Tim Curry Movies
For several years, the name of British actor Tim Curry was known only to the privileged few who'd seen his performance as transvestite mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter in the stage and screen versions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. By one of those wondrous quirks of fate, the 1975 Rocky Horror film was resuscitated from its disappointing initial run and became the archetypal "midnight movie," and for nearly two decades its faithful fans have lined up in front of theaters in bizarre costumes and makeup, toting toilet paper and toast (suitable for throwing at the screen). Unlike these fans, Curry was not content to relive his past triumphs, but moved on to such prestige assignments as the role of Mozart in the Broadway production of Amadeus and the part of William Shakespeare in a TV movie biography. A polished farceur, Curry was seen at his best in comedy film roles, notably the repressed music teacher in Oscar (1991) and the supercilious concierge in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992). But audiences must have their villains, and Curry has aimed to please in such insidious roles as Cardinal Richelieu in 1993's Three Musketeers (possibly the most lascivious Richelieu ever -- so much so that Milady De Winter pulls out a knife and threatens to "change his religion.") Curry's heart remained in the theater, and for an unfortunately short period in the early '90s he excelled in the Peter O'Toole role in a musical stage version of the 1982 film My Favorite Year. He has also contributed his vocal talents to such animated cartoon series as Peter Pan and the Pirates, winning an Emmy for his con brio portrayal of Captain Hook. Curry's reputation preceded him when he was hired to give voice to a nasty character on Hanna-Barbera's Paddington Bear cartoon series in 1988; appropriately, even the character's name was Mr. Curry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The first of several films based on Tom Clancy's "Jack Ryan" technothrillers, Hunt for Red October stars Alec Baldwin as eccentric CIA analyst Ryan and Sean Connery as Soviet submarine commander Marko Ramius. Ramius sets the plot in motion when he murders his political adviser, burns his orders, and steers his sub Red October towards American waters, hoping to defect. The CIA, aware that the Red October was about to embark on an evasive mission to demonstrate its ability to avoid detection and fire its nuclear missiles upon U.S. installations, believes that Ramius is insane, and that he plans to start World War III. To cover their own behinds, the Russians back up the CIA's suspicion. Only Jack Ryan believes that Ramius' mission is not as apocalyptic as it seems -- and it is Ryan who is assigned to infiltrate the Red October to prove his theory. The sort of film that in an earlier era would have been called a "thinking man's thriller," The Hunt for Red October ushered in a new series of Hollywood-produced post-Cold War adventure films, including 1995's Crimson Tide. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, (more)
- 1988
When Claire (Linda Kozlowski) learns her grandmother has been bilked out of $50,000 by the crooked televangelists Ray (Tim Curry) and Darla Porter (Annie Potts), she recruits her redneck boyfriend Jesse (Bill Paxton) to help recover the money. They travel to the Tower of Bethlehem deep in the Arkansas woods to break into the studio and hold the hosts of the show hostage. This timely comedy came in the wake of scandals involving real-life televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker and Jimmy "I Have Sinned" Swaggert. Neil Cohen and Joel Cohen wrote the screenplay. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Paxton, Linda Kozlowski, (more)
- 1988
Based on the classic children's book by William Steig, this animated film is the story of a noble mouse who -- while chasing his wife's scarf during a storm -- is swept away to a deserted island. Abel, who has been coddled and waited on since birth, has to rely on his wits and sorely underused common sense to survive. Featuring the voice of Tim Curry, the video can be used in an author study unit or as a literary supplement to the book. Recommended for ages seven and up. ~ Heather M. Fierst, All Movie Guide
Jill Murphy's children's story The Worst Witch is given satisfactory treatment in this amiable film fantasy. The scene is a school for witches, where the head sorceresses offer a liberal black-arts curriculum. Problems occur when one of the students turns out to be too good for her own good. And, as everybody knows, the best people make the worst witches. Veterans Diana Rigg and Charlotte Rae generously share screen time with such engaging comparative newcomers as Fairuza Balk. The 70-minute Worst Witch is ideal TV fare for the Halloween season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this spoof of McCarthy-era paranoia and 1950s wholesomeness, the characters and plot are drawn from the popular Parker Brothers board game of the same name. On a dark and stormy night in 1954, six individuals with ties to Washington are assembled for a dinner party at the swanky mansion of one Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving). Boddy's butler, Wadsworth (Tim Curry), assigns each guest a colorful name: Mr. Green (Michael McKean), Col. Mustard (Martin Mull), Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan), Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd), Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren), and Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn). Two additional servants, the Cook (Kellye Nakahara) and Yvette, the maid (Colleen Camp), assist Wadsworth as he informs the guests that they have been gathered to meet the man who has been blackmailing them: Mr. Boddy. When Boddy turns up dead, however, the guests must try to figure out who killed him so they can protect their own reputations and keep the body count from growing. Three separate endings were filmed for Clue and shown in different theaters; all three are collected for the video edition. Although the film is set in the 1950s, the original Clue game was actually devised by Anthony Pratt, a clerk in Leeds, England, to pass the time during World War II air-raid drills. First released in 1946 under the name Cluedo by British manufacturer Waddington's, Clue was renamed and released in the U.S. in 1949. Today, Clue/Cluedo is marketed in 70 countries around the world and has been adapted into a British game show and an off-Broadway musical. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, (more)
This beautifully staged and costumed fantasy is about young Jack (Tom Cruise) and his lady love Princess Lili (Mia Sara), and how Jack battles Darkness (Tim Curry) to save both the Princess and the world. When the peasant Jack takes Princess Lili to see the unicorns, the strongest animals around, he does not know that Darkness, with his cloven hooves, yellow eyes, and red skin plans on using Lili as bait to weaken the unicorns which he does -- and plunge the world into an ice age. Soon after that disaster, Darkness captures Lili and, Jack has to rally his elves and elvettes to rescue her and subdue Darkness at the same time. As one might guess, this fantasy is strong on visual elements but a little shaky on plot. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, (more)
- 1984
An excellent vehicle to showcase the talents of Tim Curry, this comedy by Colin Bucksey casts Curry as Larry Gormley, an actor who has never really had the break he so desperately wants -- though whether or not his talent is up to the task is another question. Larry drives a cab in-between auditions, which essentially makes him a cab driver with acting aspirations. When one shot at stardom falls through because his producer promptly drops dead, Larry has a bit of apparent good fortune drop into his lap. A fare of dubious business affiliation accidentally leaves a stash of cash in his suitcase in the back of Larry's hack. Recognizing the brass ring when he sees it, Larry grabs the ill-gotten dough and takes off, quickly and disastrously followed by the Mob and the IRA. Chased to Dublin, Larry passes himself off as a nun or worse, all in order to evade his murderous pursuers. Fast-paced and funny, viewers should also enjoy Curry's interpretations of Mick Jagger and Elvis. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Debby Bishop, (more)
- 1983
A writer displays a troubling streak of opportunism in his personal and professional lives in this British drama. As the Falkland Islands war rages, journalist and aspiring historical writer James Penfield (Jonathan Pryce) is working on a book that will examine the 1965 Suez crisis in a manner compatible with the current political climate. James is also pursuing Susan Barrington (Charlie Dore), a documentary filmmaker whose mother Ann (Rosemary Harris) is a noted expert on the Suez crisis and an outspoken leftist. While James has assured his publisher that his book will take a conservative view, he tells Susan and Ann that he's a socialist and that his book will reflect that position as he attempts to glean information from them. James also sleeps with Ann as his relationship with Susan hits a rough patch, but he isn't especially forgiving when he discovers that Susan has had a fling with Jeremy Hancock (Tim Curry), a tabloid journalist who has worked with both of them. The Ploughman's Lunch includes a sequence where the characters attend the 1982 Conservative Party conference, which was shot at the actual event (and includes a speech Margaret Thatcher delivered to the assembled Tories). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jonathan Pryce, Tim Curry, (more)
- 1982
Clive Donner directs Oliver Twist, the 1982 made-for-TV version of the classic Dickens novel. Richard Charles plays Oliver Twist, an orphan boy who gets kicked out of his juvenile workhouse when he asks for some more food. He is sent to work as an apprentice, but he quickly escapes and joins a group of other orphaned boys. They spend the day pickpocketing and commiting petty street crime in order to survive and bring home earnings to their leader, Fagin (George C. Scott). Eventually, Oliver picks the pocket of the wealthy Mr. Brownlow (Michael Hordern), who takes him in as his ward. However, the evil Bill Sikes (Tim Curry) kidnaps him back to continue working with the other pickpockets. The barmaid Nancy (herie Lunghi) helps Oliver escape, but she ultimately suffers the concequences of her actions. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
This family classic is adapted from the Broadway musical, which was based on the comic strip Little Orphan Annie. During the Great Depression in New York City, a plucky red-haired scrapper named Annie (Aileen Quinn) is the voice of hope for her fellow orphans who live under the supervision of drunken floozy Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett). Annie's spirit is fueled by the belief that her real parents dropped her off at the orphanage with a half of a locket, promising to return for her with the other half. One day, the dingy orphanage is visited by the sophisticated Grace Farrell (Ann Reinking), personal secretary to conservative politician Oliver Warbucks (Albert Finney). In order to improve his image, Grace brings Annie to the Warbucks estate for a weeklong visit. Annie quickly wins the hearts of servants and politicians alike, eventually even bringing her song of hope, "Tomorrow," to President Roosevelt in Washington. Warbucks and Grace even go so far as to perform a public search for Annie's parents, creating an opportunity for Miss Hannigan, Rooster (Tim Curry), and Lily (Bernadette Peters) to scam their way to the reward money. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, (more)
- 1981
Two runaway teens face life on the streets in New York City with a devil-may-care attitude and a punk-rock image. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Trini Alvarado, (more)
- 1978
- R
An asylum director begins telling a visitor to a cricket game the story of one of his "better" patients, Crossley (Alan Bates) who is able to compete. Some time previously, Crossley accosted Anthony (John Hurt), a composer, just after church and was for some reason invited to dinner. Once at the composer's home, he tells the story of his unusual upbringing among Australian Aborigines, and of the awful and strange gifts this has left him with. Among them is the ability to bring about another's death by using a certain kind of shout. The next morning, he begins to weave an erotic spell on the composer's wife Rachel (Susannah York), and then proves his killing ability on a sheep in a field. His influence increasingly disrupts their peaceful lives, until in a confrontation, the composer finds a way to best Crossley - but which results in his being placed in a mental institution. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Bates, Susannah York, (more)
- 1978
Written by the prolific John Mortimer, the British drama series Will Shakespeare focused on the Bard of Avon's formative years. Deftly mixing fact with fancy, the story concentrates on such elements as the marriage of young Will (played by Tim Curry, no less) to the older and more affluent Anne Hathaway (Meg Wynn Owen) and his hot-and-cold relationship with rival playwright Christopher Marlowe (Ian McShane). Andre Morell provided an amusing turn as Shakespearean actor Edward Alleyn, while Patience Collier was seen as the playwright's erstwhile patron Queen Elizabeth. The six episodes comprising Will Shakespeare were first broadcast from June 13 to July 18, 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Ian McShane, (more)
- 1975
- R
This low-budget freak show/cult classic/cultural institution concerns the misadventures of Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) inside a strange mansion that they come across on a rainy night. After the wholesome pair profess their love through an opening song, their car breaks down in the woods, and they seek refuge in a towering castle nearby. Greeting them at the door is a ghoulish butler named Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien), who introduces them to a bacchanalian collection of partygoers dressed in outfits from some sort of interplanetary thrift shop. The host of this gathering is a transvestite clad in lingerie, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a mad scientist who claims to be from another planet. With assistants Columbia (Nell Campbell) and Magenta (Patricia Quinn) looking on, Frank unveils his latest creation -- a figure wrapped in gauze and submerged in a tank full of liquid. With the addition of colored dyes and some assistance from the weather, Frank brings to life a blonde young beefcake wearing nothing but skimpy shorts, who launches into song in his first minute of life. Just when Brad and Janet think things couldn't get any stranger, a biker (Meat Loaf) bursts onto the scene to reclaim Columbia, his ex-girlfriend. When Frank kills the biker, it's clear that Brad and Janet will be guests for the night, and that they may be next on Frank's list -- whether for murder or carnal delights is uncertain. And just what is that mystery meat they're eating for dinner, anyway? In addition to playing Riff Raff, O'Brien wrote the catchy songs, with John Barry and Richard Hartley composing the score. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, (more)
- 1975
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
