Ben Frommer Movies
A college professor (Dan Aykroyd is forced to go undercover as a Chicago pimp disguised by a bushy wig -- the height of hairlarity in this anemic comedy. When Smooth Walker (Howard Hesseman) is hunted by his gangster rival, Mom (Kate Murtagh), he foists his bevy of hookers on the professor -- and then ends up dead. Among the four hookers who are suddenly in his undercover life are Fran Drescher in an early role as an archetypal Jewish princess, and Donna Dixon as another of the high-class call-girls (Dixon and Aykroyd were later married). ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Aykroyd, Howard Hesseman, (more)
Al Pacino stars as Tony Montana, an exiled Cuban criminal who goes to work for Miami drug lord Robert Loggia. Montana rises to the top of Florida's crime chain, appropriating Loggia's cokehead mistress (Michelle Pfeiffer) in the process. Howard Hawks' "X Marks the Spot" motif in depicting the story line's many murders is dispensed with in the 1983 Scarface; instead, we are inundated with blood by the bucketful, especially in the now-infamous buzz saw scene. One carry-over from the original Scarface is Tony Montana's incestuous yearnings for his sister Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio). The screenplay for the 1983 Scarface was written by Oliver Stone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, (more)
A sequel to one of the most popular horror films of all time, this psychological thriller received a pleasantly surprised, positive critical reception. Anthony Perkins returns as Norman Bates, who has just been released from an insane asylum after 22 years, having been judged clinically sane by the State of California over the objections of Lila Crane Loomis (Vera Miles), sister to one of Norman's murder victims. Norman returns home to the hotel and hilltop mansion he once inhabited with his mother. As a parole condition, Norman is hired at a local diner, where he struggles to join mainstream society, despite the stares of patrons aware of his past. At the diner, Norman befriends Mary (Meg Tilly), a waitress, and it seems that he may be putting some semblance of a life back together. But then Norman begins to experience hallucinatory encounters with his long-dead mother, including a handwritten note, a phone call, and a sighting of her standing at her favorite window. Is Norman's psychosis manifesting itself again, or are old enemies attempting to drive him back into an institution? As the pressure mounts, bodies pile up, and Norman's fragile hold on normality becomes more and more tenuous. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, (more)
- 1982
In the concluding episode of a two-part story, George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley), defeated by a down-and-dirty price war with the rival Big Sky dry-cleaning firm, decides to sell out to Big Sky and retire. With nothing else to do while hanging around the house, George drives everyone crazy with his unsolicited (and never-ending) advice. Intended as the finale of The Jeffersons' eighth season, "Laundry is a Tough Town" was instead used as the opener for season nine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, (more)
The rise and growth of American popular music through the 20th century is reflected in the lives of four generations of one family in this animated drama directed by Ralph Bakshi. Zalmie (voice of Jeffrey Lippa), a Russian Jew, emigrates to America, and tries to struggle along as a comic and musician in vaudeville, until an injury suffered in World War I ends his singing career. Zalmie's son Benny (voice of Richard Singer) inherits his father's love for music, and when he grows to adulthood, he joins a jazz combo as a pianist; his career is cut short, however, when he's killed while fighting in World War II. Benny's son Tony (voice of Ron Thompson) is also bitten by the music bug and is determined to make his mark as a songwriter; he becomes involved in the Beat poetry and music community in San Francisco, and later falls in with a pioneering psychedelic band. Along the way, Tony fathers an illegitimate son named Pete (voice of Eric Taslitz), and ends up becoming Pete's guardian in New York City without realizing he's the boy's father. After Tony's death, Pete supports himself by dealing drugs, while struggling to make his dream of becoming a rock star a reality. Ralph Bakshi achieved American Pop's unique look through a process called "rotoscoping" -- shooting the scenes with live actors, and then tracing their movements onto animation cells.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ron Thompson, Marya Small, (more)
- 1981
While driving under the influence of alcohol, wealthy and influential attorney Preston Claymore (Charles Aidman) strikes and kills a pedestrian (Chevi Colton). Even though he has attempted to cover up his crime, the worst that Claymore will receive in court is a nominal fine and a slap on the wrist. Quincy (Jack Klugman) is outraged, but can do nothing: that's the way the legal system operates. Ultimately, outrage gives way to astonishment when, after performing an autopsy on the victim, Quincy uncovers evidence that this is something far more sinister than a mere drunk-driving accident. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
When an "ancient" mummy goes under the X-Ray machine, it turns out that the wrapped-up corpse has been dead only a few weeks--and that a fortune in jewels has been stashed on the body. U.S. Customs agents Brice (John Karlen) and Niven (Edward Grover) consult medical examiner Quincy (Jack Klugman), who puts the pieces together and determines that the mummy was being used in a smuggling operation headquartered in Cairo. Before the intrigue plays itself out, several other people have died at the hands of a group of Nazi war criminals. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- R
This is a crazy horror-film spoof in which the enthusiastic leads provide laughs just by the strength of their characterizations alone -- and because they are obviously having fun. Oliver Reed is Dr. Heckyl whose lumpy face is so ugly it has kept women away in droves. He works at a podiatrist's clinic and one day attempts suicide by quaffing a whole bottle of a weight-loss elixir. The result? Dr. Heckyl becomes Mr. Hype, the suave ladies man. The only problem is that Mr. Hype is evil incarnate, his urge to kill is greater than any other urge, and so he remains as virginal as ever as he leaves a trail of victims behind. When he goes after the woman he has loved as Dr. Heckyl, serious confusion is in store -- she prefers the good-hearted beast over the rotten charmer. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oliver Reed, Sunny Johnson, (more)
- 1978
In an outer-space replay of a familiar western plotline, the Gallactica must gather enough seed to replant its devastated agroships, lest the crew and passengers starve. In order to gain the necessary seed from a group of alien farmers, Adama (Lorne Greene) is obliged to romance a former girlfriend who wields great power over the populace. Meanwhile, Starbuck (Dirk Benedict) loses a rigged card game and is pressed into service as the local sheriff, whereupon he must rally an army of warriors against the planet's principal persecutors, the piglike Borays. "The Magnificent Warriors" was later combined with the Battlestar Galactica episode "Fire in Space" and reissued as the two-hour "TV movie" Curse of the Cylons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, (more)
- 1978
A piece of made-for-television hack work that suddenly became sort of topical 23 years later, with the attacks on the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, Evening in Byzantium was a two-part made-for-TV feature based very loosely on Irwin Shaw's best-seller. The book involved intrigue and romance at the Cannes Film Festival, but the television producers evidently thought that this did not justify a two-night prime time movie event, so they added a story about Middle Eastern terrorists using the Cannes Film Festival as part of a larger plot to attack the West. Glenn Ford plays Jesse Craig, a down-on-his-luck producer with a film project in mind involving terrorists, who goes to Cannes to raise money and finds himself dealing with his ex-wife (Shirley Jones) and romancing Erin Gray. But before too long, he uncovers a plot by real terrorists to replace commercial airliners in flight (blowing them out of the sky and taking over their authorized flight paths) with specially converted airliners and bomb targets in the United States. Also on hand is Vince Edwards, playing an actor with a radical political agenda, who is alarmed that Ford's proposed film parallels his own terrorist plans; Michael Cole as Ford's associate; Eddie Albert and Gloria De Haven as a couple with ties to the movie business; Harry Guardino as a skeptical American security officer; and Marcel Hillaire as the French police inspector trying to unravel the terrorists plans. It's all very silly, though played very sincerely by most of the cast, and none of the plot described is less plausible than the notion that Glenn Ford and Erin Gray could ignore the 36-year difference in their ages. Evening in Byzantium was originally shown in August of 1978 as part of the syndicated Operation Prime Time programming series, intended to compete with the three networks. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- 1977
Cover Girls isn't really a Charlie's Angels rip-off. Honest! Look: there are three girls in Charlie's Angels and only two girls (Jayne Kennedy and Cornelia Sharpe) in Cover Girls. Besides, the Angels are private eyes, working on behalf of boss John Forsythe; the Cover Girls are fashion models, doubling as secret agents on behalf of boss Don Galloway. Just because Cover Girls premiered on May 18, 1977, six months into Charlie's Angels' fabulous first season, doesn't mean that there was any conscious copycatting. Does it? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jayne Kennedy, Cornelia Sharpe, (more)
Michael Schultz directed this kinetic, hyperventilating comedy (scripted by Joel Schumacher) concerning the crazed events that go on within a single 10-hour period at a Los Angeles car wash. The cast of colorful car-wash employees includes Lonnie (Ivan Dixon), an ex-con; Duane (Bill Duke), a militant black activist; and Lindy (Antonio Fargas), an obnoxious homosexual. Sully Boyar plays Mr. B, the frazzled car-wash owner who has to deal with his screwball employees along with his over-educated slip of a son, Irwin (Richard Brestoff), who quotes Mao and wants to radicalize the workers. Also along for the wash and wax are Miss Beverly Hills (Lauren Jones), with a wild assortment of wigs; Marsha (Melanie Mayron), the distracted car wash secretary; a mad bomber (Prof. Irwin Corey), who is terrorizing the neighborhood; and Daddy Rich (Richard Pryor), the founder of the Church of Divine Economic Spirituality, who sports a gold limousine. Danny de Vito, Brooke Adams and others were originally in the cast but their scenes were ultimately deleted. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Franklyn Ajaye, Sully Boyar, (more)
- 1973
Things get personal for Rampart Police Sergeant "Mac" MacDonald (William Boyett) when a rebellious young man is arrested for joyriding in a stolen car. The driver turns out to be Mac's own son Bill (Sean Kelly), prompting Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) to lend a helping hand. . .or at least, to try. Elsewhere, the two cops contend with a drunken traffic director, played by none other than Green Acres' "Mr. Haney", Pat Buttram. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Working out of the West Valley Division in this episode, Officers Jim Reed (Kent McCord) and Pete Malloy (Martin Milner) join forces with a police helicopter unit. In the course of events, the two cops take to the air to chase after a spectacularly reckless motorcyclist, as well as other assorted traffic violators. Featured in the cast are Peggy Webber, a longtime stalwart of the "Jack Webb stock company", and ace stuntwoman Regina Parton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1973
Three armed criminals invade a bank, take everyone inside hostage, and nervously await the arrival of a payroll truck. Among the hostages is Chief Ironside (Raymond Burr), who hopes to take advantage of the robbers' internal squabbling in order to play one against the other--but the thieves may be a bit too smart to fall for that trick. Reportedly based on a true story, this episode features a young actress named Kathleen Gackle, better known in later years as Kathleen Lloyd. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
In the first episode of a three-part story, Bill takes Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) and the kids along on a business trip to Spain. Enchanted by the country and its people, both Bill and Cissy find romance, in the respective forms of a girl named Ana (Anna Navarro) and a boy named Ricardo (John Aladdin). Conversely, while taking a bus tour, poor Mr. French loses something--namely, Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
This drama centers on life in a small college. The hero is a folk singer from the backwoods. Because he saved the dean's daughter from a car accident, he received a scholarship. The school rebel uses the folk singer to entice students into attending his rally on free speech. The folk singer rallies back and punches the radical in the nose. He then allows the dean to tell the student body the reasons why they don't need more radical ideas concerning freedom. Songs include "C'mon, Let's Live a Little," "Instnat Girl," "Baker Man," "What Fool This Mortal Be," "Tonights the Night," "For Granted," "Back-Talk," "Over and Over," "Let's Go Go," and "Way Back Home." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bobby Vee, Jackie De Shannon, (more)
- 1967
Larry Storch appears in a dual role as Corporal Randolph Agarn and Agarn's Russian cousin, Cossack officer Dmitri Agarnoff. Upon his arrival in Fort Courage, Dmitri makes a beeline to the town's prettiest gal, Wrangler Jane (Melodie Patterson), sweeping her off her feet with his own special brand of Borscht-thick continental charm. All of which makes Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) mighty jealous--but is the Captain willing to declare his affection for Jane before she leaves for Siberia with Dmitri? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Hoping to impress Wrangler Jane (Melodie Patterson), Captain Parmenter (Ken Berry) vows to capture an elusive wild stallion. Meanwhile, Sgt. O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) hopes to corral the horse himself, not as a present for Jane but in order to sell the animal to a circus. Inasmuch as Parmenter's efforts to master the lasso have resulted only in his tying himself in knots, it looks like O'Rourke will prevail--but the episode is still young. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Jeanette Nolan guest stars as the imperious and extremely bossy mother of Fort Courage commander Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry). No sooner does she arrive at the fort than Mrs. Parmenter is complaining about the slackness of the troops and telling Wilton how best to run things. Naturally, Mrs. P.'s presence threatens the crooked business activities of O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Agarn (Larry Storch), so much so that they aren't too keen about organizing a rescue party when the old lady ventures into Indian territory (pity the poor Indians!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Henry Gibson returns as "jinxed" Army private Wrongo Starr, a character introduced in the first-season episode " Wrongo Starr and the Lady in Black" (excerpts of which are seen in sepia-tone). The troopers of Fort Courage are horrified to learn that Pvt. Starr has been assigned to guard a load of dynamite by their feckless commander Wilton Parmenter (Ken Berry). The odds on Starr blowing Fort Courage to smithereens are increased by the arrival of a very hungry goat. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
En route to Pittsburgh, Bugs Bunny makes a "wrong toin" and winds up in Transylvania, where accepts the hospitality of sinister vampire Count Bloodcount, who transforms into a bat whenever Bugs says "Abracadabra". Bugs never notices this metamorphosis because he always manages to reverse the spell by saying "Hokus Pokus!"--which returns the Count to human form before he is able to sink his fangs into the Bunny's neck. By the time this gag has been milked dry, Bugs begins experimenting with other magical words, each of which has a bizarre effect on the hapless Count--and on Bugs himself! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Feeble in the action department, this drama directed by Thor Brooks fizzles before the arsonist gets his due. John (Steve Brodie) is the leader of an arson squad and he does not realize that it is one of his men who is setting the disastrous fires around town. The duplicitous and secretly criminal member of the squad is a part of an arson ring that preys on the victims of the fires they set in order to get them to divvy up the insurance money. To assure cooperation, the arsonists use either blackmail or intimidation. In-between fires, John is intent on tracking down the arsonists. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Brodie, Lyn Thomas, (more)
- 1958
Several robberies have occurred in LA's Chinatown district. Detectives Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) have but one clue to go on: a small, green jade monkey. Featured in the supporting cast is prolific Asian-American character actor James Hong, who went on to sizeable roles in such films as Blade Runner (1982) and The Shadow (1994). This episode bears a striking resemblance to the seventh-season Dragnet offering "The Big Jade". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
With its incoherent plot, jaw-droppingly odd dialogue, inept acting, threadbare production design, and special effects so shoddy that they border on the surreal, Plan 9 From Outer Space has often been called the worst movie ever made. But it's an oddly endearing disaster; boasting genuine enthusiasm and undeniable charm, it is the work of people who loved movies and loved making them, even if they displayed little visible talent. In Plan 9, alien invaders attempt to conquer the world by raising the dead, starting with an old man dressed in a Dracula costume (Bela Lugosi, in a few minutes of left-over footage grafted into this film), his much-younger and well-proportioned wife (Maila "Vampira" Nurmi), and a remarkably overweight police officer (Tor Johnson). Often funny and consistently entertaining (if almost always for the wrong reasons), Plan 9 From Outer Space is an anti-masterpiece if there ever was one, and as Criswell so brilliantly puts it, "Can you PROVE it didn't happen?!?" Its legendary director Edward D. Wood Jr. was played by Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's 1994 biopic, Ed Wood. One of the DVD releases of Plan 9 From Outer Space includes the documentary Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion, an exhaustive and entertaining look at the making of the film that runs a half-hour longer than the feature to which it pays tribute! ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bela Lugosi, Mona McKinnon, (more)
