Walter Pym Movies
- 1980
- PG
Despite its title, The Earthling is not a science fiction opus. Instead, it's a low-key character study about a doomed man who finds a new lease on life by helping another lost soul. Suffering from terminal cancer, Patrick Foley (William Holden) returns to his native Australia. Intending to live out his last few months alone, Foley comes out of his shell long enough to teach impressionable young orphan Shawn Daley (Ricky Schroder) a few Bush Country survival skills. Ironically, director Peter Collinson was himself a cancer victim, who died shortly after the film's completion. The Earthling works best on a kiddie-matinee level, with Holden's performance and the gorgeous photography its chief assets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Holden, Rick Schroder, (more)
This cold-blooded, thinly wrought horror film has a warm-blooded theme -- the regular imbibing of said substance by a certifiably crazy cult. Kate Davis (Chantal Contouri) is slowly drawn into this cult against her (and everyone else's) better judgment. Once involved, she discovers that they have sanitized, hospital-like centers where red-blooded individuals are kept zoned out by tranquilizers. Otherwise they might have some objection or another to being essentially imprisoned and immobilized in order to supply blood on demand. In cases where the supply source is particularly popular with one of the cult members, then complete exsanguination is ordered. Even the slightest hint at humor, levity of any kind coming from any direction, might have balanced the weak plot and one-dimensional characters by covertly acknowledging their limitations. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chantal Contouri, David Hemmings, (more)
When Angela (Sigrid Thornton) becomes successful, the former hairdresser's assistant has to deal with the reactions of her old friends to her new situation. She also must deal with romantic advances from an older woman. Nonetheless, she is plucky and confident enough to manage. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chantal Contouri, Sigrid Thornton, (more)
In Australian director Richard Franklin's Patrick, the subject of psychokinesis is used, not for the creation of De Palma-like bloodbath special effects as in Carrie and The Fury, but as an expression of a deeply disturbed persona. Patrick is first seen in the intensive care section of a hospital in a state of extreme catatonia -- after murdering his mother and her lover. Dr. Roget (Robert Helpmann) is the doctor in charge of the clinic who first tends to Patrick, but when new nurse Kathy Jacquard (Susan Penhaligon) arrives, she is assigned Patrick's case. As she cares for the comatose man, Patrick falls in love with her, telekinetically writing love notes to her on her typewriter. Kathy begins to suspect something is amiss when the doctors and nurses at the hospital who want to speed along the comatose man to his death start to die in mysterious ways. As Patrick's condition continues to deteriorate and he realizes that he is on the verge of death, he then wants Kathy to kill herself to join him when he dies. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susan Penhaligon, Robert Helpmann, (more)
- 1978
Kim Krejus and Sonia Peat star as a couple of disenfranchised Australian teenagers. Unemployed and bored with their listless existence at home, the kids take to the streets. With barely a pause to consider the consequences, Krejus and Peat steal, lie, con and offer themselves sexually in order to stay alive. The cinematic virtues of Mouth to Mouth, director John Duigan's second feature film, have been somewhat obscured by the critical attention given Duigan's "breakthrough" 1988 feature The Year My Voice Broke. In addition to directing this fast-paced slice of street life, Duigan also produced and wrote the screenplay. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Krejus, Sonia Peat, (more)
- 1975
Several female hitchhikers have been murdered in a small Australian seacoast community. The principal suspects are brothers Robert and Mark Gifford (George Mallaby and John Waters). One is an apparently helpless paraplegic, but this doesn't necessarily mean that the filmmakers are going to cop out with the "least likely suspect" revelation. We do know, however, that each brother is covering up for the other. Director/writer Tim Burstall imbues this filming of Russell Braddon'snovel Endplay with his expected healthy vulgarity and leering voyeurism. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Mallaby, John Waters, (more)
