Dana Ashbrook Movies

A virtual remake of its predecessor, Return of the Living Dead (1985), which itself was a tongue-in-cheek rip-off of director George Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968), this follow-up adheres strictly to a gore and gags formula. Jesse Wilson (Michael Kenworthy), is a young boy being bullied by thugs from the neighborhood when all of them discover a sealed drum containing a zombie corpse. The release of a gas from the container reanimates the dead in a nearby graveyard, thus releasing an army of the undead, which mindlessly crave living human brains. As Jesse tries to contact the military to put a lid on the situation, the zombies are dispatched through a variety of gruesome methods. Two stars of the first film, James Karen and Thom Mathews, return in essentially the same parts, but with different names, as their characters were previously slaughtered. Followed by a third entry in the seires, Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Also known as "The Northwest Passage," the two-hour pilot episode of Twin Peaks originally aired April 8, 1990. The central plot of the series is set when Pete Martell (Jack Nance) finds the body of high school student Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) wrapped in plastic by the water at the Packard Sawmill dock. As the town slowly gets word of her murder, Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) from the FBI arrives in the Washington town of Twin Peaks to investigate. Assisted by Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean), Cooper retrieves Laura's secret diary and a videotape. At the morgue, Cooper discovers the letter "R" from under Laura's fingernail, evidence similar to the murder case of Theresa Banks a year ago. Meanwhile, at the Great Northern Hotel, Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) disrupts her father's business deal, causing the would-be investors to back out. Deputy Hawk (Michael Horse) and Deputy Andy Brennan (Harry Goaz) locate the scene of the murder and find half of a gold heart necklace. Also, Laura's safe deposit box is opened, revealing a copy of Fleshworld magazine and about ten thousand dollars. Laura's boyfriend, Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook), who is having a secret affair with waitress Shelly Johnson (Madchen Amick), is brought in for questioning. Later on at the Roadhouse, Laura's other boyfriend, James Hurley (James Marshall), kisses Donna Hayward (Lara Flynn Boyle), Laura's best friend. This episode features Julee Cruise singing "Falling" and "The Nightingale" during the scenes at the Roadhouse. The American broadcast version ends with Sarah Palmer (Grace Zabriskie) having a vision about the other half of the heart necklace. The European release contains extra scenes and an alternate ending. The Twin Peaks pilot episode was not included on the 2001 Artisan Entertainment DVD release of Twin Peaks: The First Season due to rights restrictions. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Director Stan Dragoti, whose forte is plumbing the depths of the male psyche, plumbs those depths once again in She's Out of Control. Tony Danza stars as Doug Simpson, a broadcasting executive who has trouble adjusting to the fact that his fifteen-year-old daughter Katie (Ami Dolenz) is blossoming into a sexual being. This realization kicks in after his fiancee Janet (Catherine Hicks) takes Katie for a makeover; suddenly she appears before Doug looking like a sultry super model. Now Doug is unable to look at his daughter as anything other than as a sexy chick, and he spends his time fending off packs of horny suitors while dictating morality to Katie. It finally gets to the point where Doug consults with television psychiatrist Dr. Fishbinder (Wallace Shawn), who recommends that Doug read a book he has written for single fathers, advising him, "If you're a slow reader, you better put your daughter on the pill." ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

The first official episode of Twin Peaks, entitled "Traces to Nowhere," originally aired on April 12, 1990. Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) of the FBI continues to investigate the mysterious death of Laura Palmer. He interrogates James Hurley (James Marshall), Bobby Briggs (Dana Ashbrook), and Mike Nelson (Gary Hershberger), and James is released from jail. Meanwhile, Bobby's secret girlfriend, Shelley Johnson (Madchen Amick), finds blood on the shirt of her abusive husband, Leo Johnson (Eric Da Re). Big Ed Hurley (Everett McGill) tells Sheriff Truman (Michael Ontkean) that his drink was drugged the previous night at the Roadhouse, and he believes Jacques Renault was tending bar. At the Great Northern Hotel, Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) begins her pattern of flirting with Agent Cooper. Also at the Great Northern, Catherine Martell (Piper Laurie) and secret lover Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer) reveal their scheme to take over Packard Sawmill. After being released from their cell, Bobby and Mike swear to get revenge on James. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Bill Cosby mugs so uncontrollably that it looks as if he may be the victim of a muscular disorder in the inane and unfunny Ghost Dad. Cosby plays Elliot, a workaholic widower with three children -- Danny (Salim Grant), Amanda (Brooke Fontainbe), and the teenage Diane (Kimberly Russell). Elliot is hoping to close a big deal that will mean a promotion, more money, and lots of perks, but a cab ride with a freaked-out cab driver causes his untimely demise. Elliot discovers that he is now a ghost and has to learn to spend more time with his kids rather than worry about money and career. Otherwise, after three days, he'll be whisked away into the great beyond. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Episode five of the first season of Twin Peaks, "Cooper's Dreams," originally aired on May 10, 1990, and was directed by Lesli Linka Glatter. Trying to start her own investigation, Audrey goes to a job interview at her father's department store. She manipulates the manager, Emory Battis (Don Amendolia), into a job at the perfume counter and learns some secret connections between Horne's and One-Eyed Jacks. Hank Jennings (Chris Mulkey) returns from prison to work at the Double R Diner, so Norma tells Ed Hurley (Everett McGill) that they can't continue their affair. Dr. Lawrence Jacoby (Russ Tamblyn) has a counseling session with the Briggs family, and Bobby reveals details about Laura's connection to drugs. Agent Cooper, Hawk, Sheriff Truman, and Doctor Hayward go hiking in the woods and have tea with Margaret Lanterman (Catherine Coulson), also known as the Log Lady, who tells them about her visions on the night of Laura's murder. While out in the woods, they find Jacques Renault's cabin full of clues, along with a possible witness -- a mynah bird named Waldo. That night, the Icelanders have a reception at the Great Northern, where Audrey spies on Catherine and Ben, and Leland dances out of control. James and Donna continue their own investigation with the help of Madeline, who shares clues that she found in Laura's bedroom. The main suspect, Leo Johnson, is assaulted by both Hank and Shelly. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Director Anthony Hickox (Waxwork) crafted this entertaining bit of horror-western fusion about the vampiric residents of a remote, dusty desert town who have chosen to derive their sustenance from a plasma-manufacturing plant in an attempt to put aside their monstrous nature and peacefully co-exist with humans. When the plant begins malfunctioning, the town's leaders summon the designer, David Harrison (Jim Metzler), to look into the problem. Soon after Harrison and his wife Sarah (Morgan Brittany) arrive, however, they find themselves in the thick of an escalating rivalry between two vampire factions -- one led by peaceful Count Mardulak (David Carradine), who ordered the blood plant as part of his plan to integrate the dying vampire race into human society; and the old-school bloodsuckers, under the sinister Jefferson (John Ireland), who consider Mardulak and his followers traitors to their predatory heritage. While the Harrisons' fates hang in the balance, the scales are jostled further by the arrival of a man named Van Helsing (Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell, in a surprisingly low-key performance), descendant of the legendary vampire hunter, whose disorganized efforts at wiping out town's undead populace are impeded by his growing attraction to a pretty young vampire (Deborah Foreman). With tongue firmly in cheek, this semi-parody plays off audiences' familiarity with the conventions of the vampire genre, but it seldom sacrifices creepiness and suspense when needed. It marked a creative step forward for Hickox (who would later stumble with Hellraiser III), who clearly tailors his projects to seasoned horror buffs. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

The groundbreaking and influential Twin Peaks series originally ran on the ABC network for the short time between April 1990 and June 1991. Created by film director David Lynch (Blue Velvet) and writer Mark Frost (Hill Street Blues), it gained an enormous following of viewers while challenging genre conventions and changing the standard of television programming. The story begins with Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) of the FBI arriving in the small town of Twin Peaks, WA, to investigate the murder of a popular high school girl named Laura Palmer. When the first season ended without answering the pressing question of "Who killed Laura Palmer?", the loyal audience had to wait all summer until next season to find out. However, the series proved to be more than just an engaging soap opera or juicy murder mystery. The dark supernatural subject matter was offset by moments of absurd humor, and the haunting musical score from Angelo Badalamenti was well suited to the cinematically rendered images. The creators succeeded in blending a very human drama into a humorous and entertaining crime show against a small-town background of eccentric characters and places. Offering plenty of symbolism, the series became highly discussed for exposing the darkness underneath apple-pie America, among other issues. For a series that gains layers of meaning with repeated viewing, it was also accused of alienating casual viewers. Some of the audience just lost interest during the second season, after the central mystery was solved. Nevertheless, the eerie mood and unusual themes of Twin Peaks continue to influence numerous television series from Northern Exposure to The X-Files. A rebroadcast on the Bravo cable channel in the late '90s added the Log Lady opening introductions to each episode of the series. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

David Lynch's prequel to his cult television series "Twin Peaks" concerns the last seven days in the life of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), whose plastic-wrapped corpse, found floating in a river, was the fulcrum for the television series. During the day in the town of Twin Peaks, Laura is a top honors student at the local high school. By night, she is a sex-crazed cokehead, prostituting herself at a sleazy sex club to get money to feed her drug habit. Her race to oblivion is fueled by her father, Leland (Ray Wise), who, as his alter ego Bob (Frank Silva), has been sexually abusing Laura since she was a child. But Laura has an attack of conscience when she realizes that she is leading her best friend Donna (Moira Kelly) down the same rocky road. Leland, however, discovers Laura's nocturnal debauchery when, during a business trip out-of-town, his mistress for a sexual tryst sets him up with his own daughter. In a fit of jealous rage, Leland follows Laura as she travels to a sex party in an abandoned railroad car. Consumed by insatiable longing, Leland transforms himself into Bob, with tragic results for Laura and her friends. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

When Hurricane Bob roars over a sailboat and the boat capsizes, a pregnant women and a few hostile survivors are set adrift, and they must somehow work together until they are rescued. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

William Best, a well-heeled Connecticut lawyer, leaves the family firm to work with the Manhattan DA's office. His first friend there is Hamlin Day, whose rise to the top from the ghetto has been as much a struggle as Best's has been a piece of cake. The disparate partners go out on a double date and that is where Best meets the sophisticated, sexy Meadow Adare. He is immediately attracted to her and this attraction doesn't wane when he learns she is a call girl. He likes her so much that he takes her home to meet his parents. Though Meadow is well-educated and classy, she has a drug problem and it is she who introduces Best to snorting heroin. The rest of this drama chronicles his subsequent slide to ruination. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A man returns to his hometown determined to find out the truth about a 20-year-old crime in this drama. Harry Porter (Roy Scheider) is the mayor of a city that, while once quiet and peaceful, has since become a hotbed of vice and corruption. Russell Stark (Robert Patrick), one of the top men in the city's police department, has made it his job to keep any evidence of wrongdoing from sticking to Porter, but that may change with the return of Michael Daniels (Dana Ashbrook). Michael's twin brother Jessie disappeared under suspicious circumstances two decades ago, and his body was never found; Michael is now a trained forensic pathologist who has landed a job with the police department, and in his spare time he's been running tests on a number of "John Doe" bodies at the coroner's office, determined to find out what happened to Jessie. Angels Don't Sleep Here also features Kelly Rutherford and Kari Wuhrer. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Independent filmmaker James Slocum directs the romantic drama The Last Place on Earth, filmed in the Sierra Nevada mountain region of Northern California. Dana Ashbrook plays Rob Baskin, a businessman who travels to Lake Tahoe in order to spread the ashes of his late mother (Phyllis Diller). Along the way, he meets Ann Field (Tisha Campbell-Martin), a woman who's dying of a terminal illness. Featuring appearances by Billy Dee Williams and Mink Stole, The Last Place on Earth won several cinematography awards at the Marco Island Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide