Brad Dourif Movies
Brad Dourif is a quirky character actor whose gallery of killers, sociopaths, and other lost souls brought to life any number of contemporary horror and science fiction projects. Born March 18, 1950, in Huntington, WV, he began his professional acting career after graduating from college, honing his skills during a three-year apprenticeship with New York's Circle Repertory under the celebrated drama coach Sanford Meisner. While appearing off-Broadway in a production of When You Comin' Back, Red Rider?, Dourif was spotted by director Milos Forman, who immediately cast him in his 1975 film adaptation of the Ken Kesey novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Dourif's turn as a suicidal teen asylum inmate was one of the most acclaimed film debuts in memory, earning a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe as well as an Oscar nomination. However, the performance also typecast him as a talent best suited to idiosyncratic, off-center character roles, a straitjacket he remained unable to break from for the duration of his career. He then did not reappear onscreen for another two years before co-starring in the 1977 West German production Gruppenbild mit Dame.Dourif's next major performance came in the 1978 Irvin Kershner thriller The Eyes of Laura Mars, followed by a superb starring turn as a damaged war veteran in John Huston's Wise Blood. Upon completing a supporting role in the 1980 television film Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones, Dourif next surfaced in Michael Cimino's legendary flop Heaven's Gate, the first in a string of big-budget disasters to which the actor was attached including Forman's Ragtime and David Lynch's Dune. A series of low-budget projects followed before Dourif reunited with Lynch for a small role in the director's 1986 masterpiece Blue Velvet. However, no other offers of a similar caliber were immediately forthcoming, and instead he found himself providing the voice of the evil doll Chuckie in the Child's Play series of slasher movies. In the years which followed, Dourif occasionally reappeared in more substantial projects (including the 1988 Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, the 1990 Ken Loach picture Hidden Agenda, and Hanif Kureishi's 1991 directorial debut London Kills Me), but he remained primarily confined to low-budget genre work; additionally, he often guest starred on television, appearing in series including The X-Files, Millennium, and Star Trek: Voyager. In 2001, Dourif took a break from low-budget fright flicks to appear in a decidedly more enormous production, director Peter Jackson's eagerly anticipated Lord of the Rings trilogy. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
- 2011
- NR
Released from prison after serving 22 years for drug smuggling, repentant ex-con Frank Connor (Kenny Johnson) is forced back into a life of crime by his sinister former boss (Brad Dourif) - the powerful owner of a popular inner-city club. Back when Frank got busted, his refusal to talk earned him a stiff prison sentence. More than two decades later, Frank is back on the street, and determined to turn his life around. At first things are looking good; Frank's old partners in crime manage to find him a legitimate job, and he even meets a girl who isn't put off by his shady past. But when Frank's former boss gives him an offer he can't refuse, any thoughts of starting a new life quickly disappear. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kenny Johnson, Erin Daniels, (more)
In a world ravaged by wars between humans and vampires, a renegade priest fights to rescue his niece from the legions of bloodsuckers who seek to transform the young girl into one of them. A battle-weary veteran of the last vampire war, warrior Priest (Paul Bettany) now resides in a heavily fortified city where the ruling Church is a greater menace than any creature of the night. When a pack of vampires abduct Priest's niece (Lily Collins), the vengeful holy man breaks his vows and promises to save the young innocent from a fate worse than death. He can't do it alone, but with a powerful warrior Priestess (Maggie Q) and his niece's boyfriend, a sharp-shooting sheriff (Cam Gigandet), on his side, Priest may have a fighting chance. Stephen Moyer, Karl Urban, and Brad Dourif co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Paul Bettany, Karl Urban, (more)
Three ruthless female outlaws scheme to intercept a lucrative drug shipment for a notorious crime boss, and get drawn into a dangerous series of double crosses. Tes (Malin Akerman), Kara (Nikki Reed) and Tara (Deborah Ann Woll) are the kind of criminals who always get the job done. But when their boss Mel (Bruce Willis) dispatches them on a dangerous mission, a quiet diner becomes the scene of a tense confrontation. Shea Whigham and Brad Dourif co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Forest Whitaker, Bruce Willis, (more)
When the forces of darkness beset a small farming community, a young man takes up his mighty sword to protect an innocent girl and prevent her antique necklace from falling into the hands of a diabolical tyrant. Mathias (Brad Dourif) covets the necklace given to Sarah (Hallee Hirsh) by her uncle (Thomas Ian Nicholas). But Jacob (Jordan Matthews) is determined to protect Sarah. As the young pair is beset by demons, Sarah uncovers a secret that causes her to reconsider her animosity toward her sister (Mackenzie Rosman) and their mother (Elaine Hendrix). Later, as the demons close in on Jacob and Sarah, the young hero realizes he must return to the place where his life was destroyed in order to defeat Mathias once and for all. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jordan Matthews, Hallee Hirsch, (more)
A familiar urban legend gets a chilling new twist when a group of high school friends all receive a chain e-mail claiming that someone close to them will soon die if they fail to keep the message circulating. At first Jessie Campbell (Nikki Reed) thought it might just be a sick joke, but when her friends break the chain and people start to die, she realizes it's only a matter of time until the Chain Man comes to claim her, too. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nikki Reed, Keith David, (more)
A twisted cremator and a teenage misfit strike up an unusual relationship in this independent thriller starring Brad Dourif. Fast approaching 60, Stan (Dourif) has few friends, and earns his living by offering budget cremation services out of his own home. But Stan has a dark secret; little do his neighbors realize, the outwardly frail recluse has taken to stuffing anyone he perceives to be a bully into the incinerator, and lately the fires have been burning particularly bright. Meanwhile, Stan finds a kindred soul in the form of Jarod (Jeremy Sumpter), a local adolescent from a broken family. For Jarod, getting pushed around is just another part of the daily routine - until he goes to work for Stan. Before long, Stan and Jarod are both working overtime to rid their small town of the rougher element. But when local detective Matt Fairchild (Scott Elrod) begins to suspect foul play, Stan must decide whether to make his young employee a full partner, or make sure that he's never heard from again. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brad Dourif, Jeremy Sumpter, (more)
Filmmaker Rob Zombie returns to Haddonfield for this Dimension Films sequel that finds the murderous psychopath Michael Myers (once again played by Tyler Mane) out on the loose again. The film picks up where the last one left off. Laurie Strode (Scout Taylor-Compton) survives an attack by her mental-patient brother, Michael Myers, whom she doesn't know is related to her. On the way to the morgue, the ambulance carrying Michael crashes and, miraculously, the killer survives and heads out into the countryside, his body never recovered by the authorities. In the meantime, the madman's doctor, Samuel Loomis (Malcolm McDowell), has turned into a media whore on the cusp of superstardom with the release of his exposé on the horrific happenings presented in the previous film. As time ticks down to Halloween night, Michael, now living in a barn and urged on by the spirit of his dead mother and his younger self, is driven to seek out his sister once again. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tyler Mane, Scout Taylor-Compton, (more)
- 2009
- R
- Add Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans to Queue Add Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans to top of Queue
Abel Ferrara's cult crime drama Bad Lieutenant is given a sister film with this Werner Herzog-helmed production that takes its inspiration from the original, but focuses on new characters and plotlines. Nicolas Cage steps into Harvey Keitel's mold of a corrupt and drug-addled police officer, with the scummy setting moving from New York City to New Orleans. Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer, and Xzibit co-star in the Nu Image/Millennium Films picture. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, (more)
- 2009
- R
- Add My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done to Queue Add My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done to top of Queue
The first collaboration between legendary filmmakers David Lynch and Werner Herzog, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done is loosely based on the true story of a San Diego man whose mystifying experiences lead him to commit a shocking act of matricide. Michael Shannon, Chloë Sevigny, and Willem Dafoe headline this psychological thriller written and directed by Herzog, produced by Lynch, and featuring Grace Zabriskie, Udo Kier, and Brad Dourif. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Shannon, Chloë Sevigny, (more)
- 2008
- PG13
Oscar nominees Ed Harris and Robert Forster star in self-taught identical twin filmmakers Logan and Noah Miller's autobiographical family drama about a pair of twin brothers who return to their small town after failing to find success as major league baseball players. Their dreams of becoming professional athletes dashed, the brothers attempt to rethink their lives while reconciling their love for their homeless father (Harris). Deeply shamed by their derelict dad's chronic shameful behavior, the brothers find themselves in a personal crisis after going to work at the local rock quarry and having to contend with their ne'er-do-well friends. Forster co-stars as the sympathetic town sheriff in a film also featuring Brad Dourif and Lee Meriwether. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Logan Miller, Noah Miller, (more)
An ambitious and straight-laced young man falls in with a group of stoners and aging hippies in this independent comedy drama. Peter Hadley (Jeremy Strong) is a medical student in his early twenties whose dreams of a residency at a prestigious teaching hospital are dashed when he flunks out of a class taught by his father (Peter Bogdanovich). Trying to blot out his awful day, Peter heads to a jazz club, where he ends up going home with Bogart (Fairuza Balk), the sexy singer with the band. The next day, Peter tags along with Bogart as she pays a visit to her family, and is soon stranded with her aunt and uncle as she heads back into the city. Jack (Brad Dourif) and Rosie (Frances Conroy) are former academics-turned-bohemian dropouts who live in a remote and idyllic community near California's redwood forests, where they support themselves by growing marijuana. Also living with Jack and Rosie are Max (Chris Messina), Bogart's sometime boyfriend, and Charity (Madison Davenport), Max's young daughter. While Peter clearly doesn't fit in with Jack, Rosie, and their friends at first, before long he develops an appreciation and respect for their way of life as he ponders his future, but the risks of their profession become equally clear to him, and Max is looking for a big score so he and Charity can move on. Humboldt Country was the first feature film from the writing and directing team of Darren Grodsky and Danny Jacobs. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jeremy Strong, Fairuza Balk, (more)
A mysterious magician has some very unpleasant secrets in this gory tale of terror. Edmund Bigelow (Kip Pardue) is the publisher of Cacophony Gazette, a journal that covers the cutting edge of art and performance in California. Jaded Bigelow thinks he's seen it all until he and his girlfriend Maggie (Bijou Phillips) take in a show by Montag the Magician (Crispin Glover), who with the help of his sidekick the Geek (Jeffrey Combs) delivers a stomach-turning show in which he brings volunteers on stage and dismembers them, only to have his victims stagger off stage at the end of the show, shaken but still very much alive. Bigelow soon becomes obsessed with Montag's show and wants to know more about him and his illusions, but he suspects that there might be more to the magician's show than he imagined when maimed bodies start appearing all over L.A., and with the help of his pals Jinky (Joshua Miller) and Dr. Chong (Brad Dourif) they discover the bizarre secret behind Montag's hold over his audience. Based on a cult-favorite gore film from Hershel Gordon Lewis, The Wizard of Gore also features several members of the contemporary burlesque troupe the Suicide Girls as Montag's volunteers. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kip Pardue, Bijou Phillips, (more)
The Devil's Rejects director Rob Zombie resurrects one of the most notorious slashers in screen history with this re-imagining of the 1978 John Carpenter classic that spawned numerous sequels and countless imitators. As a child, young Michael Myers (Daeg Faerch) committed one of the most unspeakable crimes imaginable. Subsequently locked in an asylum and placed under the care of Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell), the hollow-eyed boy grew into an emotionless man determined to escape back to his hometown of Haddonfield and complete the murderous mission that he began so many years back. These days, the long-abandoned Myers house sits decrepit and overgrown on a peaceful suburban street, its boarded windows and rotting wood a silent testament to the slaughter that has haunted Haddonfield for decades. Now Michael Myers (Tyler Mane) is back, and as the children of this typical Midwestern town fill the sidewalks for a fun-filled night of tricks and treats, Haddonfield is about to find out that there is no escape from pure evil. Brad Dourif, William Forsythe, Udo Kier, Dee Wallace, Sheri Moon Zombie, Danny Trejo, and Adrienne Barbeau co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Malcolm McDowell, Sheri Moon Zombie, (more)
Just how far will some guys go to pay off a debt? Frank (Jason Lee) and Eddie (Crispin Glover) are a pair of inept would-be wise guys trying to scare up enough money to get out of the small Texas town they call home. They think their ship may have come in when Spider (Pruitt Taylor Vince), a local crime boss, offers them a big payday to drive a truck full of bootlegged cigarettes into Mexico. Frank and Eddie jump at the chance, but soon discover they're been made patsies in a scam when the truck turns out to have been booby-trapped, and by the end of the day they owe Spider a quarter-million dollars. Desperate to raise the cash, Eddie, a part-time gravedigger, hears that an exotic dancer with a rich sugar daddy has recently died, and was buried wearing a valuable diamond necklace. Frank and Eddie then hatch an elaborate scheme to exhume the stripper, swipe the necklace, and hold her remains for ransom. Drop Dead Sexy was the first directorial credit for writer and producer Michael Philip. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Crispin Glover, Jason Lee, (more)
- 2006
- PG13
- Add Pulse to Queue Add Pulse to top of Queue
When wireless technology puts humans into contact with an unstoppable force that's determined to claim the lives of the living for the souls of the damned, it's up to a group of determined teens to close the gate before it's too late in director Jim Sonzero's remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's apocalyptic horror classic. A doorway between the human realm and the spiritual realm has been opened, and now the technology that once made humankind the ruler of the planet has become its digital Achilles heel. With every call made and every e-mail checked, life is slowly being stolen from the living and claimed for the dead. With no way of turning off the connection and no means of reasoning with a force they cannot understand, a desperate group of college students must discover a means of stopping the takeover before the entire planet is transformed into a cosmic haunting ground for wayward souls in search of a home. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kristen Bell, Ian Somerhalder, (more)
Popular comic Wayne Brady stars as a skilled young advertising executive who knows exactly what he wants in a woman, and isn't willing to let his disillusion with the dating scene prevent him from finding true love. Upon assembling a list of attributes that would define his ideal woman, the ambitious adman sets out to see if she truly exists. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Wayne Brady, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, (more)
(Rolling Stone) "The Best Drama on Television" is back with the third season on DVD! Timed to coincide with Father's Day, HBO will release Deadwood: The Complete Third Season DVD on June 12, 2007. Watch as the lawless era of Deadwood comes to an end. This DVD is loaded with bonus features including two featurettes, audio commentaries and more.
- Starring:
- Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, (more)
1877. A new day is dawning in the Black Hills outlaw camp of Deadwood. For better or worse, times are changing, and the transformation from camp to town is imminent. Unsavory new arrivals - looking to cash in on the lucrative anarchy -- and a government of outsiders usher in an era of hard decisions and brutal power struggles among the camp's founders, all learning the hard way...fortune comes with a price.
- Starring:
- Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, (more)
- 2005
Martha (Anna Gunn) and William Bullock (Josh Eriksson), Seth's (Timothy Olyphant) wife and son, make their way to the camp in a coach accompanied by Maddie (Alice Krige), Joanie's (Kim Dickens) new partner in an upscale brothel. In Deadwood, Seth is dealing with a shooting at the No. 10, involving a prank that went wrong. Al (Ian McShane) is angry to learn that the feds have appointed three commissioners to oversee the territory, and all of them are from Yankton. He expects Seth to be playing a prominent role in the camp's future, and is disappointed that Seth seems preoccupied with the worst-kept secret in camp -- his affair with Alma (Molly Parker). Al expresses his disappointment to Seth in the crudest terms, and from the balcony of the Gem, prompting Seth to pay a visit. Al questions Seth about why Alma is sending her gold out of town instead of putting it to use in the camp, but it's too late for rational conversation. Seth is insulted, and is determined to fight with Al. Their brutal combat is interrupted by the arrival of the coach, but not before Dan (W. Earl Brown) intervenes, prompting both Sol (John Hawkes) and Charlie (Dayton Callie) to take a run at Johnny (Sean Bridgers), who, unfortunately, wields a shotgun. Cy (Powers Boothe), meanwhile, is less than thrilled at the new arrivals in camp -- Maddie and her new whores -- and enraged that Joanie did not notify him of her plans, finding another backer for her move. "It's kill you or let you go," Cy tells her as he bitterly mulls his options. "Could I make it with you dead?" ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- 2005
Al (Ian McShane) is apparently suffering from kidney stones, and his health has worsened to the point where he cannot speak. He has locked himself in his office, and writhes on the floor in agony as his minions knock and deliver news, uncertain as to what to do. Francis Wolcott (Garret Dillahunt, who played Jack McCall in season one) arrives in the camp, looking to buy gold claims, and is immediately taken for a fish by E.B. (William Sanderson), who offers to sell Wolcott the last letter written by Wild Bill Hickok, falsely claiming that it makes reference to a massive find. Maddie (Alice Krige) knows precisely who Wolcott is, and tells Joanie (Kim Dickens), who is dismayed to learn that Maddie had a hidden motive for coming to Deadwood. Wolcott is a "specialist" who has a particular fondness for one of Maddie's girls, and who has been known to become violent with whores. He is also a talented geologist in the employ of the ruthless and powerful mining magnate George Hearst, and it's clear that Maddie plans to use his perverse interests against him. Alma (Molly Parker) tells Ellsworth (Jim Beaver) that she's thinking of buying E.B.'s hotel, mainly because she despises E.B. and would like to see him out in the street. She also decides to fire Miss Isringhausen (Sarah Paulson), complaining about the young woman's "air of disapproval." Trixie (Paula Malcomson) asks Sol (John Hawkes) to teach her accounting. Wolcott enlists both E.B. and Cy (Powers Boothe) to circulate rumors about the validity of the camp's gold claims. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
Planet Earth has been decimated, and as mankind searches space for a new planet to inhabit, a race of aliens attempt to make a new home on the now-inhospitable planet abandoned by the human race in director Werner Herzog's strange sci-fi saga. Filmed in collaboration with NASA musician/photographer Henry Kaiser, The Wild Blue Yonder travels light years into the stars, and fathoms deep into the Antarctic Ocean, and speaks with noted scientists to offer a unique view of the universe and a cautionary tale which stresses the importance of preserving our natural resources for future generations. Oscar-nominated actor Brad Dourif plays the role of the alien who arrives on Earth only to discover that the planet hasn't fared much better than the dying world that he once called home. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
When the notoriously evil Chucky doll and his lover gave birth, they had no idea that their spawn would grow up to be a peace-loving kind of guy; however, that's exactly what Glen turns out to be: a gentle soul who is horrified at what he has been told about his family. After hearing the news of a film being made about his parents' murderous legacy, Glen sets off for Hollywood, where he promptly brings Chucky and Tiffany back to life. Far from diving into doting fatherhood, Chucky is seriously disappointed in his son's lack of inherent evil and tries his best to impart his vast knowledge of all things malevolent before Glen becomes some sort of do-gooder. Elsewhere, Tiffany finds that she will be played by Jennifer Tilly in their movie and doesn't hesitate to let her son in on their family's most cherished tradition -- killing sprees. Directed by Don Mancini, Seed of Chucky features Brad Dourif returning as the voice of Chucky, while Tilly plays both herself and Tiffany. The offspring of the evil pair, Glen, is voiced by Lord of the Rings star Billy Boyd. Cult film director John Waters also makes an appearance, as does hip-hop artist Redman. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, (more)
Written and directed by Rolfe Kanefsky, the horror thriller The Hazing begins with a group of college kids attempting to spend the night in a spooky deserted mansion as part of an attempt to pledge fraternities and sororities. A deranged instructor at the college begins murdering the students. Those still alive must figure out not only why they are being murdered, but also if one or more of them are working with the evil professor. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
- 2004
On the night that Sheriff Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) and his friend and business partner, Sol Star (John Hawkes), plan to leave Montana for Deadwood, with plans to open a hardware store, Bullock is faced with a dilemma. He's got Clell Watson (James Parks), a horse thief due to be hanged the next morning, in his jail, and an angry mob outside that wants to kill Watson in a less orderly fashion. After dealing with the situation bravely and honorably, Seth and Sol set out a little earlier than planned. Also among the many making their way to the lawless frontier town are legendary gunfighter Wild Bill Hickok (Keith Carradine) and his cohorts, Calamity Jane (Robin Weigert) and Charlie Utter (Dayton Callie). Already making his mark in town, Whitney Ellsworth (Jim Beaver), a prospector, is talking to the owner of the Gem, Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) about his gold claim. "I don't trust you as far as I can throw you," Ellsworth, a fair judge of character, tells Al, "but I enjoy the way you lie." Al's attention is quickly diverted when one of his prostitutes, Trixie (Paula Malcolmson), guns down an abusive john. He's also involved in conning Brom Garret (Timothy Omundson), a wealthy New Yorker, into buying a seemingly worthless gold claim. Seth and Sol arrive in town, and rent a space for their store from Al, to whom Seth takes an almost immediate dislike. Bill seems eager to spend all his time losing all his money at poker to the obnoxious Jack McCall (Garret Dillahunt), but when a family is found slaughtered not far from town, presumably by Sioux, he joins Seth on a ride out to the scene of the carnage. The premiere episode of Deadwood was directed by Walter Hill (The Long Riders). ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
- 2004
Al (Ian McShane), cleaning a bloodstain off the floor of the Gem, offers some advice. "You might, Dan (W. Earl Brown), want to learn how to indicate interest in a girl without murdering another person." E.B. (William Sanderson) has murder on his mind, suggesting to Al that offing Seth (Timothy Olyphant) and Alma (Molly Parker) in their sleep might be the best way to gain control of Alma's gold claim. But then smallpox vaccine arrives in the camp, along with news of a probable treaty with the Sioux, and Al, sensing a change of times, preaches patience. "We are about to be swimming in money," he tells E.B. Alma, having taken Trixie's (Paula Malcolmson) words to heart, is ready to accept E.B.'s bid and return with the girl (Breeseanna Wall) to New York, but Seth insists on assaying her claim first. Ellsworth (Jim Beaver) is just the man to do it, but at the claim, he lets Seth get far enough ahead of him that he can say to Dan, "If I'm to get my throat cut...I'd rather not exert myself further." With Dan's reassurance, Ellsworth points out a rich vein of gold to Seth. Trixie, meanwhile, has apparently decided that her prospects for continued survival in Deadwood are poor. On returning to camp, Seth meets with Al, who tells him, "If a treaty is signed, it'd be wise for you and me to paddle in the same direction." Seth wants Al to guarantee Alma's safety, and he does. Flora (Kristen Bell), knowing that Cy (Powers Boothe) suspects her, convinces Miles (Greg Cipes) that it's time for them to make their move. Joanie (Kim Dickens) tries to protect her, but as Cy puts it to one dismayed onlooker, "You could help your delicate sensibilities by turning the f*ck away." ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi
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