Damian Chapa Movies

Prolific Mexican-American actor-director Damian Chapa ventures into Hostel territory with this low-budget crime drama. Two best friends travelling through Europe find themselves targeted by Russian mobsters in a torture and kidnapping scheme that runs deeper than either one of them could imagine. ~ Sandra Bencic, All Movie Guide

The gritty streets of East Los Angeles get even more dangerous with the arrival of a sexually ravenous coven of vampires in this low-budget Mexican-American horror film. When East L.A. resident Blanca (Vida Harlow) finds herself targeted by a seductive female vampire, Sexicana (Leslie Garza), she finds support from an unexpected source: a half-human/half-vampire hybrid named Casanova (Damian Chapa), who falls in love with the girl and vows to help her rid the barrio of the bloodsucking horde. ~ Sandra Bencic, All Movie Guide

Filmmaker Damian Chapa writes, produces, directs, and stars in this unsanctioned biopic tracing the remarkable life of controversial filmmaker Roman Polanski. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A charismatic, modern-era healer must reconcile his relationship with his creator after his life and ministry are threatened in this religious-themed drama starring Brad Dourif, Robert Wagner, and Faye Dunaway, and based on the real life exploits of self-professed holy man Leroy Jenkins. Leroy Jenkins (Damian Chapa) has been touched by "The Spirit," and his mission in life is to pass on the good word to a population enraptured by sin and decadence. As Jenkins' empire rapidly evolves into the largest ministry in America, his burgeoning friendship with actress Mae West (Dunaway) soon paves the path for the minister himself to achieve celebrity status. Blessed with the stage presence of Elvis and imparted with a flamboyant sense of style that would make even Liberace envious, Jenkins' intolerance for anyone who voices descent finds his list of enemies multiplying almost as fast as his list of followers. When betrayal comes knocking at the headstrong holy man's door, Jenkins is forced to face up to his all-consuming pride and turn to The Spirit in hopes of reconciling his situation before it's too late. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Reeling from the news of his sister's suicide, Beau McCammon returns home to his family after a long absence. His father, who has just barely won another term as senator, doesn't take things well when Beau approaches him with the sinking suspicion that the suicide may have actually been a murder. Determined to solve the mystery, Beau uncovers a plethora of family secrets, deception, and implications of unspeakable political wrongdoings. Cypress Edge was directed by Serg Rodnunsky, and stars Damian Chapa, Rod Steiger, Ashley Laurence, Brad Dourif, and Charles Napier. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

A soldier comes out of retirement to confront a former friend who betrayed his loyalties in this action thriller. Casey Sheppard (Michael Worth) and Frank Ratliff (Damian Chapa) were once members of an elite Navy SEALs squadron; while close friends, Sheppard is a disciplined, by-the-book warrior, while Ratliff has an emotional hair trigger and a strong reckless streak. One night, Ratliff snaps and after a violent incident he disappears, eventually surfacing as a rogue agent for hire; the shock of the incident causes Sheppard to leave the Navy. Years later, it's discovered that Ratliff has joined the payroll of an international terrorist network after he kidnaps Dr. Jane Burrows (Kate Connor), a renowned nuclear physicist who has been working with U.S. defense projects. Ratliff is demanding a billion dollars for Burrows' safe return, but while she's in his custody, Ratliff forces Burrows to create nuclear warheads to arm several missiles he's purchased on the black market. As Ratliff plays both sides against one other in a bid for untold wealth and power, Sheppard is persuaded to come out of retirement to rescue Burrows and bring Ratliff to justice. However, Sheppard discovers that Ratliff's base of operations is a former Russian missile base that's also the site of a methane gas leak; the use of guns or bombs could cause the entire compound to explode, so Sheppard assembles a team skilled in martial arts and hand-to-hand combat, including Kamiko (Karen Kim), Sheppard's former love whose father and twin sister were brutally murdered by Ratliff. An in-name-only sequel to U.S. Seals, U.S. Seals 2 also features Marshall Teague, Sophia Crawford, and Hakim Alston. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Written and directed by filmmaker Daphna D. Edwards, this erotic thriller stars Damian Chapa as Jason a reporter who finds himself tangled in a web of intrigue involving sex and murder. After a local judge is found dead, Jason begins investigating the homicide. Meanwhile, he also starts an affair with a photographer. Before long, Jason believes his life is in danger. But who could want him dead? Footsteps also stars Karina Lombard and Maria Conchita Alonso. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Adapted from characters created by Stephen King, Sometimes They Come Back ...For More is set in Antarctica, where a remote government outpost has been the scene of a horrible disaster, leaving only two survivors - medical officer Jennifer Wells (Faith Ford) and technical officer Shebanski (ax Perlich). Two military investigators, Sam Cage (Clayton Rohner) and Callie Wilson (Chase Masterson) are sent out to uncover the truth about what happened. They are soon confronted by evil forces that steal away Callie and lead them all into a terrifying nether world with a horrible secret. Sometimes They Come Back ...For More was also screened under the titles Frozen and Ice Station Erebus. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Sex, drugs, lies and betrayal form the basis of this gritty crime thriller that centers on two white guys, Pooch and Big Boy, lifelong friends who decide they want a piece of the local drug trade action in their old neighborhood. They end up being distracted by aspiring-model and pathological-liar Eva, who involves them in an increasingly kinky menage-a-trois that results in jealousy between the friends. Still the two, with the help of their pal Juanito, are getting close to having total control and will be able to make a proposition to the mob behind it all. Unbeknownst to the others, Pooch is working as a spy for the police, but toward the end, he is undecided about whether he should help them, or help himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

We'd rather not rehash the sordied Menendez murder case in this space; besides, it isn't necessary, inasmuch as no fewer than two TV movies were produced on the subject in 1994. The first was Fox's Honor Thy Father and Mother; the second, telecast less than a month later, was Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills. Two hours longer than the first film, Menendez spends half of its running time recounting the events leading up to the Menendez brothers' murder of the parents, while the second half devotes itself to their overpublicized trial. Lyle and Eric Menendez are played, respectively, by Damian Chapa and Travis Fine. Edward James Olmos and Beverly D'Angelo costar as the ill-fated parents, while Margaret Whitton is cast as attorney Leslie Abramson. Once past the most lurid aspects of the case-notably the Menendez boys' insistence that their crime was motivated by extreme parental abuse-this 4-hour wallow gets pretty tiresome. Menendez was originally telecast in two parts, on May 22 and 23, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide