Michael Jayston Movies

Conner MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) returns in this, the third film in the Highlander series. MacLeod is an "Immortal," a 16th century Scottish soldier who has been both blessed and cursed with the gift of eternal life. After the death of his beloved wife (a common occurrence for him, but one he's never gotten used to), MacLeod travels to Japan during the feudal era where he encounters a fellow immortal, the wizard and swordsman Nakano (Mako). Nakano and MacLeod become friends, and the Scott learns many valuable lessons from the wise magician; however, when Nakamo's arch enemy Kane (Mario Van Peebles) -- an immortal who has pledged himself to evil -- finds the sorcerer's hideaway, he promptly chops off the magician's head. The attack causes Nakamo's cave to collapse with Kane trapped inside, and McLeod narrowly escapes. Moving into the 20th century, MacLeod is in New York City where he's become romantically involved with Alex Johnson (Deborah Unger), an archeologist who is planning a dig in Japan; however, the site she's excavating just so happens to be the cave where Kane remains trapped inside. Once the villain is freed, he sets out to find MacLeod and determine once and for all who is to be the final immortal. Highlander: The Final Dimension was trimmed of two sex scenes for its American theatrical release, though they were restored when the film was brought out on home video. Despite the suggestion of the title "The Final Dimension," a fourth Highlander film was released in 2000. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The gorgeous and graceful Lady Frances Carfax has seemingly disappeared from the face of the earth. Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett) suspects foul play, but he has only minimum evidence to go on. With his customary brusqueness and diligence, Holmes pinpoints Lady Frances' whereabouts. We can't give away anything here, though we'll observe that the story is seasoned with a dash of Edgar Allan Poe. Running a compact 50 minutes, "The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax" was an entry in the British Casebook of Sherlock Holmes teleseries. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Still Crazy Like a Fox was a 1987 TV-movie effort to revive the lighthearted detective series originally telecast in 1984-86. Jack Warden is back as eccentric detective Harry Fox, with John Rubinstein as his conservative lawyer son Harrison. Father and son are lifted from their natural San Francisco habitat and sent on a vacation in England. While in London, Harry spots a man in the act of stealing. But the man is the above-reproach Duke of Kent (James Faulkner), and Harry's accusations are ignored. When the Duke is murdered, Harry goes to the head of the suspect list. Costarring in Still Crazy Like a Fox is British comic actor Graham (Monty Python) Chapman as Harry's dyspeptic Scotland Yard antagonist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of the Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker), on trial for his life, is confronted with videotaped evidence of his "disobedient" behavior on the planet Ravolox. It is up to the Doctor and his companion, Peri (Nicola Bryant), that their mission to Ravolox was intended to rescue the inhabitants from malevolent con artist Glitz (Tony Selby). Written by Robert Holmes and originally telecast on September 20, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 3 was technically the third chapter of a story arc subtitled "The Mysterious Planet." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the 14-episode continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker) discovers the real reason that he has been put on trial for violating the Laws of Time. But his troubles are far from over, as he and his chief accuser, the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) embark upon a harrowing virtual-reality tour of the Matrix. The climax finds the Doctor locked in mortal combat with an evil incarnation of himself. Written by Pip and Jane Baker and originally telecast on December 6, 1986, this episode, officially known as Doctor Who: The Ultimate Foe, Episode 2, represented not only the final chapter of Doctor Who's 23rd season, but also Colin Baker's farewell appearance as the Doctor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the 12th episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Valeyard (Michael Jayston), bent upon condemning the Doctor (Colin Baker) for violating the Laws of Time, argues that the Doctor's videotaped evidence does not correspond with the facts. But the Doctor argues that, contrary to those "facts," he and his companion, Mel (Bonnie Langford), were indeed responsible for rescuing the passengers of the spaceliner Hyperion III from being devoured by a series of ravenous plants -- and that the Hyperion III did not meet its doom in the Black Hole of Tartarus. Written by Pip and Jane Baker and first broadcast on November 22, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 12 was actually the concluding installment of the four-part story arc "Terror of the Vervoids." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the tenth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker) presents videotaped evidence which he hopes will clear him of charges that he has violated the Laws of Time. The tape shows the Doctor and his companion, Mel (Bonnie Langford), on board the spaceliner Hyperion III, attempting to solve a series of mysterious deaths. But the Valeyard (Michael Jayston), who is conducting the trial against the Doctor, is skeptical, since the images on the tape do not correspond with the facts -- or at least, with the facts as they currently exist. Written by Pip and Jane Baker and first broadcast on November 8, 1986, this episode is officially known as Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 10. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the eighth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of the Time Lord," the Doctor (Colin Baker) refutes videotaped evidence of his "treachery" on the planet Thoros Beta. It doesn't look good for the Doctor, however, since the tapes suggest that he willingly served up a reluctant Peri (Nicola Bryant) as a body donor in a brain-transplant experiment performed by scientist Crozier (Patrick Ryecart) on the planet's leader Kiv (Christopher Ryan). The outraged Time Lords, ignoring the Doctor's insistence that the evidence is entirely misleading, are forced to take drastic measures. This episode served as the series swan song for co-star Nicola Bryant. Written by Philip Martin and originally telecast on October 24, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 8 is actually the concluding chapter of the four-part story arc "Mindwarp." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the sixth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of a Time Lord," the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) continues to prosecute the Doctor (Colin Baker) for violating the Laws of Time. Videotaped evidence shows the Doctor and Peri (Nicola Bryant) travelling to the planet Thoros Beta, apparently to commisserate with intergalactic outlaw Sil (Nabil Shaban). But the Doctor contends that his mission to Thoros Beta was meant to be beneficial, citing the fact that scientist Crozier (Patrick Ryecart) intended to alleviate the suffering of the planet's leader, Kiv (Christopher Ryan), by using the Doctor's body as the temporary home for Kiv's brain. Will the Doctor be able to prove his point -- or will his erratic behavior, caught on video, condemn him to death? Written by Philip Martin and originally telecast on October 11, 1986, "Mindwarp, Episode 2" is listed in most sources as Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 6. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fourth episode of the season-long continuity "The Trial of the Time Lord," the Valeyard (Michael Jayston) uses videotaped evidence in hopes of proving that the Doctor (Colin Baker) was guilty of breaking the Laws of Time on the planet Ravolox. But the Doctor contends that he and his companion, Peri (Nicola Bryant), were actually responsible for saving Ravolox from the villainous machinations of intergalactic con artist Glitz (Tony Selby). Written by Robert Holmes and originally telecast on September 27, 1986, Doctor Who: The Trial of a Time Lord, Episode 4 was technically the concluding chapter of a four-part story arc subtitled "The Mysterious Planet." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Premiering on American television on December 29, 1981, From a Far Country: Pope John Paul II was originally an Italian/British coproduction, made in cooperation with Film Polski. Actually, we see very little of the Pope -- in fact, John Paul II (played by Cezary Morawski) is not yet in his papal robes when we first meet him as a Polish youth of the 1930s named Karol Wojtyla. Director Krzysztof Zanussi adopts a liquid style that is part Ashes and Diamonds, part Citizen Kane. The maturation of Karol during the Nazi occupation is for the most part relayed through the reminiscences of his friends and family (played by an international cast). For its American TV showing, 40 of the film's original 140 minutes were trimmed. Through an unforeseeable coincidence, From a Far Country: Pope John Paul II was first telecast the same week in 1981 that a major political crisis broke out in Poland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Living a premature and somewhat humbling retirement, elderly British spy George Smiley (Alec Guinness) is abruptly resurrected by his former boss Lacon (Anthony Bate) with an ultra-secret mission: find the double agent in the ranks of the British Secret Service. Is it the pompous head of service, Percy Alleline (Michael Aldridge)? The blowsy Bland (Terence Rigby)? The shifty Toby Esterhase (Bernard Hepdon)? Or perhaps the urbane Bill Haydon (Ian Richardson)? Pushed into retirement by a scandal caused by the now-deceased head of service, Control (Alexander Knox), and because he suspected that there was a spy, Smiley journeys through the labyrinthine world of the British spy service layer by layer as he hunts the mole controlled by the mysterious Russian spymaster Karla (Patrick Stewart). Taken from a best-selling novel by internationally famed novelist John Le Carré, this nearly five-hour miniseries was first broadcast by the BBC. The story is loosely based on the infamous Kim Philby spy scandal of the early '60s. ~ Nick Sambides, Jr., All Movie Guide