Eric Pierpoint Movies
The true story of a man who never gave up on his dreams of doing something big -- and doing it very, very fast -- provides the basis for this engaging comedy drama. Burt Munro (Anthony Hopkins) was born in 1899 in Invercargill, New Zealand. From childhood, Munro had a passion for machines that moved fast, and when he was 21 he bought his first motorcycle, an Indian model with a 600 cc engine. Motorcycles became an obsession that stayed with Munro for the rest of his life, as he constantly tinkered with his beloved Indian machine, modifying the engine and frame, determined to see just how fast he could make it run. In 1967, Munro decided it was high time he proved to himself and the world just what he and his machine could do, and he booked passage for the United States, with the goal of breaking the world's land speed record at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. As Munro made his way across America to Utah, he discovered not everyone took his dream seriously, but some did, and he made a handful of friends along the way, including Ada (Diane Ladd), a widow who fell for Munro's rough charm, and Fernando (Paul Rodriguez), a car dealer who offered to help him. However, when he finally arrived at Bonneville, Munro was told his machine was unsafe to participate in the time trials, and -- far worse -- he was too old to ride. It took some intervention from a ranking American driver, Jim Moffett (Chris Lawford), before Munro was given his chance to ride the famous Salt Flats. The World's Fastest Indian was written and directed by Roger Donaldson, who early in his career made a documentary about the real Burt Munro, Offerings to the Gods of Speed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd, (more)
Blake (Jeremy Sisto) is like a lot of people living in L.A. He believes he has an audience following him around, watching everything he does. He addresses the camera nearly constantly, and it becomes clear that we are Blake's audience. He spots a Suspicious Character (Peter Stormare of Fargo, who also contributes the film's closing song) on the street and follows him. He tells the man, "I know what you did," even though he doesn't know. The cops warn Blake to stop harassing people, but he owes it to his audience to fight evil. Blake gets a surprise visit from his parents (Marcia Strassman and Eric Pierpoint), who are surprisingly understanding about his mental state. His mother tells him they showed up unannounced because, "We know that your audience hates phone conversations." Blake advertises for a sidekick to help him fight evil, and meets a young, unemployed black comic, Antoine (Brian White), who doesn't have anything better to do. Blake is hesitant to hire him ("I don't do clichés"), but Antoine reassures him that he is not a stereotype. Another run-in with the Suspicious Character gets Blake arrested, and sentenced to visit Elizabeth (Dina Meyer), a beautiful court-appointed therapist. Blake immediately recognizes her as his Love Interest, and her demurrals only reinforce his belief. Even the fact that she's engaged doesn't dissuade him. "He must be a total loser compared to me," he surmises. He thereafter refers to her betrothed as Doomed Fiancé (Carlos Jacott). Blake has a difficult time getting Elizabeth to see things his way, but his jovial personality begins to win her over. Meanwhile, he learns the sinister nature of Suspicious Character's behavior. The Movie Hero marks the feature debut of writer/director Brad T. Gottfred. It was shown at the 2003 Rhode Island International Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Sisto, Dina Meyer, (more)
- 2001
Jeff McHenry (Zachery Ty Bryan), the arrogant star player of his prep-school hockey team, thinks he's a shoe-in to continue his hockey career at Harvard. But when his dad Jack (Eric Pierpont) declares bankruptcy, Jeff is forced to drop out of St. Crispin's Preparatory and enroll at lowly Eastside High, where Monica (Roma Downey) is temporary hockey coach. At first angrily resistant at the notion of joining the cellar-dwelling Eastside team, Jeff is inspired by the words of his former prep-school English teacher Andrew (John Dye), who has been using Shakespeare's "Henry V" as an object lesson in power through humility. Ultimately and ironically, Jeff finds himself leading the Eastside hockey team against St. Crispin's in hopes of landing an athletic scholarship--but he still has a few important life lessons ahead of him! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
Ross (George Clooney) wants to trick Carol (Julianna Margulies) with a surprise marriage -- but is instead surprised by Carol, and none too pleasantly. Newly revealed facts about the business methods of Syngergix causes a rift between Weaver (Laura Innes) and Ellis West (Clancy Brown). Jeanie (Gloria Reuben) forms a strong bond with Anspaugh's (John Aylward) ailing son, Scott (Trevor Morgan). And Carter (Noah Wyle) tries to come to grips with the fact that his cousin Chase (Jonathan Scarfe) is a heroin addict. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Ally's anything but jolly when she's assigned to represent a threesome (Eric Pierpoint, Amanda Carlin, Katie Mitchell) who want to make their marriage legal. ~ TV Guide, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, (more)
- 1997
Kenneth Marshall guest stars as Michael Eddington, a former Starfleet Security Officer who has betrayed the Federation and joined the Maquis. Bent on capturing Eddington, Sisko chases after the traitor in the Defiant, only to be stopped in his tracks by a computer meltdown. This "glitch" could not have happened at a worse time; having gotten his hands on some lethal biogenic weapons, Eddington plans to unleash them on defenseless Cardassian planets. Originally broadcast Februrary 3, 1997, "For the Uniform" was written by Peter Allan Fields. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 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, All Movie Guide
Directed by first-time filmmaker Michael Paradies Shoob, the independent drama Driven tells the story of four L.A. cab drivers working for the Red Star cab company during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Darius Pelton (Tony Todd) wants to reunite with his son, who lives with his ex-wife (Lee Garlington). Dale Schneider (Daniel Roebuck) has a second job working for a bookie named Hal (Eric Pierpoint). Jason Schuyler (Whip Hubley) is haunted by his past and shares an evening with passenger Rachel (Diane DiLascio). Legrand (Chad Lowe) brings them all together with his big talk and money-making abilities. Lou Rawls appears in a cameo as the radio dispatcher, Charlie. Driven premiered at the 1996 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tony Todd, Whip Hubley, (more)
- 1996
In this TV movie spun off from the popular sci-fi series Alien Nation, the year 2000 is approaching and Earth-born detective Matthew Sykes (Gary Graham) and his space-alien partner George Francisco (Eric Pierpont) are on the trail of a "newcomer" who has started a bizarre religious cult. Preying on pre-millennial anxieties, the cult leader claims to offer a fast track to bliss, but Sykes and Francisco fear the cult's virtual reality scheme could prove deadly. Francisco is especially worried when he discovers his son Buck (Sean Six) has fallen prey to the cult's teachings. Like the TV series, Alien Nation: Millennium was adapted from the characters created in the 1988 feature film of the same name. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Graham, Eric Pierpoint, (more)
Psychotherapist Dr. Ian Lazarre becomes dangerously depressed after his beloved first wife is killed in a car wreck. Though he has since married a woman who looks exactly like her, he is still unhappy and drinking heavily. Wanting to help him, his new wife and his best friend send him to a special rehab clinic. Unfortunately, this proves to be a terrible mistake for the clinic is run by a mad man looking for helpless subjects on which to test his latest experimental drug. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Savage, Kim Cattrall, (more)
- 1996
This made-for-TV movie, inspired by the 1989 film Alien Nation (as well as the subsequent TV series adapted from it), follows the adventures of an unlikely pair of police detectives -- earthling Matt Sikes (Gary Graham) and assimilated alien "newcomer" George Francisco (Eric Pierpoint). When Sikes and Francisco are assigned to investigate the death of a "newcomer," Sikes is given a glimpse of the ugly side of the aliens' caste system, as Francisco turns up his nose at chasing the killer of an "Eeno" -- an alien trained to do the most menial labor aboard the cruisers used to transport alien slaves. Alien Nation: The Enemy Within also features Terri Treas, Michele Scarabelli, and Joe Lando. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Graham, Eric Pierpoint, (more)
- 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, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Veteran character actor Turhan Bey makes a rare TV appearance in this episode, set in Cairo, Egypt. Having arrived in the Land of the Pharoahs as part of a cultural exchange program, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) soon becomes involved in a perplexing case involving the theft of a priceless Egyptian relic, a gang of smugglers, and the CIA. And as usual, she helps to extricate an old friend from a murder charge. Also showing up in this installment is Jeri Ryan, still a few years removed from her costarring stint as Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Voyager. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
This made-for-TV movie examines a rare genetic disorder that makes certain people so sensitive to light that they can only survive at night. The story centers on a family that has two so-afflicted children. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Horton, Tracy Pollan, (more)
- 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, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Graham, Eric Pierpoint, (more)
- 1994
- R
A bleak desert town is invaded by a gang of killer bikers, who proceed to terrorize (and rape) the local populace. The town officials, mindful of the money the gang spends there, do nothing. Finally, when the gang threatens a mute child, a local woman (Kathi Long) decides to fight the gang by herself. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathy Long, Eric Pierpoint, (more)
- 1993
While en route to the planet Lyaar, Picard crash-lands on an all but deserted planet. Here he is rescued by beautiful castaway Anna (Barbara Williams), who falls desperately in love with him. Meanwhile, back on the Enterprise, barbaric Lyaaran ambassador Byleth (Michael Harris) tries to goad Worf into violence. First telecast October 2, 1993, "Liasons" was scripted by Jeanne Carrigan Fauci and Lisa Rich from a story by Roger Eschbacher and Jac Greenspon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A man undergoes a scientific experiment that causes him to wake up after 50 years without aging a day in this romantic science-fiction tale. In 1939, Daniel (Mel Gibson) is a test pilot who is brave in the air but lacks the nerve to ask his girlfriend Helen (Isabel Glasser) to marry him, even though he loves her deeply. When Helen is hit by a truck and is taken to the hospital in a coma, Daniel is despondent, and he approaches his best friend Harry (George Wendt). Harry is a scientific researcher working with the military who has been experimenting with cryogenic suspension; Daniel asks Harry to have him frozen for a year rather than go through the hell of waiting to see if Helen lives or dies. Harry reluctantly agrees, but after the pilot is put on ice, Harry's experiments are shut down, and Daniel is forgotten. In 1992, two young boys, Nat (Elijah Wood) and Felix (Robert Hy Gorman) are playing in an abandoned military warehouse and find a freezing unit. They open it and find Daniel, who before long is all thawed out and physically not much worse for wear. However, the world is a very different place than it was in 1939; the boys bring their discovery home, where their single mother Claire (Jamie Lee Curtis) looks after Daniel and helps him adjust to his new world. A friendship between them begins to grow into something deeper, until Daniel discovers that his beloved Helen is still alive. Forever Young also features Joe Morton, Rob Morrow, and Vanessa Williams. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Gibson, Jamie Lee Curtis, (more)
- 1991
In this episode of the popular courtroom drama, Matlock's objectivity is temporarily displaced by his apparent attraction to a seductive widow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nancy Stafford, Brynn Thayer, (more)
- 1989
After they're framed for murder, a young couple must outrun the police--and a one-eyed hit man--in order to find the real killers. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
