Jim Ladd Movies

For his first directorial project in six years, Robert Towne selected a timeworn romantic-triangle yarn, injecting the material with subtlety and conviction. Tequila Sunrise stars Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell as two lifelong friends who, in true James Cagney-Pat O'Brien fashion, grow up on the opposite sides of the law. One is a retired drug dealer (at least he says he is), the other a "celebrity" cop. Both fall in love with gorgeous restaurateur Michelle Pfeiffer. Veteran movie buffs will enjoy spotting director Budd Boetticher as a judge, and will welcome the presence in the production credits of cinematographer Conrad Hall, who earned an Oscar nomination for his richly textured color camerawork. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

It is difficult to believe that this wretched sequel was Monte Hellman's first American film since Cockfighter (1974), and even more difficult to believe that it is the work of the man behind cult classics like Two-Lane Blacktop, The Shooting, and Back Door to Hell. The grown-up Ricky (Bill Moseley from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2) comes out of the coma in which he ended the last film and goes on another murderous Christmas Eve rampage despite the fact that his brain is exposed under a glass dome after reconstructive surgery. There's a confused subplot about a doctor (Richard Beymer from Twin Peaks) investigating the dreams of a blind psychic girl (Samantha Scully), whose visions have something to do with Ricky's past. The glass-plated killer shows up at the girl's house, pursued by the doctor and a grumpy policeman played by Robert Culp, for the final standoff. The cast includes Eric Da Re, Elizabeth Hoffman, and Leonard Mann, there are flashbacks to part two (which consisted mostly of flashbacks to begin with), and obligatory in-jokes like several scenes from 1963's The Terror (which Hellman co-directed), and an homage to the original Carnival of Souls. There are some interesting camera angles, and one envisions Hellman thinking he was doing something different with the series, but the script and acting are terrible and Ricky's story had pretty much run its course anyway. The next sequel was a completely unrelated gorefest from Brian Yuzna (Society), whose unique vision -- if roundly rejected by series fans -- was at least a change of pace. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

This program documents the making of the first album by The Doors. In addition to archival footage exploring the band's early history, the living members of the group demonstrate how the band's sound developed. In addition, Bruce Botnik, the group's recording engineer, explains how their sound was captured for posterity. A number of other musicians weigh in with their explanations of why this record has remained a classic. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi