Jeffrey Combs Movies
Initially stunning audiences with his wild-eyed portrayal of psychotic Dr. Herbert West in the over-the-top 1985 splatter-comedy Re-Animator, actor Jeffrey Combs made a name for himself in films based on the works of legendary horror author H.P. Lovecraft and such Star Trek spin-offs as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Enterprise. Born in Oxnard, CA, in 1954, Combs was raised in nearby Lompoc. After graduating from high school in 1972, he entered the world of acting by attending numerous theatrical schools and performing in repertory theater. Frequently appearing in such venues as the Mark Taper Forum and South Coast Repertory, Combs made his film debut in Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1981), which was followed by supporting roles in Honky Tonk Freeway (1981), Frightmare (1983), and The Man With Two Brains (1983). Still performing frequently on-stage during this period, Combs was approached by a young director named Stuart Gordon and asked if he would be interested in appearing in an adaptation of a Lovecraft story. Attracted by the strong script, the actor agreed. Released in 1985, Re-Animator shocked and nauseated audiences into uncontrolled laughter with its outrageous violence and imaginative set pieces. Combs' manic portrayal of a mad doctor who claims to have discovered the key to immortality immediately earned him a place in the lexicon of horror history as one of the great screen psychos.Subsequently re-teaming with Gordon for yet another Lovecraft adaptation, From Beyond (1986) proved to be a disappointment when it was released in a truncated form. Knowing that the excess of Re-Animator would be difficult, if not impossible, to top, Combs and Gordon remained undaunted, collaborating on such efforts as Robot Jox and The Pit and the Pendulum (both 1990). Released that same year and directed by Gordon-cohort Brian Yuzna, Bride of Re-Animator didn't quite live up to fan expectations, although ultimately proved to be an entertaining sequel by remaining loyal to the tone and content to its predecessor. Subsequently working with such horror stylists as Fred Olen Ray (The Phantom Empire [1986] and Cyclone [1987]) and Full Moon's Charles Band (Trancers II: The Return of Jack Deth [1991] and the Dr. Strange-influenced Doctor Mordrid [1992]), Combs continued to build a dedicated cult following who remained eager to see what the quirky actor would attempt next. Continuing to appear in Lovecraft-based films, he also branched out with a role as a hitman in Love and a .45 (1994) and as actor Montgomery Clift in the made-for-TV Norma Jean and Marilyn (1996). A seemingly natural teaming with New Zealand splatter-king Peter Jackson also resulted in a hilarious turn as an unstable FBI agent in The Frighteners (1996). Combs' career took an unexpected turn later that year. Having previously lost the role of Commander William Ryker in Star Trek: The Next Generation to Jonathan Frakes, he returned to the Star Trek fold when Frakes (as director) cast him as Weyoun in an episode of Deep Space Nine. Returning in various capacities later, Combs would become the first actor to play three different characters in a single season of any Star Trek series. His popularity in the franchise growing, he was later cast in a recurring role in the subsequent Enterprise series. Simultaneously continuing to appear in such features as I Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), House on Haunted Hill (1999), and Yuzna's long awaited Faust: Love of the Damned (2001, channeling Bruce Campbell), Combs fans were thrilled to hear that he would be returning to the role of Herbert West in Beyond Re-Animator (again helmed by Yuzna) in late 2003. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
With 42,000 sightings in 68 countries, the elusive woodland creature known as Sasquatch, Yeti, and Bigfoot is one of the most enduring natural mysteries ever known to man. Hunted by humans for hundreds of years, the formerly reclusive man-like beast strikes out against his would-be captors in a mountain-based tale of survival and horror starring Jeffrey Combs, Lance Henriksen, and Dee Wallace-Stone. Years ago, mountain climber Preston Rogers (Matt McCoy) suffered a terrible injury that left him wheelchair-bound in his remote cabin. Something strange is happening in the woods these days, though, and if Rogers holds out any hope of saving the lives of either his neighbors or the young college girls on a weekend retreat to the California mountains, he's going to have to convince the skeptical Sheriff Halderman (Paul Gleason) that something sinister is happening amidst the thick foliage of the forest and that numerous lives will be lost if they don't act fast. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matt McCoy, Hayley Joel, (more)
- 2005
The horror film All Souls Day concerns a man and woman who can't seem to escape from Santa Bonita, Mexico. They would like to leave seeing as the town is filled with ghosts. In order to resolve the situation, the pair must face the feared criminal Vargaz Diaz, who apparently is almost 200 years old. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Marisa Ramirez, (more)
- 1994
The McCarthy Era threatens to reblossom in the 23rd century when Sinclair is targeted for a witch hunt by an embittered Earthforce special investigator. During Sinclair's far from equitable trial, telepathy comes into play as a key prosecution weapon. And on the lighter side, Garibaldi tries to restore a 20th century motorcycle, while a throwaway line makes reference to the real-life band fronted by series regular Bill Mumy. Written by Lawrence G. Tillion, "Eyes" was filmed as the final installment of Babylon 5's first season, though it was ultimately telecast as the 16th of the season's 22 episodes on July 13, 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael O'Hare, Claudia Christian, (more)
Once again tampering with mother nature to disastrous results, Dr. Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) continues his research in director Brian Yuzna's second sequel to the 1985 splatter classic Re-Animator. Currently serving time in a maximum security prison for his previous exploits, West's limited prison-cell experiments are suddenly interrupted by the arrival of Howard Phillips (Jason Barry), the new prison doctor and the brother of the girl who suffered from West's experiments 13 years earlier. Knowledgeable of West's previous experiments and eager to assist the mad doctor in continuing his studies, the naive Phillips discovers that West's continued studies have revealed a more effective means of bringing back the dead -- the removal of an individual's Neuroplasm, or soul, and the injection of it into a newly reanimated corpse. An electrical phenomenon discharged at the moment of death, with the discovery of the Neuroplasm West may have finally discovered the missing link to effectively bringing life to death. Or not. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, (more)
When a troubled priest is beckoned to an isolated ranch in order to exorcise the demons from a possessed girl, the terror that awaits him threatens to consume his very soul in a chilling tale of supernatural horror starring Cameron Daddo and James Russo. When Father James' old flame calls claiming that her younger sister has fallen into the grip of a diabolical entity, the conflicted priest attempts to muster the faith needed to flush the demonic force back into the pit from which it came. As his feelings for his beloved ex-girlfriend are gradually rekindled, Father James discovers too little too late just how deceptive demons can truly be. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Daddo, Jeffrey Combs, (more)
Loosely adapted from H.P. Lovecraft's Herbert West -- Re-Animator comes this sequel to one of the wildest, bloodiest, and funniest horror films to ever come down the pipe. Set eight months after the gruesome events of the first film, the follow-up opens with the demented Dr. Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) continuing to perfect his "re-agent" formula to regenerate dead tissue with the help of his ever-troubled assistant Dr. Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott). New characters include suspicious policeman Lt. Chapham (Claude Earl Jones) and Cain's old flame Francesca (Fabiana Udenio). Returning to Miskatonic Hospital after a short stint in the military, West and the reluctant, often unwitting Cain plan to create new life from a patchwork of body parts -- including the heart of Cain's beloved girlfriend. However, things quickly get out of hand thanks to the snooping of Lt. Chapham and the return of the evil decapitated Dr. Hill (David Gale) who wants revenge for his beheading. There's also the problem of West's dozens of oddball creations who want out of the dungeon they are trapped within. It all comes to a head as Cain and West resurrect their "bride" just as Dr. Hill literally flies in to take his vengeance with the help of West's freakish creations. ~ Patrick Legare, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, (more)
An American family discovers the horrific mystery that lies within a spooky Italian castle in this low-budget horror film from cult director Stuart Gordon, best known for such works as Re-Animator and From Beyond. Castle Freak reunites Gordon with Re-Animator star Jeffrey Combs, who portrays John Reilly, an American who inherits an Italian castle when a distant relative passes away. John, a recovering alcoholic, travels to Italy with his estranged wife Susan and blind daughter Rebecca. On the advice of the estate's executor, the three plan to stay at the castle until they can liquidate the estate. Little do they know, however, that a horrible, freakish monster has been kept locked away in the basement. Soon, the beast has escaped and emerges hungry for blood, leading to a series of unexplained deaths and disappearances. When the police name John their prime suspect, he must find the true murderer before he or his family becomes the next victim. Along the way, he must not only battle the creature itself but overcome demons from his own guilty past. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Darin Scott made his directorial debut with this neo-noir crime drama set in South Central L.A. and featuring Cynda Williams in a dual role. Back in L.A. after serving time on drug charges, Daryl Allen (Bokeem Woodbine), who narrates, plans to open a nightclub, and a pal offers to bankroll the business. Daryl drives his buddy to the bank, unaware he's taking part in a robbery. He's sent back to the slammer for a long stretch, and during that period his girlfriend (Cynda Williams) marries. Released after five years, Daryl is unemployed when he meets Vanessa Dietrich (Williams), who gets him work as a limo driver. Vanessa and Daryl are targets of a hitman, and Vanessa tells Daryl she suspects her ex-lover Ahmad (Basil Wallace). What Daryl doesn't know about Ahmad and Vanessa may turn out to be his undoing. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bokeem Woodbine, Cynda Williams, (more)
- 1987
- R
A quaint, stagebound little horror film from Charles Band's Empire Pictures, Cellar Dweller stars Jeffrey Combs (fresh off his glorious turn as Herbert West in the Empire-produced Re-Animator) as a '50s horror-comic artist who falls prey to one of his own creations -- a ferocious demon he based on a drawing from an arcane book of spells and curses. The story picks up again in the 1980's, where the late artist's palatial home has been converted into a combination boarding house and art academy led by Yvonne De Carlo. One of the students pursues her obsession with reviving the "Cellar Dweller" comic series herself, delving into Combs' old studio for inspiration, and eventually discovers the same occult manuscript secreted in the basement. History repeats itself (naturally) and the creature emerges to stalk and maul anew. This admittedly cool concept and the rather effective monster are dampened a bit by a flippant, tongue-in-cheek attitude (a more ominous, Lovecraftian tone would have been more effective), but makeup-man-turned-director John Buechler shows a definite flair for imbuing his beast with a suitably sinister personality. Observant fans of Charles Band's body of work (yes, they do exist) should spot the numerous visual references to other Band films. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Deborah Mullowney, Brian Robbins, (more)
- 1987
- R
In this fast-paced actioner, a brave young woman must deliver a specially designed, top-secret super-destructo armored motorcycle that runs on oxygen to the US military after the man assigned to deliver it, her lover, is murdered by enemy agents. Soon after finding his body, the woman finds a video he made that tells her how to work the machine and where she must take it. Unfortunately for her, the enemy is out there waiting and determined to steal the bike for themselves. Part of the fun in this film is looking for popular B movie stars from years' past. Such stars include Huntz Hall, Troy Donahue, and Michael Reagan. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Thomas, Jeffrey Combs, (more)
- 1988
- R
This grim sci-fi film presents a dim view of the near future in which humanity has been decimated by a virulent plague. The survivors are rigidly divided into those who are plague-free and those who are dying. The former live in heavily-guarded areas and have most of the wealth and power, while the latter are quarantined. A few people have a fatal but not contagious mutation of the virus. These are the Zero Men, and during their lives they are able to move in an out of the different zones; some of them are mercenaries and when the daughter of a prominent industrialist is kidnapped and taken to the plague zone, it is up to one of these terminally ill soldiers of fortune to save her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wings Hauser, Brion James, (more)
- 1995
- R
In 1934, J. Edgar Hoover and the boys made headlines for mowing down John Dillinger in a hail of bullets outside Chicago's Biograph theater. But in fact, according to this Jon Purdy gangster thriller, the Feds iced Dillinger's brother. Fast-forward five years, when mobster kingpin Al Capone (F. Murray Abraham) gives the real Dillinger (Martin Sheen) an offer he can't refuse: rob millions from a secluded vault or watch his wife and child get whacked. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- R
Doctor Mordrid (Jeffrey Combs) is an interdimensional sorcerer whose earth cover consists of acting as a super for a Manhattan apartment building. He gets word from his contact that a rival sorcerer, Kabal (Brian Thompson), has escaped and is coming to earth to take over the planet. Framed by Kabal for murder, Mordrid is sent to jail where his girlfriend (Yvette Nipar) is the only one who can help him escape -- and prevent the destruction of Earth. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Yvette Nipar, (more)
David Mamet wrote the screenplay for this adaptation of his play about a man who suddenly stumbles into a new and dangerous life. Edmond Burke (William H. Macy) is on his way home from work one evening when he impulsively stops to have his fortune read by a woman who informs him, "You are not where you belong." When he does arrive home, Edmond soon falls into an argument with his wife (Rebecca Pidgeon), and he storms out into the city, where he stops at a bar for a few drinks. There, Edmond finds himself talking with a man (Joe Mantegna) who freely shares his racist views about the role of African-Americans in society, and suddenly Edmond begins letting go of the sense of self-control that has always governed his actions. After a crawl through the city's underbelly of watering holes, strip clubs, gambling dens, and brothels, Edmond comes face to face with the violence of this world, and unexpectedly finds himself responding in kind. Edmond also stars Julia Stiles, Denise Richards, Mena Suvari, Bai Ling, and Dylan Walsh; it was directed by Stuart Gordon, who worked often with David Mamet during their early days at Chicago's Organic Theater Company. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William H. Macy, Julia Stiles, (more)
A man goes to hell and back to avenge the death of the woman he loves in this over-the-top horror story. Troubled artist Jaspers (Mark Frost) is depressed and considering suicide after his girlfriend, an illegal alien, is killed by thugs. Before he can go through with it, Jaspers is visited by a mysterious man calling himself M (Andrew Divoff). M, which is short for Mephistopheles, is an earthly emissary of the Devil, and along with sexy Claire (Monica Van Campen) and devious Dr. Yanamoto (Junix Inocian), he leads a Satanic cult called the Hand. M and his companions persuade Jaspers to join the Hand, and soon Jaspers and other members of the Hand wreak vengeance by staging a mass murder against the men responsible for the death of Jaspers' lover. But Jaspers finds he quite likes ritual murder, and his enthusiasm leads to sloppiness that gets him arrested; he also becomes involved with Claire, which makes him very unpopular with M. As police detective Margolies (Jeffrey Combs) and psychiatrist Jade de Camp (Isabel Brook) try to get some answers about Jaspers' strange and deadly behavior, Jaspers begins to transform himself into a demonic beast in a desperate battle to defeat M before M can kill him. Faust, Love of the Damned was the first feature from the production company Fantastic Factory, formed by American filmmaker Brian Yunza and Spanish financier Julio Fernandez; the film was shot in Spain with an English-speaking cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mark Frost, Isabel Brooke, (more)
An eccentric police detective takes the case after a group of CIA agents go nuts and slaughter a dozen New Orleans cops during a drug bust. Somehow, a television cameraman managed to film the melee. Since then, the poor photo-journalist has been on the run with his damning tape. By the time the detective finds him, the reporter will have been victimized in several devastating ways. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lance Henriksen, Leo Rossi, (more)
Elements of Orwellian science-fiction and old-fashioned prison dramas are combined in this futuristic action film, as an unjustly imprisoned couple attempts to escape from a high-tech jail known as The Fortress. The Fortress is the tool of a repressive government, an imposing, computerized hell, featuring lasers for cell bars, robot guards, computerized brainwashing, and the like. Still, some things never change, including the presence of an evil warden, who harasses the pretty wife while her husband frantically searches for a way out. The special effects and design work are effective, particularly in comparison to the film's modest budget, but the story will undoubtedly seem disappointingly predictable to many viewers. Nevertheless, the film's blend of competent (if unoriginal) action and technology proved enough of a draw to make the film a financial success internationally, though it received little notice in the United States. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lambert, Loryn Locklin, (more)
This uneven attempt at horror parody, direced by Norman Thaddeus Vane, gets off to a fairly promising start with a fun performance from Ferdinand Mayne (the imposing lead vampire in Roman Polanski's Fearless Vampire Killers) as the impossibly flamboyant horror superstar Conrad Radzoff -- whose idea of a memorable promotional stunt for his latest film involves the murder of its director. Though this proves a hard act to follow, Radzoff manages to do so by kicking the bucket himself. Then enter the annoying young members of a horror-film society who decide to steal Radzoff's corpse to use as a macabre centerpiece at their next hootenanny. Big mistake. Mrs. Radzoff is none too pleased and consults a spirit medium to reanimate her husband's body and avenge the desecration of his crypt. Sadly, what began as a clever comic nod to horror films of yore (and their die-hard fans in particular) collapses completely into routine slasher formula as Radzoff floats his coffin around the house in pursuit of his enemies, dispatching them in outrageously gory ways. Distributors released a title on video, shortly after the run of this film, entitled 'Frightmare II.' It was in fact a 1974 Pete Walker film all but unrelated to this one and erroneously advertised as the sequel to Vane's film. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ferdy [Ferdinand] Mayne
The production team responsible for the twisted cult classic Re-Animator -- including director Stuart Gordon and producer Brian Yuzna -- returned the following year with this equally depraved (perhaps more so) follow-up, based once again (and very loosely) on the pulp-horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. Also returning to the fray is Jeffrey Combs, here playing the mild-mannered Crawford Tillinghast, apprentice to the dangerously obsessed Dr. Pretorious (Ted Sorel) and co-inventor of an enigmatic and ominous-looking device known as "The Resonator" -- a machine designed to stimulate the vestigial sensory apparatus contained within the human pineal gland. Such stimulation allows participants to "see" the slimy creatures which occupy a dimension parallel to our own, but with some chilling side effects -- the first of which being that the interdimensional vision works both ways. When a powerful sentient force devours Pretorious and assumes his consciousness, Tillinghast panics and destroys the Resonator -- soon to find himself in a padded cell, accused of his mentor's murder. Called to the case are Dr. McMichaels (Barbara Crampton, another Re-Animator alum) and amiable cop Bubba Brownlee (Dawn of the Dead's Ken Foree), who escort Tillinghast back to the shattered laboratory in an attempt to corroborate his deranged account by re-creating the experiment. Their attempts are all too successful, and the Pretorious-thing emerges to take control of the reactivated Resonator and draw the others into its hideous realm. Also called forth are the participants' darkest sexual desires -- another interesting by-product of pineal stimulation -- and, in Tillinghast's case, an uncontrollable urge to devour human brains. Just when it seems it can't get any weirder...it does. Gordon explores this demented scenario with relish, allowing nearly every scene to go completely over the top into surreal mayhem while retaining the dark brooding sense of menace characteristic of Lovecraft's work. (It's not likely, however, that the author's dignified upbringing would have explored the psychosexual dimensions of the premise -- at least not in the kind of detail seen here.) All manners of perversities abound, accompanied by the wizardry of four dueling special-effects studios and the rich, creepy score by Richard H. Band, bringing the film to a literally explosive climax and a chillingly poetic final shot. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, (more)
The horror film Hammerhead concerns a scientist who creates a creature with the fused DNA of a man and a killer shark. His fellow scientists send him to a deserted island as punishment, but the creature is on the prowl and looking to get revenge for his creator. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
In this involved send-up of two American icons -- the automobile and the tourist trap -- the tiny Florida town of Ticlaw strives desperately for success after it has been denied the most essential of all tourist amenities -- a freeway exit. The insane, and mostly successful, schemes of the mayor (William Devane) and other distinctly unbalanced citizens interrupt, often hilariously, the lives of various eccentric travellers forced into a place they never intended to be. Critics disagree violently on whether this is a neglected classic or sophomoric nonsense. The winning record of director (John Schlesinger) (Midnight Cowboy, Marathon Man, Cold Comfort Farm, etc.,) and first-class performances by William Devane, Beau Bridges, Beverly D'Angelo, Hume Cronyn, JessicaTandy and a plethora of great character actors -- not to mention the water-skiing elephant and the wild rhino -- argue that it's worth a look. ~ Michael P. Rogers, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Beau Bridges, Hume Cronyn, (more)
In this remake of William Castle's campy 1958 classic, an eccentric millionaire named Steven Price invites a diverse group of people to a reputedly haunted mansion that was formerly the site of an insane asylum. Steven offers his guests $1,000,000 each if they can spend the entire night at the old house without fleeing in terror. It sounds simple enough, but when those stories about ghosts haunting the mansion turn out to be true, the guests may no longer opt to stick around. In this version, Steven is played by Geoffrey Rush, and his guests include Jeffrey Combs, Taye Diggs, Peter Gallagher, Chris Kattan, and Bridgette Wilson; Famke Janssen plays Evelyn Price. Sadly, this remake does not feature the original's memorable special-effects gimmick, "Emergo," an inflatable plastic skeleton that rolled on wires through the theater during showings. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, (more)
- 1991
In the first half of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single two-hour "special"), Hunter (Fred Dryer) must deal with not one but two serial killers. The first one chased a pretty coed into into the street, where she was struck and killed by a drunk driver; the second one recognized the driver and has hatched an elaborate extortion scheme. Meanwhile, officer Joanne Molenski (Darlanne Flugel) undergoes another personal crisis which ends up costing her her job. Los Angeles police chief Daryl Gates appears as himself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
