William Colgate Movies
Set in New York and New England (but filmed in Newfoundland), Behind the Red Door stars Kyra Sedgwick as Manhattan-based photographer Natalie Haddad, who enjoys success with her strangely gloomy and foreboding camerawork. When her agent and best friend Julia (Stockard Channing) arranges for her to accept a lucrative contract with a Boston ad agency, Natalie discovers that she will be working for her own gay brother Roy (Kiefer Sutherland), whom she hasn't seen in a decade. Although Roy is insufferably snobbish and manipulative, he manages to exert a curious control over Natalie, forcing her to confront several disturbing, long-suppressed memories of her past (shown in black-and-white flashbacks). Before the film is over, Natalie is made to realize why Roy's behavior is so overbearing -- and also, the viewer learns just how intimately Julia is involved in the lives of both siblings. Underwritten by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation as part of an ongoing program to heighten HIV/AIDS awareness, Behind the Red Door made its Showtime cable-network bow on January 12, 2003. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kyra Sedgwick, Kiefer Sutherland, (more)
- 2001
Based on a line of popular spinning-top toys, Beyblade (originally Bakuten Shoot Beyblade) was transformed into a Japanese manga, or comic magazine, by Takao Aoki, before graduating to animated-series status. Telecast on TV Tokyo from January 8 to December 24, 2001, the series features a group of youthful "BeyBlade Masters" who practice for participation in a world championship. Like the original BeyBlade toy itself, the group is subdivided into specialties, with one cluster of kids specializing in attack rings, another in weight disks, and still another in blade bases (bought separately, these components could be put together into an infinite number of combinations--a fact of course exploited on the cartoon counterpart). After Canada's Nelvana animation firm picked up the North American rights to Beyblade, the 51-episode series premiered on the ABC Family cable channel on July 6, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlowe Gardiner-Heslin, Alex Hodd, (more)
- 1997
A terrorist intends to use a cache of virtual-reality "phasing shells" as part of a mysterious master plan. To find out what the villain is up to, Nikita (Peta Wilson) agrees to test a captured VR shell. Alas, like so many others, Nikita becomes addicted to the thrills provided by the shell. But will she, like so many others, go insane and commit suicide as a result of her addiction? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peta Wilson, Roy Dupuis, (more)
Searching for Bobby Fischer was inspired by the life of chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin, as written by his father Fred Waitzkin. Josh (Max Pomeranc) is a "regular kid" who begins evincing signs of being a genius at chess. His father (Joe Mantegna) encourages this, hoping that it won't fundamentally change his son's healthy outlook on life. But Josh is taken under the wing of cold-blooded chess instructor Bruce Pandolfini (Ben Kingsley), who indoctrinates the boy in the "Bobby Fischer" strategy. Unfortunately, Pandolfini emphasizes all of Fischer's negative traits, especially his contempt for his opponents. Josh is in danger throughout the film of sacrificing his essential decency, but in a rousing conclusion, the boy is able to successfully blend ruthless competition with good sportsmanship. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe Mantegna, Max Pomeranc, (more)
The Bonds of Love in this made-for-TV drama are those forged between divorcee Kelly McGillis and mentally disabled Treat Williams. What begins as a friendship between two lost souls blossoms into a deep and genuine romance. Their wedding plans are challenged by his mother (Grace Zabriskie) and father (Hal Holbrook)-who are not depicted as villains but merely well-meaning and overprotective (only Williams' brother, played by Steve Railsback, comes off in negative terms). Based on a true story, Bonds of Love is set in Kansas (though it was lensed in Ontario). The film premiered January 24, 1973. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
