Bernard Horsfall Movies

The gap between the British and American telecast of the individual Avengers episodes narrowed considerably during the series' fifth season; this episode appeared on American television a scant six days after its British TV debut. Steed and Peel investigate the mysterious deaths of several top figures in the ceramics business. It turns out that all of the victims were literally frightened to death. . .and guess which leather-clad female secret agent is next on the villains' "scare" list. Written by Philip Levene, "The Fear Merchants" features a choice performance by Patrick Cargill, best known to American viewers for his work in the Beatles' theatrical film Help! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mel Gibson, long-time heartthrob of the silver screen, came into his own as a director with Braveheart, an account of the life and times of medieval Scottish patriot William Wallace and, to a lesser degree, Robert the Bruce's struggle to unify his nation against its English oppressors. The story begins with young Wallace, whose father and brother have been killed fighting the English, being taken into the custody of his uncle, a nationalist and pre-Renaissance renaissance man. He returns twenty years later, a man educated both in the classics and in the art of war. There he finds his childhood sweetheart Murron (Catherine McCormack), and the two quickly fall in love. There are murmurs of revolt against the English throughout the village, but Wallace remains aloof, wishing simply to tend to his crops and live in peace. However, when his love is killed by English soldiers the day after their secret marriage (held secretly so as to prevent the local English lord from exercising the repulsive right of prima noctae, the privilege of sleeping with the bride on the first night of the marriage), he springs into action and single-handedly slays an entire platoon of foot soldiers. The other villagers join him in destroying the English garrison, and thus begins the revolt against the English in what will eventually become full-fledged war. Wallace eventually leads his fellow Scots in a series of bloody battles that prove a serious threat to English domination and, along the way, has a hushed affair with the Princess of Wales (the breathtaking Sophie Marceau) before his imminent demise. For his efforts, Gibson won the honor of Best Director from the Academy; the movie also took home statuettes for Best Picture, Cinematography, Makeup, and Sound Effects. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide

As the Earth-Draconia war introduced in the previous adventure "Frontier of Space" threatens to break out at any moment, the Daleks pitch camp on the planet Spiridon, where their warriors have been kept in a cryogenic state. Also showing up on Spiridon are the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning), who aren't about to let the Daleks carry out their plans to deplete the Earth and Draconia of their resources, then take over the universe. Written by Terry Nation, "Planet of the Daleks" inaugurated its six-episode run on April 7, 1973; at present, only episodes one, two, three, four, five, and six are available in their original color versions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "Planet of the Daleks," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning) continue their efforts to thwart a Dalek scheme to conquer the universe from their new headquarters on planet Spiridon. Rescued from peril by a group of Thals, Jo revives the Doctor from his comatose state, while the Daleks, now some 10,000 strong, endeavor to learn the Spiridon's secret of invisibility. Written by Terry Nation, "Planet of the Daleks, Episode 3" first aired on April 21, 1973. Originally filmed in color, this episode is presently available in black-and-white only. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "Planet of the Daleks," the mutant Daleks are on the verge of discovering the Spiridons' secret of invisibility. Despite this grim turn of events, the enslaved Spiridons may still turn on their Dalek masters. Either way, the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and his friends remain in dire jeopardy as they try to make their way out of the Spiridon jungle. Written by Terry Nation, "Planet of the Daleks, Episode 5" first aired on May 5, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Called back to his home planet Gallifrey, the Doctor (Tom Baker) arrives in time for Presidential Resignation Day. Having experience a premonition that the current president is to be assassinated, the Doctor is framed for the inevitable murder by an old enemy, the Master (played by Peter Pratt, replacing the late Roger Delgado). Written by Robert Holmes, "The Deadly Assassin, Episode 1" of the four-part adventure, first aired on October 30, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the four-part story "The Deadly Assassin," the Doctor (Tom Baker) persists in his efforts to prove himself innocent of assassinating the President of Gallifrey, and in so doing confronts a fearsome, faceless enemy. Meanwhile, the Master (Peter Pratt), who has framed the Doctor for murder, persists in his efforts to absorb the awesome powers of Gallifrey's Eye of Harmony. Could it be that the Master has a secret ally within the highest ranks of the Time Lords? Written by Robert Holmes, "The Deadly Assassin, Episode 3" first aired on November 13, 1976. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the five-part story "The Mind Robber," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) is drawn out of the TARDIS by the same irresistable force that has sucked Zoe (Wendy Padbury) and Jamie (Frazer Hines) into a white void. Though he is successful in rescuing his companions from the fearsome White Robots, the Doctor can only look on in helpless horror as the TARDIS is destroyed. Somehow or other, the three time travellers land on a planet that vaguely resembles Earth -- an Earth that exists only in the imaginations of the world's most famous authors. Written by Derrick Sherwin and Peter Ling, "The Mind Robber, Episode 2" originally aired on September 21, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fourth episode of the five-part story "The Mind Robber," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury) discover that their new acquaintance (Bernard Horsfall) is actually that other celebrated traveler, Lemuel Gulliver. Now the Doctor realizes that he has been summoned to the Land of Fiction -- but he still doesn't know why. Meanwhile, Jamie enters the citadal of the mysterious Master (Emrys Jones). Written by Derrick Sherwin and Peter Ling, "The Mind Robber, Episode 4" originally aired on October 5, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the pivotal ten-part story "The War Games," the Doctor has successfully thwarted the universe-conquering schemes of the War Lord (Philip Madoc). In doing so, however, he has violated his own ethics, and now finds himself hunted down by his own race, the Time Lords. Captured, the Doctor is subjected to a trial, the outcome of which will profoundly alter not only his own existence, but also the lives of his traveling companions Jamie and Zoe. It can be safely stated that every Doctor Who fan in good standing already knows how this particular story ended. For the benefit of the uninitiated, we will observe only that "The War Games, Episode 10," written by Malcolm Hulke and Terrance Dicks, was originally telecast on June 21, 1969 as the final episode of Doctor Who's sixth season, and represented the series swan song for regulars Patrick Troughton (the Doctor), Frazer Hines (Jamie), and Wendy Padbury (Zoe). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It was Richard Attenborough's lifelong dream to bring the life story of Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi to the screen. When it finally reached fruition in 1982, the 188-minute, Oscar-winning Gandhi was one of the most exhaustively thorough biopics ever made. The film begins in the early part of the 20th century, when Mohandas K. Gandhi (Ben Kingsley), a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of "passive resistance," endeavoring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed. In the horrendous "slaughter" sequence, more extras appear on screen than in any previous historical epic. The supporting cast includes Candice Bergen as photographer Margaret Bourke-White, Athol Fugard as General Smuts, John Gielgud as Lord Irwin, John Mills as the viceroy, Martin Sheen as Walker, Trevor Howard as Judge Broomfield, and, in a tiny part as a street bully, star-to-be Daniel Day-Lewis. Gandhi won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide