Graham Weston Movies

In Roman Polanski's adaptation of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Nastassja Kinski plays Tess, a poor British peasant girl sent to live with her distant and wealthy relatives, the D'Urbervilles. Though Tess' father had hoped that the girl would be permitted a portion of the D'Urberville riches, he is in for a major disappointment: Tess' new housemates are not D'Urbervilles at all, but a social-climbing family that has bought the name. Tess won three Oscars, including a "Best Cinematography" statuette for the late Geoffrey Unsworth and his successor Ghislain Cloquet. The film also served to catapult Nastassja Kinski to stardom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the four-part story "Planet of Evil," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) continue their efforts to prevent deadly anti-matter from the planet Zeta Minor from being unleashed in the Matter Universe. Their efforts are complicated by the duplicity of single-minded Moestran geologist Professor Sorenson (Frederick Jaeger), not to mention a voracious anti-matter monster. Ultimately, the Doctor is forced to land on Zeta Minor, which act may result in his own grisly demise. Written by David Maloney, "Planet of Evil, Episode 3" was originally broadcast on October 11, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

National Health, or Nurse Norton's Affair is an antic filmization of Peter Nichols' play, originally staged by Britain's National Theatre. A scattershot satire of the red tape and inconsistencies of England's National Health program, the film is set in the men's ward of an old, crumbling hospital. Moments of lunatic farce dovetail into scenes of blood-drenched human tragedy, leading one wag to label this film Carry on Dying. The film's highlight is a lachrymose lampoon of TV medical soap operas. The cast of National Health is comprised of some of the most polished farceurs in the British isles. Nurse Norton is played by Lynn Redgrave (who ironically later starred in the American hospital-based sitcom House Calls), while other key roles are filled by TV comedienne Eleanor Bron, Carry On alumnus Jim Dale and future Who Framed Roger Rabbit? star Bob Hoskins. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the ten-part story "The War Games," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions, still trapped on an Earth-like planet where the combatants from different wars and different armies are hypnotically locked into eternal combat, have joined up with a Resistance movement dedicated to ending the hostilities. The plot thickens when Zoe (Wendy Padbury) is captured by the minions of the all-powerful Alien Control, with the Doctor unable to intercede. Meanwhile, Jamie (Frazer Hines) joins the Resistance in hopes of rescuing his comrades. Written by Malcolm Hulke and Terrance Dicks, "The War Games, Episode 5" first aired on May 17, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the sixth episode of the ten-part story "The War Games," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton), his companions Jamie (Frazer Hines) and Zoe (Wendy Padbury), and the Resistance fighters try to escape from Alien Control, the entity responsible for restaging the Earth's most famous battles on a faraway planet. But even after eluding the Control's clutches, the "good guys" aren't quite out of the woods, as they figuratively stare down the barrel of a new and deadly weapon. Written by Malcolm Hulke and Terrance Dicks, "The War Games, Episode 6" first aired on May 24, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the eighth episode of the ten-part story "The War Games," the Resistance's rescue efforts fail, and the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) and his companions remain in the clutches of the diabolical War Lord (Philip Madoc). At long last, the War Lord reveals the reason for the endless war games: He hopes to use the tactical lessons learned in past battles in order to create his own invincible, indestructible army. The Doctor could prevent the villain from carrying out his scheme -- but to do so would mean violating the ethics of his own species, the Time Lords. Written by Malcolm Hulke and Terrance Dicks, "The War Games, Episode 8" first aired on June 7, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide