David Ashton Movies
In this historical drama produced for television, Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean) is an officer in the British Army who has his own way of doing things, but has risen to a rank of power thanks to his bravery and steely intelligence under fire. Sharpe is a Captain of the Battalion of South Essex, a platoon of inexperienced soldiers Sharpe is trying to mold into an efficient fighting force. Much to Sharpe's annoyance, South Essex looses an important battle thanks to the incompetence of Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane), and their regimental flag and standard is stolen from them by French forces. The same battle took the life of one of Sharpe's closest friends, so now he's determined to get his revenge by taking from the French their prized standard, a golden eagle. Sharpe's Eagle also features Assumpta Serna as Teresa, a feared Spanish terrorist who is also Sharpe's lover, and Katia Caballero as Josephina, a widow of Sharpe's acquaintance. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Robert Ashby guest stars in the Doctor Who adventure "Timelash" as the Borad, a mutant dictator. Hoping to wipe out the population of his own planet so that he can create a new, "superior" race, the Borad declares war on a neighboring world. Those who oppose his plans are exiled to a time corridor called the Timelash -- which is where the Doctor (Colin Baker) and Peri (Nicola Bryant) have arrived to rescue an old friend. Written by Glen McCoy, the two-part "Timelash" originally aired on March 9 and March 16, 1985; it has since been edited into a four-part serial for American television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, (more)
- 1985
In the conclusion of "Timelash," the Borad Robert Ashby, mutant dictator of the planet Karfel, declares war on the Bandrils, the better to wipe out his own followers so that he can create a new, "superior" race. Meanwhile, the Doctor (Colin Baker) attempts to rescue Vera Rennis (Jeanane Crowley), an old friend of Peri (Nicola Bryant), whom the Borad has exiled to the Timelash, a spectral time corridor. Yet another dilemma arises when Peri is chosen to replace the Borad in the long-ago accident which so horribly disfigured him. This episode was initially titled "Conquest of the Daleks," but the Daleks were ultimately written out of the story. Scripted by Glen McCoy, the two-part "Timelash" originally aired March 9 and March 16, 1985; it has since been edited into a four-part serial for American television. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, (more)
Director Kevin MacDonald teams with screenwriter Jeremy Brock to adapt Giles Foden's novel detailing the brutal reign of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as seen through the eyes of his personal physician. James McAvoy stars as the doctor who slowly realizes that he is trapped in an inescapable nightmare, and Forest Whitaker assumes the role of the notorious despot. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, (more)
The first in a series of "true crime" cable-TV films based on the writings of Dominick Dunne, Murder in Greenwich retraces the brutal bludgeoning murder of Martha Moxley, a Greenwich, Connecticut high school girl, in 1975. Although the prime suspect is Martha's teenaged neighbor Michael Skakel (Jon Foster), the boy is able to evade arrest for a variety of reasons, not least of which is the fact that he is related to the politically "untouchable" Kennedy family. Over two decades later, the case is re-opened at the urging of former police detectitve Mark Fuhrman (Christopher Meloni), whose recent association with the O.J. Simpson trial has branded him a racist pariah. Despite his tarnished reputation, Fuhrman is able to enlist the aid of another detective, Steve Carroll (Robert Forster), the original investigator of the Moxley murder. Although Fuhrman and Carroll are clearly never going to be the best of friends, their combined efforts ultimately bring the elusive (and now adult) Michael Skakel to justice. Not surprisingly, the real Mark Fuhrman was one of the producers of Murder in Greenwich, which made its USA Network debut on November 15, 2002. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Meloni, Robert Forster, (more)
This 5.7-million-dollar British comedy from writer/director Gary Sinyor satirizes the now-familiar Merchant-Ivory style of period dramas. So no one will miss the joke, the central setting is Ivory Hall, the Ivory family mansion in rural England. In 1908, young twit Edward Ivory (Samuel West) plans to match his bookwormish friend Cedric (Robert Portal) with his 22-year-old sister, Emily (Georgina Cates), and introduces the two at Ivory Hall. However, Emily is instead attracted to gamekeeper George (Sean Pertwee), the son of a peasant (Brian Glover). Emily's aunt Agnes Ivory (Prunella Scales), in favor of Cedric, suggests an Enchanted April-type excursion to Italy with George along as a servant. Eventually, Emily and George become a couple, but class differences are a barrier. When Aunt Agnes becomes bored with Italy and yearns to go "somewhere more English," the vacation party is off to India, where Agnes has her own romantic encounter with lecherous tea-planter Horace (Peter Ustinov). Other short satirical send-ups recall Chariots of Fire, Brideshead Revisited, Upstairs, Downstairs, The Shining, and Gandhi, while humorous references also are heard in the soundtrack of classical excerpts. Stiff Upper Lips was shown at the 1997 London Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Ustinov, Prunella Scales, (more)
Having already been seen spying for the Nazis in 1979's The Eagle Has Landed, Donald Sutherland once more infiltrates wartime England on behalf of Der Fuhrer in Eye of the Needle. Willing to kill even the most innocent of bystanders to complete his task, Sutherland manages to remain in Britain until the eve of D-Day in 1944. Discovering that the invasion is to take place on Normandy, Sutherland scurries to rendezvous with a U-boat off the treacherous Isle of Storms. His mission is thwarted by Kate Nelligan, the frustrated wife of paralyzed RAF commander Christopher Cazenove. Though having fallen in love with Sutherland, Nelligan nonetheless prepares to turn the man in when he kills her husband. Tension mounts in the closing scene as Sutherland races against time to (a) make contact with the U-boat and (b) stop Nelligan before she blows the whistle on him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, (more)
- 1992
- PG
A steamer trunk full of the voices of British acting greats (Ben Kingsley, Billie Whitelaw, Michael Hordern, Brian Blessed, and Jonathan Pryce) enliven this absurd pop-cartoon parody of the James Bond films. In a prologue taking place in a faraway time, a widowed magician-king (voice of Michael Hordern) and his son, Prince Freddie (voice of Ben Kingsley) live in their lonely castle. Freddie's mean aunt Messina (voice of Billie Whitelaw), dead-set against Freddie becoming king, kills his father and transforms Freddie into a frog. Freddie escapes the wrath of Messina by jumping into the sea. Several hundred years later, Freddie is now living in modern day Paris -- a six-foot-tall amphibian with the moniker Secret Agent F.R.O.7. Messina, too, is still around causing mischief, joining forces with an arch-villain named El Supremo (voice of Brian Blessed) in a scheme to shrink Big Ben. Freddie, alerted to Messina's nefarious plans, gathers his fellow agents Daffers (voice of Jenny Agutter) and Scottie (voice of John Sessions) together, planning to hide out in Big Ben and surprise the evil doers when they are set to strike at the much-loved British landmark. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Kingsley, Jenny Agutter, (more)
