Fred Olen Ray Movies
The remarkable thing about those who work the B-quickie end of the movie business is how much they love films, how much they love to work, and how much they're willing to give up to create their ribbons of dreams. Director/screenwriter/makeup artist Fred Olen Ray hocked virtually everything he owned to make The Alien Dead (1978). Never mind that, as a graduate of the Brown University School of Engineering, Ray could have named his own salary in practically any job in his field: Celluloid was in his blood, and there it would remain from 1978 to the present. Often shooting four or more films per year, Ray occasionally turns up something that transcends the exploitation film genre and his miserly budgets; if you look at them objectively, films like Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988) and Beverly Hills Vamp (1989) are heaps better than most of the dreck clogging up the video stores' R-rated shelves. If nothing else, few other bottom-barrel filmmakers outside of Fred Olen Ray can boast an acting talent pool that has included the likes of Lawrence Tierney, Buster Crabbe, John Philip Law, Jan Michael Vincent, P.J. Soles, Britt Ekland, Martine Beswick, Julie Newmar, David Carradine, and Martin Landau. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 2012
An alien princess hides on Earth from other galactic forces looking to do her harm in this erotic sci-fi comedy from director Fred Olen Ray. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- 2012
A hypnotist discovers the ability to control women, leading to his immense popularity with rich, busty housewives. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- 2011
A massive, primordial shark goes on a bloody killing spree after being set free during an offshore drilling mishap in this saltwater shocker starring John Schneider and Jimmie "JJ" Walker. As the tide runs red with blood, marine biologist Kat Carmichael (Sarah Lieving) finds her efforts to destroy the giant killing machine repeatedly foiled by shameless corporate shill Roger Wade (Schneider) and his scheming sidekick Stewart (Jerry Lacy). But when the beast begins using its flippers to walk on land, Kat recruits fearless Skipper Chuck (Tim Abell) and wisecracking DJ Dynomite Stevens (Walker) to blast it back into the ocean. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sarah Lieving, John Schneider, (more)
- 2008
As a group of intrepid explorers descend upon King Island in search of elusive female heroine Tarzeena, an evil scientist schemes to use his revolutionary radio brain control devise to transform her into the ultimate love slave. With her loyal gorilla Tabonga by her side, Tarzeena stands as the undisputed queen of King Island. But the malevolent Dr. Mortimer is eager to have this island queen all to himself, and he's willing to resort to some hi-tech tomfoolery in order to make that happen. Of course all's fair in love and brain surgery, and as Dr. Mortimer attempts to capture Tarzeena so that he can insert the device in her head, a group of bold adventurers arrive on the island to find out once and for all whether this feral female heroine truly exists. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
The only thing more terrifying than Snakes on a Plane is "Snakes on a Submarine," and that's exactly what we get in this claustrophobic, sub-aquatic thriller starring Luke Perry. Lieutenant Commander O'Neill (Perry) was piloting a retired submarine to its final port when Admiral Wallace (Tom Berenger) diverted the crew for one last mission: rescue an imperiled army research team before they meet a watery death. In order to reach the researchers and their top secret cargo while avoiding detection by a hostile enemy fleet, Lieutenant Commander O'Neill orders his crew to "run silent" in the depths. That silence is soon broken, however, when the cargo proves to be two genetically altered leviathans. Now, far beneath the ocean floor, a new kind of predator emerges to prove just how vulnerable man truly is when there's nowhere left to run. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2008
Blast into action with the most sensual superhero ever to battle the forces of evil as sexy heroine Super Ninja Doll attempts to prevent diabolical arch-villains Gorath and Tantella from escaping the comic book realm and conquering all of mankind. The citizens of planet Earth are in great danger, and now their only hope for survival lies in the hands of a lusty crime fighter whose formidable superpowers are only exceeded by her insatiable carnal desires. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Christine Nguyen, Nicole Sheridan, (more)
A hurricane on a collision course with a nuclear reactor threatens to unleash a devastating force of destruction unless the employees at the plant can find a way to avert disaster. As the storm builds, the nuclear reactor grows unstable. Should these two powerful forces collide, the result would be a catastrophic. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- 2000
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Writer/producer/director Fred Olen Ray takes a look at small-time independent wrestlers in Southern Discomfort: Wrestling on the Indie Circuit. The documentary's opening sequence shows the promoter, David F. Friedman, as he prepares to hold an event in a high school gymnasium in Anniston, AL. Featured wrestling personalities at the event include the Iron Sheik and Rick Montana. ~ Rovi
- 1999
In this spooky comedy for the whole family, Billy Frank thinks he's an ordinary kid, until his family inherits an old castle and Billy learns he's a distant relative of the infamous Dr. Frankenstein. Billy's folks decide to visit their family estate, and Billy soon discovers they're not alone in the old, dark house. Tommy Kirk, Vernon Wells, and Darran Norris star in this story directed by cult hero Fred Olen Ray. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Vernon Wells, Daran Norris, (more)
A handful of people who think they've survived it all are faced with a challenge they never counted on in this futuristic sci-fi story. After much of the Earth is devastated in a nuclear war, a hardy band of survivors -- including scientific and Marine Corps Colonel Paul Hamilton (John Blyth Barrymore), medic Leslie Morgan (Brinke Stevens), computer expert Milo Tyrell (Ted Monte), USMC Sgt. Frank Blaine (Peter Spellos), communications technician Carla Ferguson (J.J. North), and McQueen (Tim Abell), a straggler looking for his lost son -- roam the wastelands in search of food and shelter. Looking for a place to stay, they happen upon an abandoned military facility and break in. However, they soon discover they're not alone; a large and very bloodthirsty creature, created by intelligence agents as a possible weapon, was left behind, and these weary warriors quickly find themselves in the most desperate battle of their lives. Hybrid was directed by B-movie cult hero Fred Olen Ray. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Condensed from the 13-episode series directed by Ted Newsom and hosted by horror movie star Christopher Lee, 100 Years of Horror, the two-hour version, is a celebratory overview of the Hollywood horror genre, rich with film clips from horror movies throughout most of the 20th century. Stars getting screen time here include old masters Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Claude Rains, as well as The Omega Man himself, Charlton Heston, Halloween babysitter Jamie Lee Curtis, and horror dabblers Robert De Niro and Kenneth Branagh. The program includes interviews with directors Roger Corman, Joe Dante, John Carpenter, and Herschell G. Lewis, and with actors (host) Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Claude Rains. Highlights include outtakes from the surprisingly effective Abbot & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) and from the 1960 version of The Lost World. ~ Steve Blackburn, Rovi
This low-budget (very low budget) sci-fi comedy is about three aliens who land in Fort Lee, New Jersey. In order to blend in, they morph themselves to look like the local women. Unfortunately, most of the local women look like hookers, and the three of them are continually hit upon by nerdy teenage boys. ~ Brian Gusse, Rovi
- 1995
Sometime in the future, cyborg units are threatening to take over the Earth. After their use is outlawed, four female androids are smuggled onto the planet, and it's up to Jack Ford (Marc Singer) to track them down. His efforts to do so take him on a journey from Phoenix to the underwater city of New Angeles, and finally into the nefarious realm of a megalomaniacal kingpin and his army of thugs. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, Rovi
- Starring:
- Marc Singer
- 1993
A co-ed has a devil of a time getting even with the members of an upper-crust sorority in this horror-comedy. Becky (Veronica Carothers) is a pretty but woefully naïve college student who is determined to join the most exclusive sorority on campus. However, her would-be sisters seem to be more interested in putting her through one embarrassing hazing ritual after another than making friends with her. One night, Becky muses out loud that she'd be willing to sell her soul to be rich, pretty, and powerful like her sorority sisters. Who should conveniently appear but the Devil himself (Robert Vaughn), who informs Becky that he can make her dream a reality. Becky takes him up on the offer, and she's transformed into Leslie, a dazzling sex bomb who can shape-shift into a monster and wreck revenge against her enemies whenever the fancy strikes her. Witch Academy also stars Priscilla Barnes, Michelle Bauer, and Jay Richardson. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Suzanne Ager, Priscilla Barnes, (more)
- 1993
No sooner did Jurassic Park score at the box office than the imitations began turning up like bad pennies. The redoubtable Fred Olen Ray, once more delivering a bankable project at the least possible cost, was responsible for Dinosaur Island. Typical of the Ray ouevre is the presence of several top-heavy young ladies, whose costumes can be mercifully described as immodest. The dinosaurs are rubber novelty-shop creations that wouldn't convince a dim-witted duck, but they serve their purpose in forcing the females in the cast to jiggle past the camera in abject horror. Ross Hagen, a veteran of this sort of fare, heads the cast of Dinosaur Island, doing an excellent job of convincing us that the dialogue he's been given is actually worth reciting. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1993
In classic noir tradition, the protagonist of the made-for-TV Double Deception is hard-boiled private eye John Kane (James Russo), who provides the first-person narration for the deliciously convoluted plotline. Kane knew that former call girl Pamela Sparrow (Alice Krige) was a keg of dynamite the minute she uncrossed her beautiful stems in his seedy office. "Please help me," pleaded Pamela in that come-hither voice, "My husband is missing." But the dame wasn't up front at first, failing to mention that her soul-mate was tied in with a 10-year-old murder case. Funny thing: Pamela reminded Kane of his dead wife -- and funnier still, there are some things just don't stay dead. It figured that Kane would get a few lumps on the casaba along the way, and that he'd have a couple of waltz-arounds with the top brass. But a case is a case, and when murder's involved, someone's got to do something about it, or it's bad for business. Double Deception was originally broadcast by NBC on June 21, 1993. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
This low-budget Troma film makes fun of low-budget sword and sorcery movies. The story centers on the battle for the mythical Sword of Aktar and its kidnapped keeper Ulric. But for a few stop-motion prehistoric creatures, the special effects are less than stellar. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lyle Waggoner, Russ Tamblyn, (more)
- 1991
Actress Brinke Stevens hosts this compilation of interviews with 11 low-budget filmmakers, mostly in the horror genre. Among the directors profiled are Jeff Burr, Fred Olen Ray, Charles Band, Scott Spiegel, J.R. Bookwalter and David DeCoteau (who also happens to be this film's executive producer). ~ Brian Gusse, Rovi
- 1991
Prepare to scream and soak at the same time as collection of clips from such slasher flicks as Sorority House Massacre 2, Tower of Terror, Slumber Party Massacre, and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers are all combined into one brand-new fright fest that doesn't skimp on the skin. Brought together under mysterious circumstances by the legendary Count Orlock, Brinke Stevens, Monique Gabrielle, Kelli Maroney, Michelle Bauer, and Roxanne Kernohan arrive at their destination only to discover that the count is nowhere to be found. In hopes of passing the time before their host arrives, the girls soon retire to the hot tub to discuss the finer points of achieving scream queen status. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
This low-budget independent movie is a spoof of low-budget independent filmmaking. The story centers on "Faraday International Productions" and the shooting of the laughably awful sub-B horror movie, "I Rip Your Flesh (With Pliers)." Among the film's highlights are semi-nude shots of several attractive actresses. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Quarry, Linnea Quigley, (more)
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