Tom Pace Movies

On three occasions between 1973 and 1975, Star Trek producer Gene Roddenberry attempted to launch a new science-fiction series. All three pilot films were predicated on the premise of a modern-day scientist awakening after nearly two centuries in suspended animation. The first of these feature-length pilots was Genesis 2, which debuted March 23, 1973. Alex Cord stars as Dylan Hunt, who opens his eyes to discover that he now resides in a post-apocalyptic world. He is reluctantly recruited into a resistance movement, aimed at toppling the present despotic regime. The film's "money scene" involved leading lady Lyra-a (Mariette Hartley), who at a crucial plot juncture lifts her blouse to reveal that she has two navels. When Genesis 2 failed to click as a series, Roddenberry and company tried again with Planet Earth (1974); when that didn't sell, the property was reworked as Strange New World (1975). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In a reversal of the situation in the sixth-season episode "Encore," in which a gangster was persuaded that he had gone back in time from 1971 to 1937, the IMF must jump forward some 27 years in the seventh-season Mission:Impossible entry "Two Thousand." Vic Morrow guest-stars as master thief Joseph Collins, who has stolen 50 kg of plutonium. To find out where Collins has stashed the deadly material, the IMF contrives to convince Collins that he has been in hibernation until the year 2000 --- and that a nuclear holocaust has tranformed the US into a police state. Most of this episode was filmed on location in the ruins of a hospital leveled by the California earthquake of February 1971. Written by Harold Livingston, "Two Thousand" first aired on September 23, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This laughably-bad mess stars ubiquitous "Z"-movie journeyman John Carradine as Dr. DeMarco, a loony scientist whose original concept to build a humanoid robot for space missions is fouled somewhat by his choice of a psycho-killer's brain for his first subject. Instead of doing the sensible thing and retiring from the mad-doc profession, DeMarco chooses instead to build another robot to hunt down the last one. His efforts are only slightly hindered by a moronic CIA investigation (led by a hung-over Wendell Corey, in his final screen role) and the meddling of a cabal of communist spies under the direction of slinky dragon-lady Tura Satana (of Russ Meyer's Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill!), apparently for the purpose of exploiting the solar-powered astro-man for military reasons. When the doc's lovely former lab assistant (she's since been replaced by a leering hunchback) is attacked by the first robot, he loses his solar cell and narrowly escapes destruction (by holding a flashlight to his head!), but in his hurried exit he leads the CIA right back to DeMarco's lab, where most of the surviving cast members bump each other off. Taking into account the obvious goofy editing (characters are seen standing around waiting for the shot to end) and abominable performances all around, director Ted V. Mikels (of the "Point-N-Shoot" school of filmmaking) would later achieve such cinematic heights as The Corpse Grinders and Blood Orgy of the She-Devils. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

In the wake of a fierce battle, Saunders (Vic Morrow) and his squad are joined by a grimy-looking straggler named Pvt. Arthur Adams (Martin Hulswit). It soon develops that Pvt. Adams is something of a hero in his home town, and he is determined to uphold that image. But the sad truth is that the "hero" is a coward and deserter, who had stained his spotlessly clean uniform with dirt and mud just before joining up with Saunders. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Captured by the Germans (again!), Saunders (Vic Morrow) manages to escape from a POW train in the company of cowardly American soldier Decker (Tom Skerritt). Seriously wounded in the escape, Saunders knows that he cannot rely upon his "companion" for aid--and worse, the Germans have sent a vicious pack of dogs after both men. The situation becomes graver still when Saunders is recaptured and injected with mind-altering drugs. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Lt. Hanley (Rick Jason) is ordered to guard a much-despised French collaborator (Robert Loggia) who possesses valuable information. Hanley's job is to get the turncoat to London safely for interrogation. But the Americans find themselves in a standoff with several members of the French underground, who intend to capture the collaborator and executive him on the spot. Some sources list the title of this episode as "The Tree of Mercy". ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Captured by the Germans, Saunders (Vic Morrow) is rescued by Cpl. Jerry Bacon (Guy Stockwell), who claims to have just escaped from an enemy stronghold. Bacon then takes Saunders to meet his superior officer, Col. Johnson (Edward Binns. Unfortunately, it turns out that both Bacon and Johnson are German spies, hoping to use their All-American facade to pump Saunders for vital information. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This episode marked the first of several Hitchcock contributions by future Columbo and Murder, She Wrote creators Richard Levinson and William Link. Steve Dunne plays a young man who suffers total amnesia after sustaining a blow to the head. Rummaging through his wallet, the man finds two possible clues to his true identity: a 1,000-dollar bill and a card bearing the name of Dr. Ralph Mannix (Hugh Marlowe). But when he catches up with Mannix, the doctor insists he has never met the man in his life -- though he makes a fateful suggestion as to how our hero can restore his memory. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi