Richard Davis Movies

When East Village theater Renaissance man Charles Busch's sexually salacious Vampire Lesbians of Sodom first premiered on the New York stage in 1984, few would have suspected that the cross-dressing slice of kitsch theater would eventually be honored as one of the longest-running shows in off-Broadway history. A runaway hit with the underground art community that quickly found its way to the mainstream, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom defied convention to become one of the hottest tickets in town, and eventually served to launch the career of a man known best for being a woman. Devastated by the death of his mother at a young age, Charles Busch escaped into the world of classic film before being spirited away from the suburbs by his caring aunt and encouraged to explore his creativity in Manhattan. Though originally rejected by a variety of directors who dismissed him as either "too odd," or "too gay," Busch eventually decided to take control of his destiny by writing his own plays and became one of the most celebrated figures in New York theater. From Busch's early success with the Theater-in-Limbo to his later success in film with Psycho Beach Party and Die Mommie Die, the remarkable story of the self-made theater phenomenon is explored in this documentary from filmmakers John Catania and Charles D. Ignacio. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Originally titled On the Edge, this Lifetime cable network feature film is the story of Zoey Carter (Julia Whelan), the superachieving "perfect" daughter of professional couple Marcia and Larry Carter (Mia Farrow and Cliff De Young). Traumatized by her parents' divorce, Zoey begins experimenting with drugs, only to grow more and more dependent upon narcotics -- and the thrill of shoplifting -- thanks to the influence of unsavory high school senior Ron Morris (Michael Coristine). After weeks and weeks of obfuscation, lies, and denial, Zoey and her parents are forced to face the seriousness of the girl's problem. But for all the help and support extended by sympathetic social worker Mike Harper (Andrew McCarthy), the solution to the dilemma lies with the choices made by Zoey's mom and dad -- if they are indeed equal to the challenge. The Secret Life of Zoey first aired on August 19, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Hilarity ensues in this Canadian comedy when a young Japanese man goes deep into the Canadian west in search of adventure, and finds instead a cultural clash. No Ogawa, a fast-food worker in Tokyo dreams of seeing real cowboys. His pen-pal Kate lives in rural western Canada. She is an artist and a lesbian only half-way out of the closet. She struggles against the narrow views of her community and is filled with self-doubt. No Ogawa could not have picked a worse time to suddenly appear at her door clutching a pair of spurs. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Andrew Davis directed this exciting thriller starring Steven Seagal, sans ponytail, and featuring electric, over-the-top performances by Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones. This action saga takes place on the battleship USS Missouri, about to be decommissioned from service after a visit from George Bush. When Bush departs the vessel, a band of terrorists overcome the remaining skeleton crew and take over the ship, under the ruse of holding a surprise birthday party for the ship's commander, Captain Adams (Patrick O'Neal). The band is led by Strannix (Jones), a disgruntled ex-CIA operative, and his right-hand man, the psychotic Krill (Busey). The terrorists plan to steal the ship's store of nuclear warheads, transfer them to a stolen North Korean submarine, and sell them to a Middle Eastern country. Unfortunately for Strannix, he has overlooked the ship's cook, Casey Ryback (Seagal). Ryback is a much-honored Navy SEAL who, because of a minor scandal, is quietly completing his twenty-year tour in the galley of the Missouri. Forced into action, Ryback, along with the woman who jumped out of Captain Adams' birthday cake (Erika Eleniak), knocks off the bad guys one-by-one while crawling inside the bowels of the ship. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Set in a popular coffee house located in an Italian neighborhood, this romantic comedy comments upon the lives of several young Italian-Americans looking for their place in the outside world. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

When a young Caucasian military man is thrown into an all African-American barracks for punishment, he slowly earns the respect of his peers while they all are forced to contend with the prejudicial acts of a racist sergeant. Charlie Sheen, Laurence Fishburne, Martin Sheen (who also directed) and others appear in this well-intentioned drama. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi

Phar Lap, the legendary New Zealand-bred racing horse, is as well-known today for his mysterious death as for his fabulous accomplishments in life. Beginning at the end, the film flashes back to the day that Phar Lap, despite his lack of pedigree, is purchased on impulse by trainer Harry Telford (Martin Vaughan). Phar Lap loses his first races, but Telford's faith in the animal is unshakable. Suddenly the horse becomes a winner, thanks to the love and diligence of stableboy Tommy Woodcock (Tom Burlinson). American-promoter Dave Davis (Ron Leibman) arranges for Phar Lap to be entered in several top races, where his "long shot" status results in heavy losses for the professional gamblers. Just after winning an important race in Mexico, Phar Lap collapse and dies; though the film never comes out and says as much, it is assumed that the horse was "murdered" by the gambling interests. The film is based on a book by Michael Wilkinson. The real-life Tommy Woodcock appears in the film as an elderly trainer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A young racer attempts to win a dragstip competition where the outcome has already been fixed by the local mob, in this film alternately known as Hotrod and Rebel of the Road. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

This documentary explores the conditions endured by male inmates in 1975 at the Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, California. Of particular concern to the filmmakers was the liberal use of sedatives simply for the greater convenience of the staff, who appear to have little interest in their patients. One highlight of the film is the title song, "Hurry Tomorrow," composed and sung by one of the patients. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This German language feature is a highly experimental and intellectual examination of the musings (told through flashbacks) of a young man sitting in a courtroom as the public prosecutor goes over his case in a desultory manner. A crisis of conscience has brought him to this point. Daniel Hartmann (Jost Vobeck) was at first just a witness, called to testify about the abduction of a political dissident by thugs from his native country. Then he became aware that the police were not really interested in solving the case, or helping the unfortunate political refugee. He acts independently to rescue the man, and winds up having to kill one of the abductors. Because the young man is just a private citizen, his actions result in his being brought to trial himself. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Gerard Tichy plays a somewhat round-the-bend European count. His face is horribly disfigured, which in a film like this is a reflection of his warped personality. Tichy's daughter Joan Hills fears that dad will do her harm, in order to fulfill an ancient family ritual. She's right: Hills wakes up one day to find that Tichy has buried her alive. The Spanish/Italian The Blancheville Monster is also known as Horror. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi