual Rat Pack stage performance, see The Rat Pack Captured (1965). Filmed in LA, the TV movie premiered August 22, 1998 on HBO. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ray Liotta, Joe Mantegna, (more)
- 1997
Drew (Drew Carey) is lauded by his coworkers after 3000 uninterrupted days on the job. Unfortunately, this makes him feel like "Old Man Carrey" (the employees' new nickname for him), and he broods over the presumption that he has let life pass him by. To prove that he can be as spontaneous and impulsive as he was in his youth, Drew organizes a trip to New York's Yankee Stadium for himslef and his pals. Unfortunately, the big outing is quickly bogged down in a traffic jam with some curious participants, including Donald Trump, Carol Channing, and NYPD Blue's Detective Martinez (Nicholas Turturro). Disaster piles upon disaster, culminating in a misfire attempt to wallow in the Rocky Horror Picture Show experience--without The Rocky Horror Picture Show! This is the final episode of The Drew Carey Show's second season. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1994
- NR
In this taut thriller, a Las Vegas taxi driver must run for his life after stealing a cool million's worth of Mafia money. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Scott Glenn, Andrew McCarthy, (more)
This final installment in the Look Who's Talking trilogy is a combination of Make Room For Daddy and The Lady and the Tramp. In the six years since the original Look Who's Talking, Mikey and Julie are now old enough to speak for themselves, so the producers came up with a new gimmick -- talking dogs. The Ubriacco family adopts two surly dogs, Rocks (the voice of Danny DeVito), a street-smart mongrel, and Daphne (voice of Diane Keaton), a snobbish pure bred poodle. The story kicks in with Christmas rapidly approaching and Molly (Kirstie Alley) out of a job. Because of this, her husband James (John Travolta) must work doubly hard to impress his new boss, Samantha (Lysette Anthony). But Samantha, it seems, has hired James for more than what appears in his job description. Samantha contrives a plan to get James to her cabin in the North Woods on Christmas Eve, where she plans to seduce him. James' family races to rescue him from the snowbound cabin, but when their taxi skids off the snow-covered road, it is left to the primal instincts of Rocks and Daphne to save the day. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Travolta, Kirstie Alley, (more)
- 1992
- PG
When Sal (Dennis Farina) and his friend Charlie (Leo Rossi) are cheated out of $10,000 of borrowed money in an implausible money-making scheme, the two must flee to Los Angeles to avoid the wrath of the gangster debt collectors. Once there, they become embroiled in an underhanded scheme that leaves them running from the FBI and the mob. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Dennis Farina, Leo Rossi, (more)
- 1992
- R
- Add Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story to Queue Add Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story to top of Queue
Adapted from Robert Sam Anson's fact-based book Best Intentions, Murder without Motive stars Curtis McClarin as Harlem teenager Edmund Perry. A brilliant student, Perry is transferred from the inner city to an exclusive prep school principally attended by whites. Ten days after graduating with honors, the 17-year-old Perry is killed by a white undercover policeman, who claims he was attacked by Perry and his younger brother Jonah (Guy Killum). Though unsparing in its indictment of racism and police brutality, the Murder without Motive attempts to be fair to both sides, showing the many external pressures which led both killer and victim to their fatal meeting in the spring of 1985. This made-for-TV film was first shown January 6, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1991
Eldin (Robert Pastorelli), the house painter who seems to have made Murphy's apartment his permanent port of call, is "discovered" by the elite of the Washington art world. Before long, he is being wined-and-cheesed by the upper circles of the cognoscenti, and has been granted his first showing at a prestigious art gallery. And is Murphy (Candice Bergen) thrilled and delighted by all this? Of course...not. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1989
Having been the "alien who cried wolf" too often, ALF can't get the Tanners to believe that he got a call from an extortionist, threatening to turn him over to the immigration authorities unless he coughs up three thousand dollars. This leaves ALF with only three choices: He can either earn the money himself and make "the drop"; he can surrender to the authorities; or he can run for the hills. Guess which one he chooses? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Al Capone's imprisonment opened the way for mobster Frank Nitti to become the underworld king of Chicago as related in this true story. (AKA Nitti) ~ Rovi
- 1986
The A-Team is dispatched to a South Pacific island in search of a stolen religious icon, which must be returned in order to maintain political stability in the region. When Murdock (Dwight Schultz) puts the icon on as an adornment, he is immediately designated a "god" by a cannibal tribe ("Mutata, Murdockah, Mutata"). Meanwhile, the band of phony monks who swiped the icon in the first place descend upon the island and enslave the locals in order to work a diamond mine. (For those who enjoy inside jokes, listen to the supposed "religious incantation" at the end of the episode!) ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1985
Attending a big-league baseball game, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) fulfills a lifelong dream by catching a homer belted out by Reggie Jackson (as himself) -- only to drop the ball in front of thousands of stadium fans and millions of TV viewers. In the days that follow, poor George is a target for public ridicule, with friends and strangers alike razzing him for his slippery fingers. It is up to Louise (Isabel Sanford) to pick up the pieces of George's shattered self-esteem. In addition to Jackson, ballplayers Brian Downing and Mike Witt also appear. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1985
A group of mental patients use the courtroom to rebel against the shoddy treatment afforded them by their nursing-home staff. Things get a tad out of hand when one of the patients, a mute, locks herself in the chambers of Judge Harry (Harry Anderson), armed with a revolver. This episode was originally slated to air on October 24, 1984, then on December 13 of that same year. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1984
Although the gang at Cheers is accustomed to the know-it-all ramblings of Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger), there are a few newcomers who don't cotton to his nonstop jabbering. One such fellow is a hulking bruiser named Victor Shapone (Peter Iacangelo), who becomes so fed up with Cliff's chatter that he challenges him to a fight. Meanwhile, Diane's (Shelley Long) incredible luck with the weekly football pool drives Sam (Ted Danson) crazy. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1983
For those unfamiliar with Taxi, it should be noted herein that the cabbie's favorite hangout is a joint called Mario's. Having undergone an acute attack of "entrepreneur fever," burned-out Reverend Jim (Christopher Lloyd) has convinced himself that he could run Mario's, and to that end he buys the establishment with some of his inheritance money. Alas, though the cabbies can always be found at Mario's, no one else ever comes to the place -- except for that undercover agent from the Liquor Authority. This episode was originally slated to air on April 27, 1983. ~ Rovi
- 1983
The Jeffersons launched its tenth season with episode one of a three-party story. After George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) mocks the gullibility of his neighbor and in-law Tom Willis (Franklin Cover) with his old Navy buddies, the men decide to teach Tom a lesson with an elaborate con job. Sure enough, Tom takes the bait and surrenders the 15,000 dollars he'd been saving as a down payment for a new home. Unfortunately, two of George's "pals" decide to take the con one step farther by skipping with the money and heading for parts unknown. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
- 1983
- NR
This made-for-TV comedy postulates that, someday, members of carpools will be selected by computer. The four so anointed herein are Harvey Korman, Peter Scolari, T.K. Carter and Stephanie Faracy. Their lives go along in their usual luckless fashion until the quarter of mismatched "poolers" find themselves in possession of a million dollars that has fallen from an armored car. But ex-cop Ernest Borgnine has his eyes on the loot as well, and the chase is on. Basically a bargain-basement It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Carpool first aired October 5, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Gene Wilder stars as Michael Jordon, an architect on the run from false murder charges, who hooks up with Kate Hellman (Gilda Radner), the sister of a recent suicide victim. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, (more)
- 1981
- R
Bruce Dern stars in this disturbing shocker about a mentally unbalanced tattoo artist named Karl Kinski, who is hired to put a series of fake tattoos on fashion model Maddy (Maud Adams) as part of an advertising campaign. But Kinski becomes obsessed with Maddy and decides to kidnap her. Keeping her a captive, he uses her body as a living canvas for his tattoo designs. During its initial release, the film raised the ire of feminist groups because of the ad campaign that featured a naked woman bound at the ankles. The film was scripted by Joyce Bunuel, (Luis Bunuel's daughter-in-law). ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Bruce Dern, Maud Adams, (more)
Two runaway teens face life on the streets in New York City with a devil-may-care attitude and a punk-rock image. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Trini Alvarado, (more)
John Ritter plays an unsuccessful actor who takes a job posing as comic-book hero Captain Avenger at comics stores and conventions. While thus garbed, Ritter foils a grocery store robbery. He skedaddles from the scene when the cops show up, leading witnesses to assume that he is a genuine costumed superhero, the sort that shows up to foil the villains and then modestly retreats after his job is done. Ritter is hired by the mayor's staff, who hope that the Captain Avenger tie-in will help the mayor win an upcoming election. This plan comes acropper, and Captain Avenger finds himself on the outs with the public. Prodded by his girlfriend Anne Archer to be himself and not rely on a costume and mask to gain adulation, Ritter becomes a bonafide hero when he rescues several citizens from a fire. Thanks to the enthusiastic performance of John Ritter, Hero at Large remains amusing even when you know what's going to happen next (a common occurrence in this film). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Ritter, Anne Archer, (more)
- 1977
- R
Older brother Chubby (Paul Sorvino) is a combative, booze-swilling, rough-edged construction worker, following in the footsteps of his brother Tommy (Tony Lo Bianco). Macho in the extreme, these fellows have no time for the sensitive moral quandaries which are at the heart of the two younger brothers' lives. Stony (Richard Gere), has worked with his father in the construction business, but longs to work with children. Albert (Michael Hershewe), the youngest, is a sensitive lad, the butt of his father and oldest brother's rough manner, and is constantly being harassed by his stressed-out mother (Lelia Goldoni). After a few attempts to communicate with his insensitive older brother and his parents, Stony must decide for himself if the rejection he will experience from his family on leaving the construction business is worth it; and if it is, what can be done to protect his younger brother from the rest of the family? ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
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