Craig Wasson Movies
Born in Oregon, Craig Wasson was educated at that state's university. Wasson made his first Broadway appearance in 1975's All God's Chillun Got Wings. Three years later, he made his film bow in Boys from Company C, for which he also wrote and performed a song. His TV credits include continuing roles on Phyllis (1975) and Skag (1980), and the part of Mark Twain in the 1983 "American Playhouse" presentation Innocents Abroad. Craig Wesson is best known to Brian De Palma devotees for his performance as claustrophobic actor Jake Scully in Body Double (1984). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Science must confront a power greater than our own in this unusual sci-fi-thriller. As seismic activities around the world begin going haywire, causing untold damages in major cities and claiming thousands of lives, the President of the United States orders Kasia Czaban, one of his top scientific advisers, and Mason Rand, a leading weapons expert, to investigate the phenomenon and see if it can be stopped. Kasia and Mason's investigation leads them to the Himalayas, where they discover a strange object of otherworldly origin that can generate its own power and water, spawn and support its own life forms, and either extend or extinguish human lives at will. What is this strange item? What is its role in the history of our universe? And can Mason and Kasia unlock its secrets without falling prey to its dangers? Epoch stars David Keith, Stephanie Niznik, Ryan O'Neal, and Shannon Lee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Keith, Ryan O'Neal, (more)
Two teenagers, each dealing with a different set of emotional burdens, find love and understanding with each other in The Last Best Sunday. Lolly Ann (Angela Bettis) is a high-school student in Pickley, a small agricultural community in California where she's growing up under the thumb of her strict, deeply religious mother (Kim Darby). Joseph (Douglas Spain), on the other hand, is struggling to get along without his parents; he came to Pickley with his family as migrant workers, but opted to stay on after his folks left so he could finish his final year of high school and earn his diploma. However, Joseph finds Hispanics are not always welcome here; a pair of bullies beat him savagely, and when he tries to get revenge, he finds town's bigoted sheriff (William Lucking) is after him. On the run, Joseph breaks into what he thinks is an empty house, only to find Lolly Ann at home while her parents are away for the weekend. Once she overcomes her initial fear and distrust, Lolly Ann finds she has a lot more in common with Joseph than she thought, and a grudging respect soon grows into affection. The Last Best Sunday was directed by Don Most, who as Donny Most is best remembered for playing Ralph Malf on the sit-com Happy Days; his former co-star Marion Ross briefly appears in a supporting role. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Spain, Angela Bettis, (more)
One man's fascination with pornography leads him down a path of destruction, hurting both himself and others. In this independent drama, Paul (Michael DeGood) is a young man who has problems with women, who falls into the habit of purchasing pornography and hiring prostitutes. After making a few amateur porn videos on his own, he meets Spano (Craig Wasson), a major producer of adult films who tells Paul he could go far in pornography if he could find the right star. When Paul meets Kate (Katheryn Cain) -- a naive, aspiring actress who has just moved to L.A. -- he thinks he may have found just the right girl to build his career on. But Paul is blind to the dangerous and sordid world he has moved into, and the deeper he goes, the more damage is done to himself and to Kate. Co-star Craig Wasson also served as associate producer for this film, which was shown at the 1999 Santa Barbara Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael DeGood, Craig Wasson, (more)
The discovery of a long-lost relic leads to danger on the high seas in this action-suspense drama. The Icon of Artemis, a rare and highly valuable religious artifact, is uncovered during an archeological dig. The Greek Government immediately lays claim to the piece, and it is soon placed aboard an ocean liner travelling to the Isle of Lesvos, where legend states the Icon belongs. However, an American billionaire, Elgin Bates (Craig Wasson), wants the piece for himself, and he will stop at nothing to get it. Bates hires a team of mercenaries, led by Hans Schuls (Harry Van Gorkum), to raid the ship, steal the Icon, and then sink the vessel once the artifact is safely aboard Bates' submarine. A heavily fortified company of Greek sailors and a representative of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, John Roman (Rob Lowe), put up a brave fight, and in the melee John and his wife, an American archeologist named Chloe (Larissa Miller), are caught in the middle. In the midst of the fighting, an explosion rips a hole in the side of the ship, and Chloe, who has rescued the Icon, is trapped with John in a watertight compartment below deck. As their oxygen runs low, Hans and his men offer to rescue them, but only on the condition that they turn over the Icon to Bates' thugs. Escape Under Pressure was first screened under the streamlined title Under Pressure. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Larisa Miller, Stanley Kamel, (more)
- 1996
Convicted of espionage by the Argathia, O'Brien is punished by having memories of 20 years' imprisonment implanted in his brain. As a result, when he returns to DS9 he is convinced that two decades have passed, and he refuses to be persuaded otherwise. The painful false memories of his prison time not only threaten O'Brien's sanity, but also the safety of his fellow crew members. First broadcast April 15, 1996, "Hard Time" was scripted by Robert Hewitt Wolfe from a story by Daniel Keys Moran and Lynn Barker. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Paul Winfield makes his first series appearance as Special Agent Angel Sam. After completing an assignment in the town of Roxford, Tess (Della Reese) makes a return visit to help Dr. Joanne Glassberg (Talia Balsam) open an AIDs hospice. Unfortunately, Joanne is injured in a bombing masterminded by a group of white supremacists led by Tim Porter (Craig Wasson)--to whom Tess had previously been assigned as a Heavenly caseworker. So angry is Tess over her failure to "convert" Tim that Sam is forced to strip her of her powers and take charge of her next assignment: foiling a hate-mongering politician (John Schneider) who is actually Satan in disguise! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Sociopathic Rae Phillips (Kate Vernon) lives only to avenge the past wrong in her life that made her the monster she is today. Stealing the identity of a woman named Kelly Richards, our "heroine" persuades Kelly's wealthy Southern in-laws that she is the genuine article, and is invited to move in with them permanently. What follows is a steady progression of lies, betrayals and suspicious "suicides", the like of which give a whole new meaning to the phrase "blood relative." Filmed on location in North Carolina, the surprisingly sanguine cable movie The Sister-in-Law made its first USA network appearance on July 12, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kate Vernon, Shanna Reed, (more)
- 1994
This story revolves around piano prodigy Leslie Walden (Jenny Lewis) and her demanding mentor Byron (Ronald Guttman). Believing that Leslie would be nothing without him, Byron bristles at the likelihood that he is losing control of the girl's career. Soon afterward, Byron is found murdered--and it is up to Jessica (Angela Lansbury) to perform a few arpeggios and glissandos (metaphorically speaking, of course) to determine the killer's identity. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
An impoverished African American teen, raised in a grim and desperate Brooklyn project finds himself forced to set aside his dreams in order to face the realities of daily survival. This well-wrought and disturbing portrait of a young man's life was penned by New York Times reporter Dena Kleiman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Filmed for cable TV, Midnight Fear focuses on a down-and-out sheriff (David Carradine) who is investigating a murder and the two suspicious fugitives (Craig Wasson, Page Fletcher) who are linked to the killing. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Filmed on location in France, Italy, Greece, and Egypt, Innocents Abroad was adapted by Dan Wakefield from the 1869 book by Mark Twain. The Twain original was an amusing, semi-satiric account of the author's Grand Tour of Europe and the Holy Land in 1867. Most of the humor derived from the contrast between the iconoclastic Twain and the tacked-on "reverence" of his fellow tourists. The cast includes Craig Wasson as Twain, David Ogden Stiers as a ship's doctor, Barry Morse as Captain Duncan, and-best of all--Luigi Proiette as the glib, effusive tour guide. Innocents Abroad premiered May 9, 1983 on PBS' Great Performances series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Made for television, Why Me? is the true story of Air Force nurse Leola Mae Harmon (Glynnis O'Connor), whose face is all but destroyed in a head-on automobile accident. As Leola recuperates in a military hospital, her will to live is seriously tested, not only by her shattered face, but also by the loss of her unborn child and the breakup of her marriage. The one person who refuses to feel sorry for Leola -- and who, in fact, admires her spunk -- is dedicated plastic surgeon James Stallings (Armand Assante). Persuading Leola to allow him to rebuild her face, Stallings puts his patient through 40 operations in the next four years. Understandably, the film's dramatic impact is greatest in the early sequences, wherein actress O'Connor, her face obscured by bandages (and by Michael Westmore's disturbingly realistic, Emmy nominated makeup), must convey her thoughts and moods through her eyes, her body language, and an occasional incoherent grunt. Why Me? originally aired March 12, 1984, on ABC. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glynnis O'Connor, Armand Assante, (more)
- 1983
It is Charles' (David Ogden Stier turn to handle the collection charities, an assignment he devoutly wishes to dodge. As he tries to pass his responsibilities along to others, things inevitable come full-circle back to him. And on a less amusing note, a GI (Craig Wasson) resents the fact that the North Korean soldier (Dereck Wong) who wounded him has been placed in the bed next to his. A morbid twist results in an outpouring of guilt feelings from a most unlikely source. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
Mildred (Linda Gillin) is a young woman caught in the vise of a gender conflict, made worse by the fact that she has bought into all the female stereotypes against her own nature. Mildred fantasizes about "true love" and is sure that she has found it in the person of Max (Craig Wasson), a super-macho cowboy who whoops it up with the boys at O'Rears. All the bravado cannot disguise an underlying emptiness, but neither can it improve Max's character. He and his overbearing buddies do not have a clue - about anything - and Mildred suffers because of their crass behavior. The more she tries to reach out to Max, the more he mistreats her until one day Mildred ends up injured and in the hospital because of one of Max's crude stunts. He comes to visit her, and at that point, Mildred must either look at the truth or bury herself in a neurotic denial. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Craig Wasson, Linda Gillin, (more)
- 1981
Thornwell was based on a documentary directed by Harry Moses, which formed the nucleus of a 60 Minutes piece. Moses also directed this TV-movie dramatization of the incident, a truly shameful chapter in the history of the American military. James Thornwell (Glynn E. Turman), an African American soldier suspected in 1961 of being a spy, is subjected to an intense, painful, and humiliating interrogation. The Army's grilling tactics are within the accepted boundaries--until it is decided to use Thornwell as a guinea pig for the "mind-expanding" drug LSD. Once released, Thornwell suffers from mental and physical agony which he cannot fully comprehend, because he has no idea that he's been pumped full of the hallucinogenic drug. It is only 16 years later, thanks to the Freedom of Information act, that Thornwell learns what has been done to him. He is awarded a sizeable cash settlement by Congress, but Thornwell makes clear that this is inadequate compensation for two lost decades in a man's life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
When Dr. Peter Fales's (Klaus Kinski) patients start getting annhilated by an unknown serial killer, he and his daughter Alison (Donna Wilkes) both come under suspicion. Part slasher film and part psychological thriller, Schizoid co-stars Marianna Hill as Julie, a syndicated "Dear Abby"-style columnist who also happens to be in one of Dr. Fales's therapy groups. After she receives several ominous letters she not only wonders if Dr. Fales might be behind the killings, she also starts to suspect her estranged husband. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Klaus Kinski, Marianna Hill, (more)
- 1979
The short-lived TV series Skag was introduced with a 3-hour premiere on January 6, 1980. Karl Malden stars as Pete "Skag" Skagska, Pittsburgh steel mill foreman and family man. In the pilot, Skag attempts to deal with several family crises: his father's debilitating stroke, his strained relationships between himself and his two grown sons, and his daughter's sexual misadventures. Suddenly a new crisis looms: Skag himself suffers a stroke, and it looks as though he'll be inactive for a long and indeterminate period. Piper Laurie co-stars as Skag's supportive (but not always patient) wife Jo. While the subsequent Skag series never really took off, this pilot film earned six Emmy nominations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Rollercoaster was a by-product of the brief "Sensurround" craze of the 1970s. Nutsoid Timothy Bottoms sabotages an amusement-park roller coaster, killing several innocent revelers. After several other acts of terrorism, Bottoms (whose character is credited as Young Man) presents his demands to the authorities via audio tape: one million dollars, or he'll stage five roller-coaster disasters simultaneously in five different parks. Because detective Harry Calder George Segal evinces a grudging respect for the elusive extortionist, Bottoms declares that only Detective Calder will be permitted to deliver the money. Thus the stage is set for an explosive climax, which during the film's original run was accompanied by the Sensurround effect, a gimmick that electronically caused the filmgoer's chairs to begin shaking and vibrating during the "thrill scenes." As with most disaster flicks of the era, Rollercoaster is top-heavy with "guest stars," including Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, Harry Guardino, and Susan Strasberg. Watch for 13-year-old Helen Hunt as Detective Calder's spunky daughter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Segal, Richard Widmark, (more)
- 1977
Weary of the exigencies of life in the big city, Bob applies for a professorial post at a small-town college. The institute, located in Iowa, is essentially a farming college, so one can guess the direction of the episode's comic thrust. The supporting cast includes Tresa Hughes as Dr. Doctor (trivia note: Newhart played Major Major in the film version of Catch 22), Richard Libertini as Dr. Pitt, Craig Wasson as Chuck Morgan, Addison Powell as Dr. Scranton, and director James Burrows as a maintenance man. Scripted by Michael Zinberg, "Halls of Hartley" first aired on January 29, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bob Newhart, Suzanne Pleshette, (more)
- 1976
In a rare dramatic appearance, Desi Arnaz Jr. appears as B.J. Palmer, the lead singer of a popular rock group. When the group's avaricious manager David Breen (Conrad Janis) is bludgeoned to death, B.J. is convinced that he himself is the guilty party. After all, the troubled young singer suffers from congenital insanity--or at least, that is what he has been led to believe by certain other parties! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1975
The Silence is based on the true story of Stanley Greenberg, a finer West Point cadet who broke one of the Point's most intimidating traditions. Richard Thomas plays Greenberg, a young man to whom being in the right is something of an obsession. Already an unpopular cadet, Greenberg is accused by of cheating by an upper classman and "invited" to leave West Point. He refuses, whereupon he is subjected to "The Silence:" the other cadets not only refuse to speak to him, but pretend as though he doesn't exist. After two years of this treatment, Thomas hires writer Cliff Gorman to publish the details of his ordeal. The result is the legal elimination of West Point's "Silence;" we should be happy at this, but Richard Thomas' portrayal of Greenburg character is so doggedly obnoxious that we don't care one way or another what happens to him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A boy grows to manhood with revenge on his mind in this martial arts-influenced Western. When John Slaughter (Michael Worth) was a boy, his family was killed by a gang of bloodthirsty outlaws. Twenty years on, Slaughter has become a sure hand with a gun and has learned the mysteries of Asian martial arts. Slaughter tracks down one of the men who killed his parents but is unable to exact revenge upon them; however, he does discover that one of the outlaws. Jack Pickett (Gary Busey) is now the mayor of the town of Ghost Rock and is using his political power to rob his constituents for all their worth. Determined to seek a greater justice than mere personal revenge, Slaughter joins forces with a small band of do-gooders to end Pickett's stranglehold over the town once and for all. Ghost Rock also features supporting performances from Jeff Fahey, Adrienne Barbeau, and James Hong. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Michael Worth, (more)
Former TV Superman Dean Cain stars in this sci-fi horror film reminiscent of James Cameron's 1986 classic Aliens. Boa sets its action in the not-too-distant future, where volatile criminals are shipped off to a place called Facility Number One, a super-high-security prison located -- just to be safe -- in the distant, icy confines of Anarctica. What the prisoners and their wardens don't know, however, is that there's a presence more dangerous than all of them combined: A giant, prehistoric, flesh-eating snake, hibernating in the ground just underneath the facility. When the creature gets a whiff of what's going on above ground, the oversized boa decides it's time for a little light snacking, and the good and bad guys have to join together to escape the carnage. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
In this sci-fi adventure, an honest cop is given an assignment that will supposedly keep him out of trouble, but it soon lands him in a maelstrom of deadly danger. In the year 2150, the economic needs of most people on Earth and the surrounding galaxy are satisfied by on-line exchanges, but a sudden and dramatic wave of electronic crime creates a new demand for cash. As a result, the Federal Banking Ship USF Atlantic regularly ferries $40 billion in paper money from Earth to mining outposts on other planets. When policeman Raymond Stokes (Olivier Gruner) is framed by corrupt colleagues, he is forced to take a security assignment aboard the Atlantic, where Capt. Fenner (Bruce Weitz) and navigator Beth Sheffield (Alicia Coppola) do not go out of their way to make Stokes welcome. But what originally seemed like busy-work for Stokes turns out to be a life-and-death challenge, when a team of interstellar pirates attempts to board the Atlantic and steal their cargo, as a 600 million ton asteroid hurtles through space heading straight for the ship. Velocity Trap also stars Craig Wasson, Ken Olandt, Victor Love, and former child star Moosie Drier. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Olivier Gruner, Alicia Coppola, (more)
