John Burrows Movies

A decade of wisecracking sequels have not diminished the power of this striking horror film from the director of Scream. Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop's daughter (Heather Langenkamp) traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger (Robert Englund), who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers' children, claiming their lives as his revenge. The teenaged leads are sympathetic and intelligent, unlike the dumb victims presented in most films of the period, and they are ably backed up by veterans like John Saxon and Ronee Blakley. Director Wes Craven creates moments of real dread by examining the line between nightmares and reality, as well as the "sins of the parents" theme, and although the film is quite gory, it never resorts to cheap bloodletting for its effect. A unique and disturbing experience, this film is highly recommended for horror buffs. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Made for British television, the 1975 Three Men in a Boat is the latest filmization of the timeworn Jerome K. Jerome comic novel. The plot remains the same: a trio of Englishmen take a boat excursion along the Thames during a two-week holiday. The trio experiences several amusing misadventures especially when they meet three lovely female landlubbers. Starring in this 64-minute adaptation are Tim Curry (as Jerome K. Jerome), Michael Palin and Steven Moore. Additional (and often very esoteric) dialogue has been added by adaptor Tom Stoppard, of Rosencranz and Guildenstern are Dead fame. Previous versions of Three Men in a Boat were produced in 1933 and (most memorably) 1958. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A Seminole Indian and Vietnam veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome uses his cold-blooded companions to seek vengeance against the people who killed his father in this horrific frightener from director William Grefe. Tim Ochopee (Chris Robinson) has been deeply scarred by his battlefield experiences. Upon finishing his tour of duty and returning to his home in the Everglades, all Tim wants is to live peacefully in the wilderness with his pet snake "Stanley." Upon discovering that his father has been killed under suspicious circumstances, however, Tim finds Stanley a mate and begins breeding the pair. Before long, Tim has a shack full of hungry snakes just waiting for a decent meal. That meal comes when Tim decides to sick his slithering friends in slimy snakeskin manufacturer Richard Thompkins (Alex Rocco). Infuriated that Tim would refuse his offer to purchase the snakes and transform them into tacky apparel, Thompkins hires a psychotic hitman (Paul Avery) to put the snake-loving vet in the ground. But Thompkins and his volatile gun for hire have underestimated the unusual bond that Tim shares with his snakes. Now, as Tim and his serpents come out to play, the poison begins to flow and the screaming starts. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Rod Steiger is the screen's first "method mobster" in the title role of Al Capone. The film traces Big Al's progress from a torpedo in the hire of Chicago gangster Johnny Torrio (Nehemiah Persoff) to Capone's takeover of the Windy City's bootlegging operations, and his ultimate downfall at the hands of the IRS. Rod Steiger delivers every line with maniacal gusto, as though it will be his last; sometimes he sounds like Frank Gorshin doing a Rod Steiger impression, but for the most part it is a dynamite performance. Featured in the cast are Murvyn Vye as Bugs Moran, Joe De Santis as Big Jim Colosimo, Lewis Charles as Hymie Weiss, Robert Gist as O'Banion, and James Gregory and Martin Balsam as composite characters, respectively based on honest Chicago cop John Siege and duplicitous newspaper reporter Jake Lingle. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide