William Campbell Movies

A common teenage ritual gets a new interpretation in this short comedy. Two high-school age guys pull up to the same stop light, and after plenty of engine revving and high-attitude staring, they agree to meet the next day for a drag race. However, what happens twenty-four hours later has nothing to do with hot rods. The Drag Race was directed by Will Campbell, who was then a student at Trinity High School in Euless, Texas. The film was an official selection at the 2007 South by Southwest Film Festival in a special program of works by Texas student filmmakers. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A documentary that covers the life of country legend Waylon Jennings, from his beginnings to his breakthrough in the '70s. ~ All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single two-hour episode), it looks like the wedding of Quincy (Jack Klugman) and Emily (Anita Gillette) will have to be postponed definitely. After all, Quincy cannot be bothered with mundane domestic details while he is busily investigating the possibility that elderly nursing-home resident Edna Brackett (Jeannette Nolan) murdered her husband after being given psychotronic drugs. Finally, the exasperated Emily issues an ultimatum to Quincy: get out of the lab immediately, or the wedding is off. (Incidentally, if you think that Quincy will at long last reveal his first name during the ceremony...think again). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Officer Dan Segal (Robert Drivas) makes it his mission in life to avenge the death of his gambler brother (Harry Davis), who was murdered by a professional hit man. In order to expose the "brains" behind the murder, Segal goes undercover, posing as a bookie and infiltrating an unusually nasty gambling ring. Featured in the cast is the late Claudia Jennings, the well-proportioned leading lady of many an R-rated action flick of the 1970s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Surrounded by the authorities after a bungled attempt to break through a police checkpoint, five terrorists take several people hostage. Unless they are given safe passage out of San Francisco, the terrorists will detonate a bomb, killing themselves and their prisoners. Making the situation personal for investigating detective Mike Stone (Karl Malden) is that one of the hostages is his own partner Steve Keller (Michael Douglas). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Officer Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) doesn't know whether to be flattered or annoyed when he becomes the subject of an article written by his partner Jim Reed (Kent McCord). Back on the job, the two cops are assigned to the North Hollywood Division, with assignments ranging from breaking up a family quarrel and pursuing a holdup suspect. And in one of the evening's odder moments, a woman calls headquarters to report that she's heard the sound of a roaring lion. Among the featured players is one of the stalwarts of the Jack Webb production family, Vic Perrin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This violent blaxploitation film stars Jim Brown as the owner of a Los Angeles nightclub. When his brother, a Vietnam veteran, is murdered by gangsters, Brown gathers some of his brother's fellow veterans and an assortment of ex-convicts to get brutal revenge. Martin Landau, Luciana Paluzzi, and Jeannie Bell head the cast, along with genre regulars Bruce Glover, Bernie Casey, and Gary Conway. Director Robert Hartford-Davis is best known for horror films like Incense of the Damned and Corruption, while Brown went on to more successful genre fare in Slaughter and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

In the first half of a two-part story (originally telecast as a single two-hour episode), Ironside (Raymond Burr) begins to question his judgment in a manslaughter case which occurred seven years ago. At the time, the Chief rammed through the conviction of chief suspect Walter Booth (William Campbell). Now armed with new evidence, Ironside works hand and glove with Booth's attorney Ken Klaven (Cameron Mitchell) to secure the man's release--despite the formidable opposition of the DA's office, which is determined to keep Booth behind bars. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ben Cartwright is determined to block the gubernatorial bid of John Faraday (Simon Scott), the corrupt stooge of crooked tycoon Sam Endicott (Sidney Blackmer). When Ben is shot by one of Endicott's henchmen, he decides to "play dead" until the convention, then expose both Endicott and Faraday as murderous scoundrels. But a monkey wrench is thrown into the works when an innocent man is arrested for Ben's "murder." Portions of David Rose's background music were later incorporated into the themes of the subsequent Michael Landon series Little House on the Prairie). Among the supporting players is George Gaynes, best known to latter-day viewers for his hilarious performances in the theatrical features Tootsie and Police Academy. First shown on March 3, 1968, "The Late Ben Cartwright" was written by Walter Black. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

While the Enterprise is stopped at a space station to provide security for a valuable shipment of grain, Lt. Uhura purchases a new pet from ethically questionable station trader Cyrano Jones: a "tribble," which is basically a lovable, cooing ball of fur. The animals have some unexpected drawbacks, however; they have a ravenous appetite, and whenever they eat, they multiply themselves. Soon enough, the crew of the Enterprise finds themselves up to their necks in the furry creatures. This comes at about the worst possible time for the Enterprise, since a Klingon vessel has also arrived at the station, and the enemy crews are soon getting into barroom brawls. The tribble problem doesn't help the Enterprise's diplomatic effort much either, especially since the creatures don't like Klingons very much, and emit a high-pitched squawk whenever one comes near. This episode of the original Star Trek television series is particularly beloved for its charming humor; the tribbles themselves are so popular amongst Trek fans that they have reappeared in episodes of the animated series and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

In this bizarre drama set in Venice, California, a professional thief and a crazed artist conspire to steal a valuable Titian painting. Unfortunately, they are thwarted by a courageous stripper who is almost killed in the process. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This low-budget vampire quickie is distinguished mainly by the presence of director Stephanie Rothman, who emerged from Roger Corman's New World Pictures (for whom she directed the exploitation classic The Student Nurses) to become an acclaimed feminist filmmaker. The piecework story incorporates footage shot by original director Jack Hill, combined with incongruent elements from a Yugoslavian supernatural thriller titled Operation Titian which Corman obtained for a song, tied loosely together by new vampire material shot by Rothman. This may partially explain why the ancient Slavic vampire featured in the film decides to possess the body of a cheesecake photographer in California, who then murders his models in the name of Art. As one might imagine, this is pretty difficult to follow, but there are some good performances -- particularly from William Campbell as the haunted shutterbug -- and some fairly suspenseful scenes. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

An unusually long pre-credits sequence establishes the roots of faded Southern belle Charlotte's (Bette Davis) insanity; she'd been witness to the dismemberment murder of her fiance (Bruce Dern) and the suicide of the murderer, her own father (Victor Buono). Years later, Charlotte remains a recluse in her decaying southern mansion, zealously guarding the secret of her father's guilt; she is cared for by her slatternly housekeeper (Agnes Moorehead). When her house is targeted for demolition, Charlotte fears that this will uncover her lover's body parts and thus confirm that her father was a murderer. She desperately summons her seemingly sweet-tempered cousin Miriam (Olivia De Havilland) to help her fight off the house's destruction. Miriam brings along the family doctor (Joseph Cotten) to calm Charlotte's frayed nerves. When Charlotte begins to be plagued by horrific visions of the homicide/suicide of so long ago, it appears that she has gone completely insane. But soon we learn who is behind these delusions...and why. Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte was intended by director Robert Aldrich as a follow-up to the successful Joan Crawford/Bette Davis horror piece Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962). Ms. Crawford was originally slated to play Miriam, but became seriously ill shortly before filming started. Davis, who disliked Crawford intensely, suggested that the role of Miriam be filled by her best friend, De Havilland. On the first day of shooting, Davis and DeHavilland pulled a "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead" routine by toasting one another with Coca-Cola--a catty observation of the fact that Joan Crawford's husband was an executive with the Pepsi Cola company! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide