Norbert Weisser Movies

In 2007 AD, a virus sweeps across Europe. Many flee to the United States where they are held in quarantine camps. At the Boston camp, police officer Delon (Natasha Henstridge), hoping to leave with her son, has used black-market contacts to acquire a passport. Delon's partner is decapitated while they are investigating a killing, and another officer, Lemieux (Christopher Lambert) arrives with back-up. They move in on the killer, a psychotic who could infect the entire city within six hours. The pursuit intensifies after troops headed by CIA operative Phillip Stearns (Andrew Divoff) arrive. Why does the Boston seen here look so East European? Because the film was actually shot in Bratislava. In particular, notice the police cars with European markings. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

Made-for-television, this drama tells the story of real-life pioneer aviatrix Amelia Earhart. Diane Keaton stars as the famous American female pilot, who challenged social stereotypes and took to the air in the 1930s. In an attempt to fly around the world, Earhart's plane went missing in 1937 and was never recovered. Keaton was nominated for a Golden Globe, an Emmy and a SAG Award for her portrayal of this ground-breaking historical figure. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi

This long-delayed sci-fi/horror project from Charles Band's "B"-factory Full Moon Entertainment features Megan Ward and Peter Billingsley (once the cuddly hero of A Christmas Story) as a pair of suburban teens who discover that the neighborhood's most popular virtual-reality video game -- unimaginatively-dubbed Arcade -- is possessed of a malevolent intelligence and a hunger for young souls. After several Arcade junkies are captured by the digital demon, our heroes decide to strap on their virtual helmets and go head-to-head with the computer to rescue them, facing a confounding series of elaborate puzzles and eventually squaring off against the soul of Arcade itself. "B"-movie journeyman Albert Pyun handles the virtual reality fantasy scenes with verve, though the mediocre effects are hardly worth the endless delays that hounded this production. This film's entire premise was explored far more expertly 10 years earlier in Disney's Tron, and with far more interesting characters than this brooding bunch. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Beggarman, Thief is the 4-hour sequel to the ratings-busting miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man; both productions were based on the works of novelist Irwin Shaw. For the purposes of the sequel, a new member of the Jordache clan is introduced: filmmaker Gretchen Jordache Burke, played by Jean Simmons. It is Gretchen's task to keep the family together after the murder of her brother Tom (played by Nick Nolte in Rich Man, Poor Man) and the recent disappearance of her other brother Rudy (Peter Strauss, re-creating his RMPM role). Originally presented in two parts, Beggarman, Thief was first telecast November 26 and 27, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Partly based on Charlie Chaplin's My Autobiography, this humorous and dramatic biopic features an all-star cast including Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr., Dan Aykroyd, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Kline, Diane Lane, and Chaplin's real-life daughter, Geraldine Chaplin, who portrays his mentally ill mother. With the use of flashback, an elderly Chaplin discusses his autobiography with his editor (Hopkins), who urges him to be more vulnerable and emotionally honest with his memoirs while journeying through his poverty-stricken childhood, closest friendships, many marriages, merciless pursuit by J. Edgar Hoover (Kevin Dunn), and ingenious invention of "The Little Tramp." Highlighted works such as The Gold Rush (1925) and The Great Dictator (1940) illustrate significant turning points in Chaplin's prolific filmography. Director Richard Attenborough's film also explores the circumstances surrounding Chaplin's exile from America and his eventual return to receive an honorary Academy Award. ~ Lisa Kropiewnicki, Rovi

The polluters on planet Earth pose a significant risk to the rest of the galaxy and for this reason two alien agents from the Intergalactic Environmental Protection Agency are dispatched to destroy the offending world. This erotic sci-fi parody chronicles their adventures that begin with the suicide of a young man who soon after ingesting a fatal glass of bleach finds his body inhabited by one of the aliens who calls himself Bailey. The newly revived fellow begins hitchhiking to Vegas where he is picked up by Wilma, her fiance Hiram, and the luscious Eve who has come to witness their upcoming nuptials. En route, after telling them that he is a sex maniac from outer space, Bailey kills the happy couple and kidnaps Eve to a warehouse where he tries to seduce her, but not before he tells her of his mission. Later Bailey's partner Brick Bardo shows up and corroborates his outlandish story. He too tries to sleep with Eve. Things really get crazy when a re-animated Wilma shows up and reveals herself to be a cosmic cop who has come to arrest the phony alien agents who have stolen a destructive weapon. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

From Hollywood to Deadwood is an agreeable private-eye yarn, at once a spoof and a tribute to the film noir output of the 1940s. Detectives Savage and Haines (Scott Paulin, Jim Haynes) are hired to locate Lana Dark (Barbara Schock), a movie actress whose absence is costing her studio tons of money. The two Sherlocks follow the evidence trail to Deadwood, South Dakota. Here, Savage begins a one-sided romance with the restless Lana. He learns that her disappearance was all part of an insurance scam. He further learns that now that he knows all, his life, not to mention the lives of Haines and Lana, aren't worth a plug nickel. Though the film wastes no time with inessentials, we learn a lot more about the emotional and psychological makeup of the three protagonists than is customary for films of this nature. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This futuristic sci-fi tale, filmed in the Philippines, is of a man (Keith H. Cooke) who is the only human fighter in cyborg kickboxer matches in "New Manila." His trainer, who is also his fiance, is kidnapped and becomes the sex slave of an evil, greedy corporate leader. He comes up with a plan to rescue his fiance and get his revenge on the man who kidnapped her. ~ Brian Gusse, Rovi

Charles Hallahan makes his series bow as Hunter's new superior officer Captain Devane, whose first official act is to separate Hunter (Fred Dryer) and his partner McCall (Stepfanie Kramer). Thinking that the split was Hunter's idea, McCall vents her spleen on her feckless new partner, rookie Reilly Causland (Robert Firth). Meanwhile, Hunter is teamed with hard-nosed Harry Traynor (Tim Thomerson)--who, as it turns out, may have been responsible for the murder of his ex-partner, who'd called Hunter to impart some valuable information just before his death. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Prolific B-movie director Albery Byun (Dollman, Omega Doom) takes the reigns for this tale of a small town overtaken by a highly contagious alien plague on the night of the senior prom. As the local teens party their way through prom night, a meteor crashes to the earth in a small California town, rattling Lawton rancher Larry Jenkins. When Larry puts a call in to the local police, Inspector Bardo is immediately dispatched to the scene to investigate. Upon arriving on the scene, Inspector Bardo is terrified to find that a horrific alien virus has infected the unsuspecting Jenkins. Before he can react, Inspector Bardo is savagely attacked by the rampaging rancher. Now, as the two unwitting hosts make their way into Lawton while viciously attacking and contaminating everyone in their path, adolescent lovebirds Cheryl and Timmy sit perched high atop Lover's Lane completely unaware of the approaching terror. When Timmy is infected, Cheryl is left to fend for herself in the darkened forest. Perhaps if Cheryl can make it to the authorities in time, she can prevent the infection from spreading to LA. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Midnight Express is a harrowing tale of a naïve American caught in a nightmare of his own making thousands of miles from his home. Billy Hayes (Brad Davis) is an American tourist visiting Turkey with his girlfriend Susan (Irene Miracle) when he's caught by customs officials trying to smuggle a large amount of hashish out of the country. The crime would normally carry a sentence of four years, but officials decide to make an example of Billy, and he draws a 30-year sentence despite the promises of his Turkish legal counsel. While Susan and Billy's father (Mike Kellin) pledge to do everything they can to speed Billy's release, in fact there's little than can be done. Billy quickly finds himself in a hellish prison that's a nightmare of filth, violence, rape, inedible food, and unspeakable health conditions. However, Billy gains a few confidantes behind bars: Jimmy (Randy Quaid), an American in a constant state of emotional overdrive; Max (John Hurt), an intelligent, drug-addicted Englishman; and Erich (Norbert Weisser), a gay Scandinavian who is attracted to Billy but accepts his gentle refusals of sex. Before long, Billy is convinced that he can take no more, and he makes plans to take the "midnight express" -- jailhouse slang for escape. While his friends are willing to help, they also make clear that almost no one who has tried to escape has lived to tell the tale. Based on a true story, Midnight Express was a box-office hit which won wide acclaim for the performances of Brad Davis and John Hurt; and the screenplay, by Oliver Stone, won an Academy Award. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Sue Price, in her third go-round as Alex in the Nemesis series, runs afoul of mercenaries after killing the wrong man in this futuristic sci-fi/horror tale. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This comedy is set 15 years after the final nuclear holocaust and centers upon two fellows who have been stuck in their fathers' elaborate bomb shelter since the bombs began to fall. They had plenty of food, clothing (from the 1940s), and necessities, but their only entertainment was a huge set of pulp mystery novels by such writers as Dashiel Hammett and Raymond Chandler. By the time the two young men, Phillip and Marlowe finally emerge from the shelter in 2010, they have become "hard-boiled" detectives. They manage to find an old car and head off down the ruined roads looking for action. Along the way, they see beautiful, but hard-as-nails blonde Miles Archer and pick her up. She ends up robbing them and abandoning them. In her haste, she drops a set of keys--the keys to the last nuclear warhead. Whoever holds them, holds the world in their hands and suddenly the young men find themselves pursued by assorted weirdos, including man-eating hippies, looking for the ultimate power. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi