John Lykes Movies
- 1989
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) travels to Moscow to attend the International Artists and Writers Conference. No sooner has she arrived that someone steals her purse--and when the police catch up with the thief, they find a role of microfilm amongst Jessica's belongings. Immediately, the KGB accuses our heroine of being a spy--which doesn't anger her quite as much as the subsequent murder accusation leveled at an old friend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this high-energy satire of the music biz, Ivan Alexov (John Cusack) and Josh Tager (Tim Robbins) lose their jobs as security guards, and they decide to start their own video production company. Their first gigs are less than inspiring, including a rappin' commercial for a chicken-and-waffle place, a living will, and a right-wing Presidential-hopeful's (Clu Gulager) gala dinner. Eventually, they get to direct a heavy-metal music video which becomes a huge surprise success. But now the politician needs to get back a private videotape from the boys, and the Secret Service is put on their trail. This chaotic romp has cameos from more music celebs than you can shake a tape reel at, as well as a hopping little soundtrack by Fishbone. This is also the film that introduced a conservative folksinger/politician character who later got his own movie, Bob Roberts. ~ John Voorhees, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Cusack, Tim Robbins, (more)
- 1986
Hunter (Fred Dryer) knows that the murder of a hooker is somehow connected with a huge pharamaceutical theft, but he can't figure out why the woman was killed. In order to get the answers and flush out the villains, McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) goes undercover as a "working girl." This strategy may ultimately prove fatal to both Hunter and McCall, thanks to the deadly persistence of sadistic soldier-of-fortune Johnny Zajak (Vernon Wells). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Harry's courtroom becomes Ground Zero for several Cold War crises between the US and the former Soviet Union. It all begins when Harry (Harry Anderson) launches a search for the brother of Russian émigré Yakov (Yakov Smirnoff), a circus performer who has decided to defect. Before long, Night Court is swarming with clowns and jugglers, KGB and CIA agents, and even a pair of contentious arms negotiators! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this flat attempt at comedy by the director of the Police Academy series, Neal Israel, a brash Dana Cannon (John Murray, brother of Bill) lands in a crooked re-education school for delinquent drivers, run by Deputy Halik (James Keach, brother of Stacey). The objective is to lord it over the miscreant drivers sent to the school (wrongly given citations and tickets by cops out to fill a quota, according to opening sequences) and make some money in the bargain. Deputy Halik has already decided to flunk out anyone in his classes, with the objective of impounding their cars and then auctioning off the vehicles to the highest bidders. Dana, the irrepressible new student, manages to unite the other put-upon drivers at the school into a single, determined faction -- and trouble quickly brews. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Murray, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
- 1984
Newly married Vera (Beth Howland) and Elliot (Charles Levin) receive a brand-new piano as a wedding gift. Once the piano arrives, Elliot is unable to leave it alone, and as he plays the days away Vera pines away. Or, as it was so delicately phrased in the original TV Guide ad for this episode, "Why is Vera's husband tickling the ivories instead of her?" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1983
Don Gibb appears in this episode as a musclebound night watchman named Moose (his best buddies are, appropriately enough, "Ox", "Bull" and "Aardvark"). After saving the life of waitress Jolene (Celia Weston), Moose regards her as "his girl". Jolene doesn't reciprocate Moose's affections, but she is afraid to tell him how she really feels; after all, Moose's ego may not be the only thing that will end up bruised. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
