Michael Brandon Movies

After wrapping up a recording session with his garage band, drummer Roberto (Michael Brandon) follows and confronts a mysterious stranger who has been stalking him to an abandoned theater where Roberto impulsively stabs him. A grinning puppet-like figure takes photos of the attack from a mezzanine box, which arrive in an envelope at Roberto's home the following day. It appears that he is being blackmailed, but it's not clear from whom or why. Suspects include a club-footed neighbor and various friends. After Roberto confesses to the stabbing, his housekeeper discovers the killer's identity, is murdered, and an increasingly paranoid Roberto sends his wife, Nina (Mimsy Farmer), out of town. He eventually tracks down the man he stabbed with the help of a flamboyant detective (Jean-Pierre Marielle) and colorful transient friend Godrey (Bud Spencer), but both the man and the detective are killed. Roberto's cousin Dalia (Francine Racette) visits and, against their better judgment, they begin a passionate love affair. Elsewhere, the police use a special camera that can capture the final image a murder victim sees off their eyeball; this technique is used to track down the real killer. ~ Michael Buening, All Movie Guide

Filmed primarily at NASA's Manned Space Center in Houston, the made-for-TV Red Alert is an apocalyptic "man vs. machine" spellbinder. A potentially dangerous explosion at a nuclear power plant near Minneapolis is fortunately kept under control. The huge plant-monitoring computer named Proteus concludes that the explosion was the result of wide-spread sabotage. Security-investigator William Devane concludes instead that only one saboteur was responsible-and that saboteur is trapped in the reactor room, which Proteus is programmed to protect. Devane races against time to find a way into the reactor room to prevent the saboteur from wreaking further havoc. First telecast May 18, 1977, Red Alert was based on Paradigm Red, a novel by Harold King. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Dyan Cannon plays the title character, a middle-aged housewife and mother who enjoys singing in local amateur contests. Almost overnight, she becomes a nationally famous rock star, with all the attendant trappings of glamour and adulation. But fame has its price: As Cannon rises to the top of her profession, she neglects her two teenaged children. Heather Locklear guest stars as a rocker who calls herself Darcy X; also in the cast is a pre-stardom Fran Drescher. Rock 'n' Roll Mom was originally telecast on The Disney Sunday Movie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When post-partum depression causes the reawakening of long-dormant and traumatic memories of childhood rape by her father, an angry young mother takes her tormentor to court and in so doing nearly destroys her family. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Entrepreneur and aspiring film producer Kevin Johnson is presumed dead when his car is pulled out of the harbor after an accident, and a British documentary film crew comes to Los Angeles to trace the story of his rise and fall in this mockumentary. While Johnson rubbed elbows with movie stars and Hollywood power brokers, most of whom remember him fondly on camera, his greatest talent seems to have been his gift for schmoozing and his willingness to tell people what they want to hear (and get them what they want for the evening). He got his start by bribing a travel agent, Fred Barrett (Guy Siner), to put him next to the right people on flights to and from L.A., and with the help of agent Ricky Ryan (John Hillard), he begins pitching his script idea to anyone and everyone who might listen. However, it was Kevin's willingness to find female companionship for men in power (and eagerness to blackmail his new "friends") that helped get him financing for his project just before his car hit the water. James Coburn, Pierce Brosnan and Dudley Moore appear as themselves, and director Francis Megahy plays the leader of the documentary film crew. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this acclaimed version of Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage, Richard Thomas stars as a young Civil War soldier who runs away during his first big battle. Tortured by his seeming lack of bravery, he eventually learns that courage is just as dependent upon common sense as on bravado. He returns to battle and proves himself a hero in the process. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Andy Griffith plays a philandering apartment house manager who picks up a pretty young girl (Suzanne Hildur) in a bar. He takes her home, whereupon the girl's male cronies show up armed with guns. Griffith and his wife Ida Lupino are held hostage by the crooks, led by Michael Brandon, who plan to use the apartment as headquarters while they pull off a big robbery. Griffith and Lupino pull off the daunting task of conveying emotion while spending half the film bound and gagged. Director Paul Wendkos stages the action essentially from the victim's point of view; we see only what they see, and are kept guessing as to the full details of the crime and the ultimate fate of the hostages. Based on a novel by Fielden Farrington, Strangers in 7A was first telecast as an ABC Movie of the Week. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Anchor Bay Entertainment presents this program starring the beloved children's character Thomas the Tank Engine. Thomas & Friends: Hooray For Thomas finds the good-natured choo-choo on a variety of adventures with such friends as Edward, Peter Sam, and Rheneas. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Thomas & Friends: On Site with Thomas features a half-dozen stories starring Thomas and his fellow railroad engines like Percy and the human Sir Topham Hat. This series of stories exposes viewers to a new train who goes by the name Jack. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

Two kinds of engines keep Sir Topham Hatt's railway running as according to plan -- the steam engine (steamies) and diesel engines. In this episode of Thomas & Friends, the diesels let ego get the best of them, and tease the amiable Thomas the Steam Engine. Thomas is forced to look at his own code of ethics when the diesels run into some trouble that only he can get them out of. In the end, the rival locomotives discover they have more similarities than differences. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

This release features a number of stories involving Thomas the Tank Engine and many of his locomotive friends. The many tales on this collection include Duncan learning about the importance of following rules, James carrying the Queen of Sodor as a passenger, and the possibility that a monster dwells near Castle Loch. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide