Prentis Hancock Movies

This fast-paced thriller examines the amorality of a nation's secret services and the responsibility of journalistic investigations in an era of nuclear tensions and bureaucratic deceit. The film examines an unspooling series of events occurring after a near crash of a nuclear bomber at an American Air Force base in the English countryside. When Dennis Markham (Ian Bannen), a well-respected member of Parliament, is reported by a London paper to have been seen leaving a woman's home, and the woman is found to also be familiar with a dignitary from East Germany, his loyalty to his country is questioned, and he is forced to resign. The author of the newspaper exposé, Nick Mullen (Gabriel Byrne), continues his investigation with his colleague Vernon Bayliss (Denholm Elliott). But when Vernon dies from a mysterious heart attack, Mullen suspects something deeper at work and finds evidence of a complex web of deceit concerning a secret Air Force base. With the help of Vernon's secretary, Nina Beckman (Greta Scacchi), Nick fights the dark forces in order to bring the truth to light. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

When two German pilots are shot down over a village not far from London, a pair of little boys -- Londoners both -- find them in the woods and then have to decide whether to help the pilots or turn them in. The father of one of the boys was killed by Germans when he was escaping his sinking ship in a lifeboat, an act that would not argue for any reciprocal mercy on the son's part. Both boys are staying with an off-beat British couple (a captain of the Home Guard and a French school teacher) whose viewpoints on life contrast greatly with the way the two boys were raised -- not making their decision any easier. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

This 1978 re-remake of The 39 Steps adheres more closely to the source novel by John Buchan than Alfred Hitchcock's better-known original, restoring the pre-World War I time frame of the Buchan story. Hannay (Robert Powell) is an innocent bystander, suspected by enemy agents of having intercepted their secret war plans. Pursued by both the spies and the police, Hannay runs for his life in the company of Alex (Karen Dotrice). The Thirty-Nine Steps ends with a "high and dizzy" sequence on the face of Big Ben, borrowed from the 1942 Will Hay comedy My Learned Friend. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the second episode of the four-part story "The Ribos Operation," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Mary Tamm) have been ordered to reassemble the missing segments of the Key to Time, thereby restoring the balance between Good and Evil. The first segment is found on the frozen planet Ribos, where the Doctor matches wits with a brace of con artists named Garron (Iain Cuthbertson) and Unstoffe (Nigel Plaskitt). Originally telecast on Septmeber 9 1978, "The Ribos Operation, Episode 2" was written by Robert Holmes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Ribos Operation," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Mary Tamm) must prevent the first segment of the Key to Time from falling into the proverbial "wrong hands." Their success hinges upon the Doctor's ability to pass himself off as a minion of the fearsome Graff Vynda-K (Paul Seed) -- and to avoid being blown to bits in the process. Originally telecast on Septmeber 16 1978, "The Ribos Operation, Episode 3" was written by Robert Holmes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Government scientists develop a knockout gas, designed to peacefully quell terrorist uprisings. The gas, and its antidote, inevitably fall into the Wrong Hands, those hands belonging to a gang of crooks who plan to send all of London off to slumberland so that they can embark upon a wholesale crime spree. To prevent this, the New Avengers once again go undercover--with Purdey (Joanna Lumley) posing as a department store window mannequin. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This sci-fi adventure was the pilot for a television series Space: 1999. It is set in the next century just after an enormous blast from an alien ship destroys half the moon and sends the rest hurtling through space. Unfortunately, upon the chunk of speeding rock is the research station Alpha which contains 311 people helmed by cool-headed Commander Koenig. Now the Alpha castaways must not only continue to survive, they must also keep up on their research to discover what happened and why. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In the second episode of the four-part story "Planet of Evil," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen), acting on behalf of the Moestran army, try to prevent misguided geologist Professor Sorenson (Frederick Jaeger) from transporting deadly anti-matter into the Universe. But these efforts may be too late: a ravenous monster has already sprung up from the planet Zeta Minor, poised to attack the Moestran probe. Written by David Maloney, "Planet of Evil, Episode 2" was originally broadcast on October 4, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Cosmic Princess is comprised of scenes from the syndicated TV series Space 1999. Most of this "TV movie" consists of the series' second-season opener, which introduced Maya (Catherine Schell), an extraterrestrial endowed with the ability to transform herself into any life form. Maya is the daughter of Mentor, an evil alien who tries to drain the minds of the Moonbase Alpha crew. Befriending the Earthlings (among them series regulars Martin Landau, Barbara Bain and Barry Morse), Maya helps them escape Mentor's clutches. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the fourth episode of the six-part story "Planet of the Daleks," the Daleks have enslaved the inhabitants of the planet Spiridon, in hopes of learning their captors' secret of invisibility. Meanwhile, the Doctor (Jon Pertwee), Jo (Katy Manning), and a group of Thals step up their efforts to prevent the Daleks from conquering the universe. The highlight of this episode is a terrifying evening in the Spiridon jungle. Written by Terry Nation, "Planet of the Daleks, Episode 4" first aired on April 28, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the second episode of the six-part story "Planet of the Daleks," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning) arrive on the planet Spiridon, whence the Daleks intend to inaugurate their takeover of the Universe. Having placed himself in a coma to recharge his energies, the Doctor is in danger of freezing to death. Meanwhile, Jo, determined to carry on the Doctor's efforts to stop the Daleks, is knocked out by a falling rock. Written by Terry Nation, "Planet of the Daleks, Episode 2" first aired on April 14, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As the Earth-Draconia war introduced in the previous adventure "Frontier of Space" threatens to break out at any moment, the Daleks pitch camp on the planet Spiridon, where their warriors have been kept in a cryogenic state. Also showing up on Spiridon are the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning), who aren't about to let the Daleks carry out their plans to deplete the Earth and Draconia of their resources, then take over the universe. Written by Terry Nation, "Planet of the Daleks" inaugurated its six-episode run on April 7, 1973; at present, only episodes one, two, three, four, five, and six are available in their original color versions. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi