Kenneth Cranham Movies

Inspired by Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist, Lionel Bart's 1961 London and Broadway musical hit glossed over some of Dickens' more graphic passages but managed to retain a strong subtext to what was essentially light entertainment. For its first half-hour or so, Carol Reed's Oscar-winning 1968 film version does a masterful job of telling its story almost exclusively through song and dance. Once nine-year-old orphan Oliver Twist (Mark Lester) falls in with such underworld types as pickpocket Fagin (Ron Moody) and murderous thief Bill Sykes (Oliver Reed), it becomes necessary to inject more and more dialogue, and the film loses some of its momentum. But not to worry; despite such brutal moments as Sikes' murder of Nancy (Shani Wallis), the film gets back on the right musical track, thanks in great part to Onna White's exuberant choreography and the faultless performances by Moody and by Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger. The supporting cast includes Harry Secombe as the self-righteous Mr. Bumble and Joseph O'Conor as Mr. Brownlow, the man who (through a series of typically Dickensian coincidences) rescues Oliver from the streets. Oliver! won six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and a special award to choreographer Onna White. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Warren Mitchell stars in All the Way Up as a dimwitted British salesman. Though a bit shy in the brains department, Mitchell has hopes of climbing the corporate ladder. To do this, he tries to whip his addled family into a semblance of social acceptability. This being a comedy, Mitchell soon learns that his high-society aspirations are not only beyond his reach, but also not worth all the bother. All the Way Up was based on Semi-Detached, a play by David Turner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

St. Francis of Assisi was an extraordinarily complex and difficult figure whose effect on his contemporary society was electrifying. Even today, many people are moved by his visionary message of universal toleration. Twelfth-century Italy had an exceptionally grim and regimented society, but the barefoot monk from Assisi undoubtedly had the courage that comes from deep faith and was able to transcend the oppressiveness of the time. In this Italian/British-produced film, director Franco Zeffirelli attempts to bring his vision of this great man to the screen. The contemporary (1970s) example of the hippie movement contributed a great deal to the style in which the story is told. The musical score, using ancient Italian melodies, was arranged by Donovan. The film is visually beautiful in a way which tends to minimize the squalor of the times. As the movie begins, Francis (Graham Faulkner) is the son of wealthy merchants, and enjoys his share of wine, women and song without serious thought. When war and disease devastate his neighborhood, Francis undergoes an anguished transformation which culminates in his appearing before the local bishop and removing his clothes to renounce his previous life and family before dedicating himself to God. The culminating dramatic moment is Francis' appearance before Pope Innocent III (Sir Alec Guinness), to make his case for an independent religious order under new rules. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Tony Richardson attempts to re-create the glory days of Tom Jones in this adaptation of the 1742 Henry Fielding novel. Peter Firth stars in this picaresque tale as Joseph Andrews, a young servant switched at birth who undergoes a series of romantic escapades. Joseph even has the fortune of becoming the personal footman to Lady Booby (Ann-Margaret). Joseph's romantic peccadilloes cause consternation among a collection of stuffy noblemen and women in 18th-century England. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

A woman starting a new life in a new land finds that fate has some unpleasant surprises in store in this made-for-TV drama. Ceci is a young woman in her teens who has decided to leave her home in Great Britain and strike out on her own in rugged New Zealand. While Ceci finds fortune in this unfamiliar land, a dark cloud seems to follow her on her journey, as a loveless marriage, unexpected death, and a terrible financial blunder leaves her in worse straits than when she started. Originally produced as a mini-series for British television, Heart of the High Country stars Valerie Gogan, David Letch, and Kenneth Cranham. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Based on the novel by Marion Meade, this costume drama retelling of the doomed 12th century romance of Abelard and Heloise was directed by Clive Donner. Abelard (Derek de Lint) is a philosophy professor at the cathedral school of Notre Dame. Considered the greatest teacher in Paris at a time when professors of philosophy are required to be chaste, Abelard is a champion of reason and a man of the people. Despite what it could mean to his career and standing, however, Abelard falls in love with a student, Heloise (Kim Thomson), an upper class teenage girl raised in a convent and possessing an insatiably curious intellect, along with a rebellious attitude toward the second-class status of women in her society. When word of the relationship begins to filter out, Heloise's ambitious uncle Fulbert (Denholm Elliott), who had hoped to marry her off to a wealthy gentlemen, schemes to end the romance, as does the bishop of Paris (Bernard Hepton). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Horror fantasist Clive Barker, director of the original Hellraiser, maintained creative control over this worthy sequel as executive producer, but was unable to occupy the director's chair due to his involvement on other projects. His creative touch is still quite evident here, as the original film's story is expanded in scope and intensity. The story picks up immediately after the events of the original, with the mentally unbalanced Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) confined to a mental hospital after her experiences in the hellish domain of the grotesque Cenobites, which included the gruesome death of her father. Her case attracts the attention of hospital director Dr. Channard (Kenneth Cranham), whose marked interest in her story has more than a little to do with his research into the occult. The chief focus of this extracurricular activity seems centered on his impressive collection of puzzle boxes, many of which are versions of the Lament Configuration -- the device which opens the gateway to the Cenobites' dimension. To further realize his diabolical obsession, Channard conducts grisly human sacrifices to resurrect the body of Kirsty's evil stepmother, Julia (Clare Higgins) -- who has literally been through hell and back. He also recruits mute autistic patient Tiffany (Imogen Boorman), an expert at solving puzzles, to decipher the correct version of the box.

Haunted by visions of her mutilated father suffering in hell, Kirsty joins Tiffany in hopes of rescuing him from the Cenobites' dimension. Tiffany gains them access to the portal, and they make the nightmarish journey down the corridors of hell. Narrowly escaping the diabolical Pinhead (Doug Bradley), they come face to face with Julia, who has already handed Dr. Channard over to the Cenobites to be transformed into a hideous new creation. First-time director Tony Randel acquits himself nicely, and seems to have a real flair for the surreal material; the script by longtime Barker collaborator Peter Atkins elaborates on elements only hinted at in its predecessor. It should follow that the slightly larger budget would allow ample room for this expansion, but the production values actually appear somewhat slimmer. What the film lacks in refined style it makes up for in utter dementia, particularly in its depiction of graphic bloodletting -- numerous scenes were trimmed or deleted altogether in order to obtain an R rating from the MPAA. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Filmed in Britain, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit stars Charlotte Coleman as a champing-at-the-bit teenager named Jess. The girl's domineering mother (Geraldine McEwan), a religious fanatic, wants Jess to become a missionary; to that end, she refuses to allow the girl any friends her own age. Jess' father has nothing to say in the matter--indeed, he has had nothing to say to anyone for years. The girl's growing awareness of her own sexuality (depicted in steamy detail) flies in the face of her mother's carefully orchestrated plans. Funny in a dark sort of way, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit was first seen in America over the Arts and Entertainment cable service in late 1990. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Chimera was originally produced for Britain's BBC television network. The title creature is a half man, half ape (Douglas Mann), the product of a hush-hush government project. Journalist John Lynch gets wind of the experiment when his girlfriend dies in a fertility clinic explosion. At the center of things is a mad-as-a-hatter scientist, whom the government continues to protect until it's almost Too Late. Christine Kavanaugh costars in this new twist on the old Frankenstein story. Chimera premiered in the US over the A&E Cable service on November 1, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Rick and Marian have been married for a few years now, and the bloom is definitely off the rose; sex is definitely not what it used to be. Marian is concerned about that. So, it seems, is Rick. When she dresses in some extremely suggestive lingerie, she comes to bed only to discover that her husband is similarly clothed -- complete with makeup and a wig. After she overcomes her initial shock, she is happy to discover that this new revelation is just the thing to put the zing back in their relationship. "Lippy," in the argot of the region, is short for "lipstick." One might not think that the grimy manufacturing town of Liverpool would have a very active social life for transvestites, but Rick shows Marian a side of life she never even imagined before. When her conservative dad gets wind of it somehow, he is all disapproval, but her mother, too, has been looking for a way to spice up her life... ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Set in South London, this surreal and atmospheric low-budget film takes an interesting approach to the vampire genre by focusing almost exclusively on the emotions of its tormented central character: reclusive, intellectual vampire Alex (Julian Sands). Alex chooses to prey only on criminals and street derelicts, devoting more of his time to pursue a greater hunger for books on the occult, a passion surpassed only by his tragic love for a beautiful woman whom he lost to his ancient rival, the vampire-hunting Edgar (Kenneth Cranham). Alex's past returns to haunt him in more ways than one: as he enters a tenuous relationship with a quiet, morose librarian (Suzanna Hamilton) whose sad-eyed beauty reminds him of his lost love, the still-vindictive Edgar -- now a vampire himself -- returns to settle the score by abducting her. Though leisurely paced, this seldom-seen sleeper is driven by excellent performances, gorgeous photography, and a simple but compelling script that artfully combines subtle chills with bittersweet romance (including fitting excerpts from Edgar Allan Poe's "Annabel Lee"), all draped in a fog-bound Gothic ambience of dripping candles, billowing curtains, and crumbling stone pillars. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Two lonely people learn to say it with flowers in this romantic drama. Lisa (Mary Stuart Masterson) is a business executive who has gotten used to being alone but doesn't like it very much; she was abandoned by her birth parents, and then spent most of her childhood being raised by Stanley (S.A. Griffin), an abusive foster father, after her adopted mother died. One day, Lisa gets word that Stanley has died; alone in her apartment, she breaks down and cries uncontrollably. Later the same day, Lisa gets an unexpected delivery of a dozen roses from a secret admirer. Puzzled, Lisa presses the delivery man for information on who might have sent her the flowers, and he confesses -- he sent them himself. Lewis (Christian Slater) runs a flower shop and often takes long walks through the neighborhood, trying to lose his memories of his deceased wife and child. He saw Lisa crying in her window and hoped the roses would cheer her up. Before long, Lisa and Lewis begin dating, but both have some emotional issues to resolve before their story can have a happy ending. This film offers your only opportunity of the moviegoing week to hear someone say, "Oh, there's nothing worse than a finicky agapanthis." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Texas-born documentary filmmaker Stephen Purvis made his feature directorial debut with this comedy-drama, loosely based on the stage production, In the West -- a series of monologues written and performed by a group of Texas actors. Purvis and his co-scripters Jesse Sublett and Tom Huckabee) gave this material a clever unifying thread by introducing two British documentary filmmakers who interview a variety of locals in Austin. Recalling the films of Nick Broomfield (Heidi Fleiss, Hollywood Madam), the duo has an assignment from the BBC. As filmmaker Robert Flaherty (Kenneth Cranham of The Boxer) -- an obvious nod to the real-life Robert Flaherty who filmed the classic Nanook of the North (1921) -- and his younger wife Kate Markham (Amanda Root of Persuasion) film the interviews, they find tensions and conflicts threatening their marriage and partnership. Original In the West cast members appear as Austin eccentrics, including a deer hunter (Lou Perryman), a "wild child" (Tim Mateer), a woman (C.K. McFarland) with no regrets over losing both husband and son in a oil rig explosion, and a guard-dog salesman (Marco Perella). Texas music heard on the soundtrack includes Lyle Lovett's "That's Right (You're Not From Texas)" plus tunes by Willie Nelson and Marcia Ball. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide