Matthew Barr Movies
- 1989
The Forgotten deserves at least a small niche in TV history as the first-ever TV movie made especially for the USA cable network. Based on a story by Vietnam veteran Paul Staples, the film concerns six American Green Berets, held for 17 years in a Vietnamese POW camp. They are finally released in secret, during a delicate trade-talk session between Vietnam and the United States. Keith Carradine, the ex-prisoners' CO, begins to suspect that government-man Stacy Keach, who is in charge of the debriefing, may be pursuing a hidden agenda that will result in the early deaths of Carradine and the five men under his command. Stacy's brother James Keach directed Forgotten and also co-wrote the script with another of his stars, Steve Railsback. First aired April 26, 1989, The Forgotten set the "viewer discretion" standard for all future USA TV movies with its grim flashback sequences depicting the torture methods of the NVA. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
- R
Deadly Blessing, a disappointing effort from famed horror-film director Wes Craven, tells the story of a woman's fight against a religious cult which will not stop at murder. Martha (Maren Jensen) lives alone near a conservative, repressive religious cult led by Isaiah (Ernest Borgnine). Martha's husband was murdered under mysterious circumstances after he left the cult. Martha and her two visiting friends Vicky (Susan Buckner) and Lana (Sharon Stone) find themselves being pressured to live in the area and they begin having nightmares and accidents. Soon more murders begin, and the woman fear for their lives. Craven gets good performances from his cast and bases his plot on the interesting premise of persecution and retribution, but the unsatisfying and implausible ending ruins what suspense he has built. While on the whole, the film is a failure, it has outstanding cinematography by Robert Jessup and a beautiful score composed by James Horner. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maren Jensen, Susan Buckner, (more)
