Terri Treas Movies
Lead actress, onscreen from the early '80s. ~ Rovi- 1997
Per its title, this Fox network TV movie is one of several followups to the shortlived science fiction series AlienNation, which ran on Fox from 1989 to 1991 and was based on the 1988 theatrical feature of the same name. The original series was set in a futuristic Los Angeles wherein human earthlings coexisted more or less peacefully with the Newcomers, a race of aliens from the planet Tencton who had settled in LA after escaping a slave-transport ship, and who, despite the prejudices harbored by the "Purists" and other such xenophobes, had assimilated to the point of were holding down traditionally "human" jobs and living in the 'burbs with their families. Repeating their series roles are Gray Graham as LAPD detective Matthew Sikes and Eric Pierpoint as his Newcomer partner, Detective George Francisco (George is the one with the huge bald cranium and the vestigal ears). The story gets under way when a group of "kamikaze" Newcomers invades Los Angeles, apparently with homicidal intentions towards the humans--but only because they've been brainwashed by a higher power. Tied in with this alien influx is the Udara, the radicalized Newcomer guerillas who had fomented the rebellion on the Tectonese slave ship, and who remain dedicated in their mission to kill off all "Overseers"--including those of the human variety. Much to George's surprise, his own wife Susan (Michele Scarabelli) is part of the Udara movement, resulting in a major conflict of interest. One of the fim's many subplots involves the efforts by George and Susan's son Buck (Sean Six) to follow in dad's footsteps and join the police force; elsewhere, a few unresolved plot strands from the earlier series and its previous TV-movie sequels are tied up. AlienNation: The Udara Legacy originally aired July 29, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1995
The Alien Nation series continues with this made-for-television science-fiction thriller. In keeping with the original premise, the film is set in the near future on a planet Earth that is integrated with aliens. Alien detective Francisco and his human partner Sikes return, this time to investigate a mysterious child and her keeper. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi
- 1994
This made-for-TV sci-fi outing is a sequel to the television series version of a popular feature film about a futuristic Southern California in which aliens, called Newcomers, co-exist with humans. This episode of the saga focuses on 250,000 aliens who came to earth to escape slavery. Their peaceful existence is disrupted when their masters send Aponso earthward to recapture them. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gary Graham, Eric Pierpoint, (more)
- 1994
This South African slapstick comedy that contains a strong message against racism. Two former childhood friends, Rhino and Zulu, are reunited after 25 years when Zulu is deported for stealing cars in the U.S. and must return home. Rhino's former girlfriend, Rowena, a white supremacist whom he eventually married then divorced, was one of the reasons Zulu left South Africa. Zulu is to do time for his crimes. He is escorted to prison by Rowena's new boyfriend, an insane Nazi. On route, Zulu escapes and takes with him a winning lottery ticket. As he runs from his pursuers he again reconnects with Rhino and Tienke, his adopted daughter. They get help from a TV make-up man who makes Rhino black and Zulu white, giving each of them a taste of the other's lives. Together the two sneak into one of Rowena's parties and promptly get caught. If they do not return the lotto-money, they will be killed. Tienke saves the day with the help of Prince William of Windsor who has snuck away from a royal tour. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Leon Schuster, John Matshikiza, (more)
- 1993
- PG
In this comedy-adventure for the family, Heather (Jennifer Love Hewitt) is a girl who can't stand her foster parents, so one day she runs away from home in order to track down her real mother. However, Heather's stepmother wants her back -- not because she cares about her, but because Heather is worth several million dollars, and she wants to make sure that she doesn't lose her meal ticket. Private detective Nick Frost (Howard Hesseman) is hired to find Heather and bring her back home, but it turns out that the stepmother has a trick up her sleeve -- once Nick finds Heather, rather than pay him, stepmom calls the FBI and tells them that Nick has kidnapped her daughter. Home for Christmas was originally released under the title Little Miss Millions. Jennifer Love Hewitt was 14 at the time -- a year away from her star-making role in the TV series Party of Five. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
In Rage and Honor, Cynthia Rothrock is featured as a full-time high-school teacher/part-time karate instructor who's out to protect one of her students who innocently witnesses and films a mob drug transaction. He's caught and beaten but keeps the film from the bad guys. Finding and helping him is an Australian foreign-exchange cop who also gets involved in the fracas when he's set up for a murder by some cop cohorts who've gone bad. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton, (more)
- 1991
- R
After two unsuccessful attempts to turn the House horror franchise into a collection of unrelated haunted-house stories (even ditching the House moniker prior to distribution of the third film, The Horror Show), the producers opted for a direct sequel (more or less) to the first film in the series. William Katt returns briefly for the role of Roger Cobb, the former beleaguered owner of a nightmarish fixer-upper filled to the brim with obnoxious demons. His part here amounts to little more than a cameo -- early in the film, Roger is killed in a nasty auto accident during a vacation with his new wife, Kelly (Terri Treas), and their 12-year-old daughter, Laurel (Melissa Clayton). Kelly and Laurel -- who is now confined to a wheelchair -- try to begin their lives again at the family's summer house. Once there, Kelly is visited by visions of horrific events (including Roger's death) which become more frequent until she is forced to seek the aid of a shaman, who helps her to interpret them. The visions include a replay of the events which led to Roger's death, indicating that the crash was no accident -- and revealing the identity of the party responsible. This installment marks a slightly more effective return to the horror comedy formula that made the original a surprise hit. Basically a distaff retread of that film, House IV benefits from its strong female heroine and more emotional involvement for the leads amid the barrage of slimy effects and over-the-top humor. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Terri Treas, William Katt, (more)
Legendary low-budget mogul Roger Corman made a somewhat inauspicious return to the director's chair for the first time in nearly twenty years (unless one counts his uncredited participation in "pickup" shoots for several New World Pictures productions) for this quaint sci-fi/horror outing, based on the popular novel by Brian Aldiss. Opening in the year 2031, the story begins with scientist Joseph Buchanan (John Hurt) working on a top-secret military project that creates a rift in time in space, hurtling him and his ultra-high-tech hotrod backwards through time to the early 19th century. Buchanan manages to adapt quite well to his new surroundings, particularly after making the acquaintance of fellow scientist Baron Frankenstein (Raul Julia). Curiously, the Baron is presented here as an authentic historical figure, and his monster-making efforts the basis for the famed book by Mary Shelley (Bridget Fonda), which was a work of fiction. After ruminating about his situation with Mary and her future husband Percy Shelley (late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence) at the villa of mad poet Lord Byron (Jason Patric), Buchanan is approached by the Baron to help construct a mate for his intelligent but homicidal creature (Nick Brimble). Unfortunately, things do not go according to plan, leading to an ironic denouement that finds Buchanan pondering the apocalyptic results of his life's work. The film boasts solid production values and some beautiful location photography (most of the film was shot in Italy); however, the classy look and high-profile casting can't disguise the overall feel of an early New World outing, albeit with a much larger budget. The script, adapted by Corman and writer F.X. Feeney, eliminates many of the novel's intellectual twists and turns; much of the remaining dialogue comes off as merely pretentious. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Hurt, Raul Julia, (more)
- 1990
In this made-for-cable television horror thriller, a travel writer visits a historic hotel to write a story about it and inadvertently finds herself on the 13th floor where she witnesses a Satanic rite and tangles with an axe-wielding killer. She escapes, but no one believes her story because the hotel has no 13th floor. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1989
It is Valentine's Day, and Dan Cupid has cast a curious spell over the "FYI" staff. Against her better judgement, Murphy (Candice Bergen) arranges a date between Frank (Joe Regalbuto) and a girl named Meg (Terri Treas), whereupon he reciprocates by pairing Murphy up with a guy named Richie (Harley Venton)--two "marriages" that were made someplace other than Heaven. Meanwhile, Murphy's 13th secretary Leslie (Deborah May) gets a yearning for the very married Jim Dial (Charles Kimbrough)...and there's every indication that he might feel the same way about her. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Real-life siblings Beau and Jeff Bridges star as the eponymous Fabulous Baker Boys. Musical prodigies both, the Bakers have long been teamed as a twin-piano act, with the less talented Frank (Beau Bridges) coasting on the skills of his brilliant younger brother, Jack (Jeff Bridges). Their career dwindling to nickel-and-dime dates in second-rate clubs, the Bakers decide that they need a female vocalist to boost their popularity. They select auditioner Susie Diamond (Michelle Pfeiffer), who in addition to being a gifted songstress is drop-dead gorgeous. The newly renovated Baker Boys act scores a success, which is inevitably threatened by Susie's growing popularity and by Jack's insistence upon pursuing an affair with the girl. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeff Bridges, Michelle Pfeiffer, (more)
- 1989
- R
In this entry in the four episode "Deathstalker" series of sword and sorcery adventures, a brave hero takes on the dreaded Warriors from Hell as he searches for the three magic stones that will grant him the ultimate power. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Allen Nelson, Carla Herd, (more)
- 1988
Together with Happy as the Grass was Green, Silence at Bethany is one of the few feature films to deal with life among the Mennonites. Mark Moses plays Ira Martin, who grew up in a Mennonite community in the 1930s but left to live with out-of-town relatives when his parents were accidentally killed. Returning to his home town in the 1940s, Ira soon demonstrates that he has remained faithful to the religion of his birth, which impresses the local deacon. After marrying the deacon's niece (Susan Wilder), Ira becomes a preacher in his own right. Conflicts arise between Ira and the deacon when the younger man attempts to apply his citified "newfangled" notions to his ministry. Scrupulously avoiding stereotypes and patronization, Silence at Bethany is a well-balanced study of a rarefied (and rapidly disappearing) American lifestyle. Produced by PBS' American Playhouse series, the film was released theatrically before its public-TV debut. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Mark Moses, Susan Wilder, (more)
This sci-fi horror film is a knock-off of the Alien films. Set in the Mojave desert in the 21st century, it depicts a desolate world that has been ravaged by a human engineered plague virus where the few people live underground and the surface is populated by strange monsters. Unfortunately, for the humans below, food must be gathered on the surface. David is up on a foraging mission when he finds a pregnant woman and brings her down to his medical center. Unfortunately, she has been impregnated by one of the creatures and its offspring bursts from its womb in a gory spray of blood and guts. It's a hungry little thing and as it grows, devours every human in its path except for David and a physician. In addition to seeking nourishment, the creature is looking for human women to breed with. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Kennedy, Andrew Stevens, (more)
A science project goes awry and the world is threatened by giant cockroaches in this horror outing. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Lansing, Lisa Langlois, (more)
- 1986
The A-Team's Thanksgiving celebration is put on hold when Stockwell (Robert Vaughn) orders our heroes to capture exiled political adviser A.J. Bancroft (Jeff Corey), who carries a diary implicating several high-ranking government officials in a sinister conspiracy. It turns out that Bancroft is willing to trade the diary for a reunion with a young woman who claims to be his long-estranged daughter Ellen--a woman whom Face (Dirk Benedict) is presently wooing. The situation reaches the crisis stage when the possibility arises that Bancroft is actually Face's father...which of course radically alters his relationship with Ellen! This is the famous episode in which the ending was originally determined by the call-in votes of the viewers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1986
Something in Common is a made-for-television comedy about a middle-aged, widowed career woman (Ellen Burstyn) who discovers that her grown son is having a love affair with a woman (Tuesday Weld) her own age. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
- 1982
- R
In this filmization of the hit Broadway musical, a popular brothel is threatened with a shutdown by Texas authorities. Burt Reynolds plays the Sheriff, while Dolly Parton portrays the Chicken Ranch madam. While this film has its moments, it never reaches the entertainment heights of its stage predecessor. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton, (more)
- 1981
- R
Trying to recreate the screwball comedy success of his collaborations with Peter Bogdanovitch, actor Ryan O'Neal headlined this sporadically funny mixture of light farce and social satire. O'Neal stars as Bobby, an intellectual English professor who leaves his job when his father Jack (Jack Warden) appeals to him for help. A garment manufacturer, Jack is in serious debt to humongous loan shark Eddie (Richard Kiel), and he desperately needs his business to provide the capital to pay Eddie back. Completely by accident, Bobby invents the solution to his dad's problem: see-through denim blue jeans with strategically placed holes in the rear that expose one's backside. The fickle public goes mad over the "sexy" new style, and the money starts flowing in, but Bobby exacerbates his father's problems greatly when he falls for and begins dating the amorous Lira (Mariangela Melato), whose husband is none other than Eddie. So Fine was the feature directorial debut of popular Blazing Saddles (1974) writer Andrew Bergman, who would wait eight years before getting behind the camera again with the much more successful The Freshman (1990). ~ Karl Williams, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ryan O'Neal, Jack Warden, (more)
- 1980
- PG
In this musical, plucky group of teenagers aspire to do their stuff on the Great White Way. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
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