David Fresco Movies

The second outing in the Boys Life series collects another set of gay-themed shorts. Must Be the Music follows a group of Los Angeles teens, three gay and one straight, through a night of romantic misadventures at a hip dance club. In Nunzio's Second Cousin, police Sgt. Tony Randozzy (Vincent D'Onofrio) turns the tables on a group of homophobes (one of them played by Seth Green) and forces one of them, Jimmy (Miles Perlich), to have dinner with him and his mother (Eileen Brennan). Alkali, Iowa uses the backdrop of a Midwestern agricultural community to tell the story of Jack (J.D. Cerna), a gay teen who discovers tantalizing glimpses of his dead father's life buried on the family farm; Mary Beth Hurt plays the boy's distant, defeated mother. The Academy award-winning Trevor relates the tale of a chunky, effete youngster (Brett Barsky) whose love of Diana Ross is matched only by his obsession with Pinky (Jonah Rooney), a handsome classmate. For Boys Life 2's video and DVD release, The DadShuttle replaced Trevor, which had received a video release of its own. An almost plotless tale that takes place during a single car ride to the airport, The DadShuttle focuses on the emotional distance and between a city-dwelling gay man and his suburban father. Alkali, Iowa director Mark Christopher would go on to direct the Hollywood feature 54, while Nickolas Perry, director of Must Be the Music, would go on to helm the Gus Van Sant-produced Speedway Junky. Before directing Trevor, Peggy Rajski was known primarily as a producer; her credits include the Jodie Foster directorial efforts Little Man Tate and Home for the Holidays. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

A privileged, free-spirited young girl tries to adapt to life in a strict boarding school in this charming, critically acclaimed children's fantasy. Adapting a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, also the author of The Secret Garden, the film shifts the story's setting to World War I. 10 year-old Sara Crewe (Liesel Matthews) has been left in a respected New York City boarding school while her British father heads overseas to fight. Filled with wild stories and a playful attitude, the unconventional Sara becomes popular amongst her classmates but quickly comes into conflict with the harsh headmistress, Miss Minchin (Eleanor Bron), who attempts to quash the child's individuality. The young girl's situation takes a serious turn for the worse when she unexpectedly receives word of her father's death, and, suddenly impoverished, is forced into life as a servant. Treated as a lesser class of person by her former companions, Sara instead befriends her fellow servants and turns to the power of imagination in order to maintain hope for the future. In addition to changing the story's setting, screenwriters Richard LaGravenese and Elizabeth Chandler add a layer of Indian mythology to the tale, allowing director Alfonso Cuaron the chance to punctuate the riches-to-rags fable with a series of lush, imaginative fantasy sequences. Though A Little Princess had difficulty attracting audiences during its initial run, its visual splendor and touching storytelling were praised by many critics, several of whom proclaimed the film one of the best family-oriented productions of its time. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Carl Lumbly stars as an unlikely super-hero in this made-for-television sci-fi movie. Lumbly stars as Dr. Miles Hawkins, a wheel-chair bound scientist who concocts a device that not only liberates him from his chair, but turns him into a crime-fighting super hero. The idea was later developed into a popular TV-series of the same name, also starring Lumbly. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide

This fascinating chronicle of the life and times of a twenty dollar bill was originally written by Endre Boehm in 1935 and languished forgotten on the shelf until his son Leslie resurrected it after his father's death, and updated the script. (Both received screenwriter credit for the released version). The scrap of currency's journey begins after it is spit out of a downtown Minneapolis ATM machine into the hands of a busy young mother. It's a windy day, and the crisp bill is blown out of her hands into those of a bag lady who uses it on the lottery because she believes the serial numbers are lucky. Unfortunately, the bill is plucked from her hands by a light-fingered skate boarder who uses the money at a local bakery. From there the bill's odyssey takes it to a wide variety of places including a wedding, a stripper's g-string, a con artist's scam, and a robbery. It ends up used as a note pad, a birthday present, a coaster, and a fishing contest trophy. Interestingly, every one who encounters the bill changes in some way. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) and her boyfriend, Judge Michael Hayworth (John Beck), are held captive by the brother (Harold Sylvester) of a convict who killed himself in prison. Their captor is convinced that the Judge, who refused to consider new evidence in his brother's case, is responsible for the tragedy. As Hunter races against time to free his partner, information comes to light suggesting that Hayworth may have had a hidden agenda during the dead man's trial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The fact that ALF is around 230 years old isn't surprising, in that the average Melmaccian life span is nearly 650 years. Unfortunately, humans don't enjoy this sort of longevity--and as a result ALF begins to brood over the fact that the Tanners' children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be obliged to look after him as the years roll on--and the alien's vision of the future is bleak indeed. A pre-stardom Fran Drescher appears as Roxanne. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Audrey Rose is a "thinking man's" horror film, which in a way is unfortunate, since it tended to be ignored amidst the many spell-it-all-out scarefests of the late '70s. Marsha Mason and John Beck play Janice and Bill Templeton, a happily married couple, the parents of well-adjusted preteen Ivy (Susan Swift). Their family security is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious stranger, Elliot Hoover (Anthony Hopkins). At first mistaken for a potential child molester, Hoover explains that his obsessive interest in young Ivy is actually paternal. It is Hoover's contention that their daughter is the reincarnation of his own child, who died in a horrible accident. This information is dismissed out of hand-and then strange things begin happening. Directed by Robert Wise (who had previously helmed the psychological thriller The Haunting), Audrey Rose was adapted by co-producer Frank de Felitta from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lloyd Nolan guest stars as Judge Harper, who during his long career on the bench has made a number of controversial decisions--none more so than when he sentenced a man named Holloway to a ten-year prison term for treason. When Holloway dies just before his parole, his son Joe (Jack Bender) vows to get even by murdering Harper. Taking a special interest in this cast is FBI Special Agent Chris Daniels, who as a young law student had always been skeptical about the motives behind Harper's verdict. A very young Audrey Landers makes her first major TV appearance in this episode. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Friendly Middle Eastern potentate King Selim (Lloyd Battista) has been imprisoned by his lookalike brother Prince Samandal (also Lloyd Battista), the better to usurp Selim's throne and hand over the kingdom to enemies of the West. To rescue Selim and restore the status quo of his country, the IMF must throw a good scare into Samandal. Posing as a doctor, Phelps uses all the medical trickery at the IMF's disposal to accomplish his task. Michele Carey guest stars as female IMF agent Lisa, here impersonating an actress named Irina. Originally broadcast December 7, 1969, "The Brothers" was scripted by Leigh Vance, from a story by Robert C. Dennis. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

British director Alexander MacKendrick helmed this farcical romantic comedy set in Southern California. Carlo Cofield (Tony Curtis) is a footloose tourist who meets Laura Califatti (Claudia Cardinale) when she accidentally edges his car off the highway. Laura invites Carlo to her home; he seems interested in her, but discovers she's already involved with swimming pool magnate Rod Prescott (Robert Webber). The next day, Carlo hits the beach and nearly drowns in the ocean, until he's rescued by comely sky diver Malibu (Sharon Tate). Carlo blackmails Rod into giving him a job so he can stay in California and pursue a romance with Malibu, but he soon finds himself torn between her and Laura. Don't Make Waves also features a theme song by The Byrds. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

The IMF journeys to the Free World country of Valeria, where an election is about to be held. The police-controlled Nationalists intend to rig the votes so that they will emerge triumphant over the Liberty Party. The agents' mission is to "unfix" a crucial voting machine that has been tampered with by the Nationalists. Tension mounts as Cinnamon is targetted for surveillance by the police and Barney is shot in a skirmish. Written by Laurence Heath, "Wheels" was originally seen on October 29, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ritchie (Larry Mathews) plays an unusual game of "connect the dots," using a pen to connect the freckles on the back of his father, Rob (Dick Van Dyke). The result is a stunningly accurate outline of the Liberty Bell -- whereupon neighbor Millie (Ann Morgan Guilbert) suggests that Rob can cash in on this phenomenon. It seems that the famous newspaper column "Odd But True" is offering a 500-dollar prize for the oddest, truest item...and that's how Rob winds up in an outer office in the company of a man walking on his hands and another fellow jealously guarding a weird-looking potato! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide