Steve Railsback Movies

The crew of a spaceship fight for their lives after an alien energy source begins turning everyone aboard into rampaging mutants in this sci-fi shocker starring Steve Railsback. The year is 2241. Captain Holloway is the commander of the Pandora. She and her crew of six are transporting a form of alien fuel known as "Thanatos" to Earth when they receive a distress call from The Diana, a spacecraft that's become stranded amongst the stars. According to the distress call, space pirates have attacked the Diana, and the only remaining survivors are four nurses. But upon docking with the ship, Captain Holloway discovers the truth; the women who claimed to be nurses are in fact the pirates, and now they're about to take over the Pandora as well. Never one to go down without a fight, Captain Holloway instructs her crew to strike back with everything they've got. In the heat of battle, the container housing the "Thanatos" is ruptured, and one of the pirates is covered in the fuel. She's been infected, and now anyone she attacks will be infected, too. As the Pandora makes its way to Earth, Captain Holloway and her crew battle a horde of hungry mutants in a desperate effort to wipe out the "Plaguers" before they can wipe out all of humanity. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Filmmaker Mark Hartley explores Australia's hidden genre in this documentary that casually casts aside "official" film history to celebrate the demented genius of director Brian Trenchard-Smith, and the exciting wave of little-known but supremely entertaining films that entertained adventurous Australian filmgoers throughout the 1970s and '80s. Every film student worth his or her weight in celluloid has seen Breaker Morant and Picnic at Hanging Rock, but what about the lesser-known gems that didn't make the film-school textbooks? In his forward to Tim Lucas' book Mario Bava: All the Colors of the Dark, director Martin Scorsese states, "We have to keep resisting the idea of official film history, a stately procession of 'important works' that leaves some of the most exciting films and filmmakers tucked away in the shadows." In this documentary, director Hartley explores the films forgotten by "official film history" with the comprehensive eye of a true film buff. As a child watching such films as Snapshot and The Man from Hong Kong, Hartley immediately recognized how wildly disparate they were in tone and execution from the films that comprised Australia's traditional film library. Appearing like American genre films that just happened to be shot in Australia and cast with Australian actors, these so-called "Ozploitation" flicks flourished in the wake of relaxed censorship laws down under. Yet despite constant chatter about the "new wave" of Australian cinema, financially successful films like The Man from Hong Kong and Patrick that were popular both at home and abroad were never mentioned, sneeringly dismissed as "genre" films rather than Australian films. Perhaps in the wake of such successful Australian films as Wolf Creek and Undead -- and looking ahead to such films as the slasher shocker Storm Warning and the eagerly anticipated remake of Long Weekend -- curious filmgoers are finally prepared to discover what they've been missing all these years. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Directed by the prolific Rob Zombie, The Devil's Rejects is a sequel of sorts to 2003's House of 1000 Corpses, and picks up several weeks after House left off. This time, the clash revolves around the tribe of violent lunatics and decidedly valueless family members of the original film, who have come to be known as the "Devil's Rejects." After learning of the extended family's horrific attacks, a SWAT team is sent to take them into custody; all but their crazed Mama escape. In addition to creating a full-fledged media circus, this sends the sociopath housemates on the run, and they initiate a deadly road trip. Meanwhile, Mama has to deal with a violent, vengeful sheriff (William Forsythe). The Devil's Rejects features Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Sheri Moon, Michael Berryman, and Ken Foree, among other cult horror regulars. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

A horrifying family legend comes back to haunt the singer of a popular rock band teetering on the edge of super-stardom in this tale of terror from veteran genre director Neal Sundstrom. Life on the road isn't easy for Slash, a rock band whose big break seems to be forever looming just around the next bend. When death calls lead singer Joseph Macdonald (James O'Shea) back to his rural family homestead to bury a family member, the band takes a detour and heads into corn country. Unfortunately for the members of Slash, death isn't quite finished yet, and it's not long before a mysterious scarecrow who seems to take the band's name as inspiration begins picking off the band members one by one. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In honor of the DVD release of the 1980 cult film The Stunt Man, director Richard Rush recounts the trials and tribulations he confronted while making that much praised film. Speaking from a variety of quirky settings including his private plane and a UCLA sculpture garden, he openly admits that he borrowed elements from Francois Truffaut's Day for Night (1973) and Arthur Penn's Night Moves (1975). He also gleefully delves into the film's intentional blurring of reality and fiction. Stars Peter O'Toole and Barbara Hershey also appear. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

David Nutter made his directorial debut with this fantasy thriller, attempting a switch on The Stepford Wives premise. The Clark family moves from Chicago to Cradle Bay, and Steve Clark (James Marsden) is cautioned by Gavin Strick (Nick Stahl) about the separating factions at the local high school, where the Blue Ribbons, a club of robotic perfect students, rule. Gavin claims a conspiracy is afoot, and sure enough, he turns into an ultra-perfect himself. Rachel Wagner (Katie Holmes) joins Steve in investigating, and they soon suspect school psychiatrist Dr. Caldicott (Bruce Greenwood), a neuropharmacology specialist. The soundtrack contrasts alternative rock with tunes by Barry Manilow, Wayne Newton, and Olivia Newton-John. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

A Desert Storm veteran with a 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger and a need for speed incurs the wrath of authorities when he makes a cross-country dash to be by the side of his ailing, pregnant wife in this remake of director Richard Sarafian's 1971 cult classic. Jimmy Kowolski (Viggo Mortensen) is a troubled man and devoted husband, and when his pregnant wife is suddenly hospitalized with labor problems the ex-race car driver punches the gas without hesitation. With vengeful state trooper Sgt. Preston (Steve Railsback) and the entire FBI riding his back bumper, Jimmy's only ally is fearless radio DJ The Voice (Jason Priestley) whose outspoken support finds the desperate driver becoming a national folk hero. As Jimmy races ever-faster toward an impenetrable police roadblock with the single-minded goal of being there for his wife in her moment of need, the law closes in for one final showdown on the open highway. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Set in the year 2017, Barb Wire takes place after democracy has fallen and a fascist military junta has taken over the U.S. government, plotting to wipe out the country with Red Ribbon, a laboratory-manufactured disease derived from the AIDS virus. The entire test city of Topeka has been annihilated, and only the small bastion of Steel Harbor remains the last free zone in the country, conveniently the home of the title heroine Pamela Lee. Barb, a leather-clad, silicon-stretched motorcycle mama, happens to carry antibodies for Red Ribbon in her DNA, thus making her an enemy of the state. She sets out to defend freedom and take down the evil government by posing as a stripper and seducing foolish male adversaries with her well-displayed assets. The plot thickens as she happens upon her freedom-fighter ex-lover and his wife (much in the vein of Casablanca). ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide

This character drama follows the exploits of an aged oil seeker, known only as Mr. Cox, as he roams across Texas in search of black gold. He has a special gift for it and has helped many wildcatters strike it rich. Unfortunately, he has yet to find his own gusher. In 1935, Cox has only a suitcase and a cat to his name. During a tremendous windstorm, he is forced to seek shelter in a farmhouse, owned by Don and Cora Day. The Days have three daughters and must scramble to eke out a meager existence on their dusty farm, located near the town of Henrietta. While there, Mr. Cox begins getting that old feeling that tells him that there is a lot of oil on the Day's farm. They think he is plumb loco and ask him to leave, but Cox wants to find out if it is true. He goes to an old friend, Big Dave, who thanks to Cox, has become an oil tycoon, to help him do some test drilling, but Big Dave has a short memory and brushes Cox off as a "hopeless loser." The determined Cox then devises a scheme to force Big Dave to provide him with financial backing. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Sharon Gless does double duty in this made-for-TV drama, in which she plays Betty Gay Wilson and Peggy Joy Lowe, a pair of identical twin sisters who've always had an extremely close relationship. When Betty's husband is killed, a local eccentric steps forward with a shocking accusation: the sisters paid him to commit the murder so that they could get their hands on his estate. Inspired by a true story, Separated by Murder also stars Steve Railsback, Ed Bruce, and Bob Penny.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Three stalwarts of made-for-TV productions -- Harry Hamlin, Michael Ironside, and Steve Railsback -- team up for this erotic thriller. Hamlin plays a mild-mannered accountant who takes up with an intriguing stranger (Lysette Anthony), who happens to harbor multiple personalities: seductress, prude, and saint. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide

Lots of guys used to dream about having a date with Marilyn Monroe, but three friends who are about to graduate from high school to go their separate ways try to make that fantasy a reality in this comedy, set in 1962. Roy (Jason Priestley), Ned (Gabriel Olds), and Scott (Jerry O'Connell) have been buddies since the age of six, when they were entered together in a Howdy Doody look-alike contest. With only a few weeks to go before they graduate from high school, Roy has impulsively joined the Army to get away from his abusive father, while Ned has discovered he's going to be a father, and Scott is still plagued by his pesky virginity. Wanting to enjoy their last few weeks of freedom, Roy "borrows" a wad of cash and a blue Galaxie 500 convertible from his former employers, repo men Arturo and Antonio Gallo (Kurt Fuller and Stephen Tobolowsky), and persuades his friends to join him as he heads to Hollywood. Roy wants to meet the woman of his dreams, Marilyn Monroe, whom he's learned is working on a new picture, Something's Got to Give. With the help of Roy's Uncle Harry (Joe Pantoliano), they locate Monroe's home and camp out at her gate, hoping to get a glimpse of the glamourous goddess. However, Roy breaks out a reefer to smoke while they attempt to stay up all night (tactical error number one: marijuana does not make you more alert!), and when she slips out without their noticing, the three end up on a mad chase to find Marilyn before she gets away. Meanwhile, the Gallo Brothers have noticed their car is gone, and they are determined to get it back, without much concern for the health or safety of the thief. Calendar Girl was Jason Priestley's first vehicle following his success on the television series Beverly Hills 90210. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Set during the big San Francisco earthquake of 1990, this crime drama centers on an obsessed surveillance expert who uses the disaster to finally capture the beautiful woman he has been stalking. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide