John Carson Movies

Three decades after a major country is quarantined in hopes of containing a lethal and highly contagious virus nicknamed "Reaper," signs that the super-bug has resurfaced in a major city prompt desperate specialists to race back into the infected zone to find a cure in director Neil Marshall's (The Descent) miasmic speculative sci-fi thriller. Few could have foreseen the terror that the microorganism known as "Reaper" would unleash upon the unsuspecting population, and when terrified authorities quarantined the entire country in hopes of saving the human race, the streets immediately descended into chaos. Thirty years later, the inhabitants of planet Earth think that they've seen the last of the merciless killer disease, but they couldn't be more wrong. When "Reaper" reappears more powerful than ever in a major city, an elite group of professionals led by Eden Sinclair (Rhona Mitra) are forced to travel back into the sealed-off country where the virus first broke out in order to create a cure and save humankind from certain doom. Now, as the rest of the world anxiously awaits word of their ultimate fate, Eden and her brave team are about to find out that there is indeed a hell, and they are about to journey directly into its black, envenomed heart. Also in the cast are Bob Hoskins and Malcolm McDowell, as well as a host of veterans from Marshall's past productions, including Sean Pertwee, MyAnna Buring, Craig Conway, and Nora-Jane Noone. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In this erotic thriller, a luckless yacht captain is accused of tossing the millionaire boat owner into the briny and then raping the drowned owner's luscious young girl friend. The millionaire's twin brother is the one calling it murder. Fortunately a feisty old lawyer abandons retirement to defend the hapless captain. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Malcolm McDowell stars as Albert Schweitzer in this biographical account of the Nobel Prize-winning humanitarian's years as an African missionary, as he establishes a hospital despite the medical superstitions of the local tribesmen. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

Filmed on location, An African Dream stars John Kani as a black African resident of the early 20th century who spends several years in England. Having received a "proper" white man's education, he returns to his homeland as a teacher. While his illusions about bridging the gap between the white and black populations in Africa are doomed to failure, he finds a unexpected kindred spirit in the form of Kitty Aldridge. A white resident of a recently established British colony, Kitty is attracted to the idealistic Kani, and he to her. That their relationship fosters resentment from others is indicated by the "PG for violence" rating bestowed upon An African Dream. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

South African medical examiner Joe Stewardson investigates a rash of prostitute murders, all with the same gruesome MO. While pursuing this case, Stewardson is pressured by the government to declare that the death of a known black activist, killed while in police custody, was due to heart failure. Sympathetic to the activist's cause, Stewardson refuses to falsify his report. Then he learns that the prostitute killings are the handiwork of other black extremists, who argue that they're justified in venting their wrath on the white establishment by whatever means possible. Unable to determine who's right or wrong anymore, Stewardson pulls out of the controversy-and, simultaneously, out of life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The malignant telepathic force Mara, last heard from in the 19th-season adventure "Kinda," once again takes over the mind of Tegan (Janet Fielding), the traveling companion of the Doctor (Peter Davison). Under Mara's evil influence, Tegan hijacks the TARDIS and pilots the vessel to the planet Manussa -- where the denizens are celebrating the 500th anniversary of Mara's destruction. Written by Christopher Bailey, "Snakedance" launched its four-episode run on January 18, 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the four-part story "Snakedance," the Doctor (Peter Davison) has arrived on the planet Manussa, there to prevent the malevolent mind-force Mara from using a local celebration to regain its full powers. Unfortunately, the Mara has already mentally enslaved the Doctor's companion, Tegan (Janet Fielding), who has managed to steal the Great Crystal, an artifact crucial to the Mara's ultimate victory. Written by Christopher Bailey, "Snakedance, Episode 3" first aired on January 25 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The touch of Midas (Gilles Millinaire) is hardly golden in this episode. It seems that the young called Midas is a carrier of every known disease, and can kill with the slightest contact of his fingertips ("They died of everything!" is the diagnosis whenever one of his victims is found). Enticed with a huge prize of gold, Midas agrees to wreak havoc on England in general and the Avengers in particular on behalf of a sinister foreign diplomat. The pot is sweetened when Purdey (Joanne Lumley) is kidnapped and offered up as Mida's companion for the evening--an experience which of course will have fatal consequences for our heroine. Raiders of the Lost Ark bad guy Ronald Lacey guest stars as Hong Kong Harry. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Basil Dearden's final film is a psychological thriller, adapted from an episode of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents television series. Roger Moore stars as wealthy business executive Harold Pelham, who becomes involved in a terrible car accident. While recovering from his injuries, his alter ego is unleashed and begins to live Pelham's life where he left off. When Pelham returns to his home and his job, he discovers his alter ego has not only undermined his business, but began an affair with a minor acquaintance and revitalized his previously unexciting sex life with his wife. This was Moore's final film before he took over the role of James Bond with Live and Let Die. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

In this British sci-fi thriller, a spacecraft from Ganymede, the moon of Jupiter, lands in a small community, and the alien visitors set out to find women. It seems that their population has become dangerously low and they need human females for breeding purposes. When the police begin receiving reports of a number of missing women, it takes quite some time before anyone thinks that there could be a link between the disappearances and a dramatic increase in UFO activities. John Saxon plays Jack Costain, an American scientist investigating the UFO reports, while Alfred Burke plays Police Detective Hartley. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This British sci-fi film is based on a popular British television series Thunderbirds. The characters are portrayed by special marionettes. The story centers on the exploits of International Rescue, who use spaceships to save beautiful Lady Penelope from her kidnappers, the evil villains of New World Aircraft Corporation ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

John Carson (not Johnny Carson, as listed in some source books) stars in the grim British programmer Act of Murder. Carson plays an actor who still carries a torch for his ex-mistress Justine Lord, even though she is now happily married to Anthony Bate. With cold-blooded resolve, the actor conducts a campaign to drive Bate to a nervous breakdown. Instead, the distracted husband is driven to commit murder. Act of Murder was given a limited American release by Warner Bros. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Montgomery Tully, that phenomenally fast British directing machine, whipped up another espionage programmer with 1964's Master Spy. Stephen Murray stars as a Russian scientist who escapes from a Communist prison to go to work for the British. Despite his seeming sincerity, Murray's superiors suspect that he's a "plant," sent to monitor nuclear secrets on behalf of the Reds. It's more complex than that: Murray is a British spy, posing as a Russian defector, posing as a possible informer.... While only 71 minutes, Master Spy has enough plot twists for a library-full of Fleming and LeCarre. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide