H. Ray Huff Movies
- 1989
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is summoned to the island retreat of her friend Henry Reynard (Gene Barry), a millionaire lumberman. Someone has threatened Henry's life, and he is convinced that the "someone" is a relative anxious to get his or her hands on the old man's millions. Upon her arrival, Jessica is told that Henry has already been killed--but as she soon finds out, appearances (and first impressions) can be very deceiving! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Willie (Max Wright) has gotten a promotion that will require him to move his family to San Diego. Not wishing to be left behind, ALF convinces himself that it is in the Tanners' best interest to keep them in San Francisco. Thus it is that he conjures up a few "ghosts" to convince potential buyers of the Tanner home that the joint is haunted. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Although many genre filmmakers have managed to blend horror and humor with great success, movies employing this formula often run the risk of both elements canceling each other out, resulting in a horror comedy that is neither scary nor funny. Alas, Dead Heat is a textbook example of this kind of failure. It details the weird misadventures of a pair of mismatched L.A. cops -- the straitlaced and by-the-book Roger Mortis (Treat Williams) and wisecracking loose cannon Doug Bigelow (muscle-headed Saturday Night Live alum Joe Piscopo). Their quest is to reach the heart of a sinister crime ring that employs indestructible undead henchmen. In a strange twist, their inept handling of the case results in both cops -- first Williams, then Piscopo -- being killed in action and subsequently reanimated in a secret laboratory managed by the barely seen Vincent Price (whose walk-on role is more entertaining than the combined performances of the two leads). The potential for "splatstick" comedy in the mode of Evil Dead 2 or Peter Jackson's Bad Taste is defeated by two major obstacles: first, the painfully unfunny mugging of Piscopo, who was unwisely allowed to ad-lib much of his performance; and second, the MPAA's trimming of several minutes from Steve Johnson's sensational makeup effects in order to avoid the dreaded X rating -- including a clever scene involving a zombie go-go girl played by Linnea Quigley. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Treat Williams, Joe Piscopo, (more)
- 1987
Angie Dickinson returns as a sexy Depression-era mother who joins forces with her equally attractive daughters for a crime spree through the South as they seek to avenge the death of her husband. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angie Dickinson, Robert Culp, (more)
- 1981
A 1940s-themed banquet populated by an audience of prominent Arizona restauranteurs may prove to be a stepping-stone to stardom for our girl Alice (Linda Lavin). The starry-eyed waitress lands a singing gig at the banquet, one guaranteed to show off her talent for belting out the "oldies." Alice's appearance does indeed prove to be a momentous one--but not in the way that she imagined. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
