Kevin Flood Movies
One of the great stories of doomed love is given a new screen interpretation in this historical drama. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, King Donnchadh (David O'Hara) of Ireland has become the de facto ruler of England, but one of his underlings, Lord Marke (Rufus Sewell), dreams of uniting British forces with an eye toward self-rule. One of Marke's most valuable allies is Tristan (James Franco), Marke's protégé, who has become a brave warrior since he was rescued by the lord after his parents were murdered by Irish forces during a battle. While Marke and Tristan dream of banishing Ireland's presence in England, Tristan has a secret he's been hiding from Marke -- after suffering serious wounds during a hard-fought battle, he was rescued and nursed back to health by Isolde (Sophia Myles), King Donnchadh's daughter, and the two fell deeply in love. But the couple were separated after Tristan returned to England, and when King Donnchadh attempts to quell the British uprising by staging a tournament among the nation's greatest warriors, with an extreme and rather personal surprise in store for Tristan.
Tristan & Isolde was directed by Kevin Reynolds, and produced in part by Ridley Scott, who attempted to bring the story to the screen back in the 1970s. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Tristan & Isolde was directed by Kevin Reynolds, and produced in part by Ridley Scott, who attempted to bring the story to the screen back in the 1970s. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Franco, Sophia Myles, (more)
- 1998
Stephen Bradley made his directorial debut with this Irish drama in which circus performer Sweety Barrett (Brendan Gleeson) loses his job swallowing objects and is hired by bootlegger Flick Hennessy (Tony Rohr) to do odd jobs in the port town of Dockery where the slow-witted Sweety meets Anne King (Lynda Steadman) and her six-year-old son Conor (Dylan Murphy). Anne's husband Leo (Andy Serkis) has been framed by deranged police chief Mannix Bone (Liam Cunningham), who often beats up various townsfolk whenever the psychopathic inspiration hits him. Bone has also forced Flick to cut him in on the whisky-running profits. Released from jail, Leo plots revenge, and violence erupts. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival and the 1998 San Sebastian Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brendan Gleeson, Liam Cunningham, (more)
- 1987
- R
Judith Hearne (Maggie Smith) is a middle-aged "maiden lady" piano teacher living in 1950s Dublin. Timid and self-deprecating, Judith permits herself to yearn over her new boarding-house neighbor, hotel entrepreneur Bob Hoskins. Hoskins thinks that Judith has enough money to bankroll his latest scheme, so he decides to return her affections. Judith, blind to Hoskin's duplicity, convinces herself that she's finally found true love. The shattering of her illusions drives Judith to drink--and, unexpectedly, to a more fulfilling new life. Based on the novel by Brian Moore, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne is typical of the "muted emotion" ouevre of director Jack Clayton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maggie Smith, Bob Hoskins, (more)
- 1985
Though geared for children, the Irish End of the World Man contains a cautionary lesson with grim underpinnings. Leanne O'Malley plays a hoydenish young conservationist anxious to save the last tree on earth, which stands in the middle of a Belfast playground. The government wants to bulldoze the tree and cover the playground with concrete in order to erect a highrise. The neighborhood children rally around Leanne to prevent this ecological rape from transpiring. End of the World Man proves that it's no mere Saturday morning filler by setting its story in a strife-torn Belfast, festooned with weapons and security police. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Hewitt, Maureen Dow, (more)
- 1979
A star-studded supporting cast enhances the enjoyment of the four-episode Doctor Who adventure "City of Death." On holiday in modern-day Paris, the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) experience what turns out to be a "crack in time." Before long, they have joined forces with a private eye named Duggan (Tom Chadbon) in thwarting the villain of the piece: Count Scarlioni (Julian Glover), who plans to steal the Mona Lisa -- but for reasons that go far beyond financial gain. First telecast September 29, 1979, "City of Death, Episode 1" was written by Douglas Adams and Graham Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1979
In the second episode of the four-part story "City of Death," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) team with private eye Duggan (Tom Chadbon) to find out why Count Scarlioni (Julian Glover), who has everything a man could want in life, is so determined to steal DaVinci's Mona Lisa from the Louvre. Besides, the Count already possesses six other Mona Lisas -- all of them originals. Catherine Schell co-stars as Countess Scarlioni. First telecast October 6, 1979, "City of Death, Episode 2" was written by Douglas Adams and Graham Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1979
In the third episode of the four-part story "City of Death," the Doctor (Tom Baker) discovers that Count Scarlioni (Julian Glover) has been stealing and selling valuable works of art in order to raise funds for his time-travel experiments. But there is a more pressing matter at hand: Romana (Lalla Ward) and detective Duggan (Tom Chadbon) are in immediate danger of losing their lives at the Count's hands. Catherine Schell co-stars as Countess Scarlioni. First telecast October 13, 1979, "City of Death, Episode 3" was written by Douglas Adams and Graham Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1979
In the conclusion of the four-part story "City of Death," Count Scarlioni (Julian Glover) -- aka the notorious art thief Scaroth -- has vanished into the past, with the Doctor (Tom Baker), Romana (Lalla Ward), and detective Duggan (Tom Chadbon) in hot pursuit. Unless the Doctor can stop Scaroth, the entire Time Continuum will be cataclysmically disrupted. Catherine Schell appears as Countess Scarlioni, while comic actors John Cleese and Eleanor Bron make uncredited cameo appearances as a pair of looney art dealers. First telecast October 20, 1979, "City of Death, Episode 4" was written by Douglas Adams and Graham Williams. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
Hammer Studios followed up Evil of Frankenstein with this entertaining sequel, again starring Peter Cushing as the quintessential mad scientist obsessed with the reanimation of dead bodies and the creation of superhuman creatures. His latest project involves transferring the mind of a wrongly-executed man into the body of his lover (former Playboy centerfold Susan Denberg), whose own suicide left her horribly disfigured. After restoring her beauty, the Doctor performs the mind-transference, which comes off without a hitch... until the lust for revenge against his executioners begins to surface. He/she then pursues this vendetta by seducing and murdering those who wronged him. Hammer stalwart Terence Fisher directs this quirky entry with his usual flair -- aided considerably by a decent budget -- and spices things up with a fair share of titillation (courtesy of Ms. Denberg). ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, (more)
