John Walker Movies

Cannibalism, vengeance, and a far-reaching cover up by British authorities serve as the lurid highlights of filmmaker John Walker's documentary tracing the adventures of Hudson's Bay Company explorer Dr. John Rae and British Royal Navy Officer Sir John Franklin. But while Franklin became a hero as a result of the pair's remarkable journey from London to the Orkney Islands and ultimately Nunavut, his partner Rae was relegated to virtual obscurity. Still, the question remains, how truthful were Franklin and Rae being when they recounted their epic adventure to gullible audiences? In this film, director Walker does his best to sort the fact from the fiction while uncovering the truth about one of history's most elaborate ruses. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Donald Angus MacLean is a weathered but spry eighty-year-old whose home is on the Isle of Skye in Northern Scotland. In a place that values its local eccentrics, MacLean is proud to be a local character, widely regarded as the best storyteller in town and always on the search of a new tall tale to spin. MacLean is something of an amateur paranormal researcher and he often meets with townsfolk who claim to have "second sight" -- the ability to see ghosts and anticipate events before they happen. While some regard MacLean and his friends as harmless but removed from reality, the storyteller himself would beg to differ, and he and his pals tell their tales of bushes with the supernatural with a passion and detail that might make you think twice. Filmmaker Alison McAlpine gives MacLean and his buddies a chance to tell their stories and share their belief about the ghosts that lurk among the moors of the Isle of Skye in the documentary Second Sight. Second Sight was an official selection at the 2008 London International Documentary Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Mort Swinsky and Ellen M. Krass produced the 2007 revival of Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning stage musical Company, at The Ethel Barrymore Theatre in Manhattan; Lonny Price filmed one of the shows for WNET public television in New York, which appears in this release. Raul Esparza stars in the lead role of Robert, with Angel Desai, Elizabeth Stanley and Kelly Jeanne Grant in the supporting cast. John Doyle directs and handles the musical staging. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Fairies have appeared in many cultures, including that of the ancient Celts, and Shakespeare utilized them in his plays. Hollywood has its famous fairies, notably Tinkerbell of Peter Pan, the Fairy Godmother of Cinderella, and the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio. The Fairy Faith looks beyond Hollywood to the more complex fairies of other countries, surveying the origins of the enduring belief in the creatures. John Walker, director of the video, also investigates the manner in which fairies are depicted in art and literature, and talks with some individuals who say they can see into the world of fairies. ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide

Canadian filmmaker Christine Richey directs this documentary about the shadowy netherworld of sadomasochism. The film opens with a historical overview ranging from profiles of such notorious figures as Marquis de Sade, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch and Richard von Kraftt-Ebing. Insights include details of the summation of Hitler's bizarre kinks and discussions of S&M's place in the commodity-capitalistic culture of the mid-to-late 20th century. Also featured are a run down on the tools of the trade along with interviews of hardcore devotees, including Toronto native Robert Dante who bitterly complains about his last slave. Tops & Bottoms was screened at the 1999 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide

The Champagne Safari was a foolhardy 1,200 mile expedition across Northern Canada backed by millionaire entrepreneur Charles Bedaux. To make the 1934 journey Bedaux brought along five Citroen half-track tanks, 130 pack horses, kegs of champagne and tons of gourmet French cuisine. He also brought along an entire library of books, a crew and Oscar winning cameraman Floyd Crosby. The expedition was a bust and the resulting film footage was lost until 1984 when Canadian filmmaker George Ungar found it in a Paris basement and used it in this fascinating biography of the enigmatic, megalomaniacal American industrialist, entrepreneur and WW II-era traitor Charles Bedaux, a man who had a tremendous effect on the rise of the Nazis to power. The film took over 16 years to make and is narrated by actor Colm Feore. In addition to Crosby's fascinating footage, the story is told via reenactments, archival photos and interviews with historians, writers, and relatives. The Champagne Safari was but one incident in Bedaux's life. He earned his fortune by using scientific methodology to create the "Bedaux System" of worker management. Other American corporations liked the methods and he became wealthy. Bedaux soon became known for his exotic expeditions. But there was a dark side to Bedaux, and his close ties to the Nazi party are also explored in the film. It was this shadowy relationship that ultimately caused the downfall and suicide of Bedaux who died just before he was to stand trial for treason in the US. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When three TV journalists take a survival training course because the world seems to be spiralling toward WWIII, they find that surviving the course itself may be the biggest part of their training. An around-the-bend ex-Marine is the antagonist of this predictable melodrama. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

Janis Cole and Holly Dale directed this documentary about female filmmakers and the struggles they repeatedly encounter in a male-dominated industry. From the very inception of an idea, to convincing producers and studios to back their projects, through actual filming, and on to completion of a film, women filmmakers still face roadblocks all along the way that severely hamper their success. Here interviewers Cole and Dale skillfully survey a widely divergent group of women all involved in the movie industry who relate their own stories to the camera, offering insight into their personal experiences. Their stories are funny, frustrating, and informative in this feature -- a must for anyone interested in the filmmaking process. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Harry's Kingdom and Harry's Machine are alternate titles for the 1985 low-budgeter Hollywood Harry. Actor Robert Forster made his directorial debut in this languid private eye flick, reserving the "hard boiled dick" lead for himself. Forster is hired to find a missing girl; his only lead is the fact that the girl was featured in an X-rated movie. Hollywood Harry's niece, whom he takes to work with him to keep her out of trouble, is portrayed by Forster's real-life daughter Katherine. The film uses so many cliches of the detective genre that at times it's hard to tell whether we're supposed to take things seriously or not. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide