Dennis Lill Movies

The starring cast of the hit A Fish Called Wanda reunited for this farcical comedy, which star and co-screenwriter John Cleese described as "not a sequel, but an equal." When London's Marwood Zoo is purchased by Octopus, Inc., the multi-national holding company run by New Zealand publishing tycoon Rod McCain (Kevin Kline), the staff is given a firm order: if the zoo is not turning at least a 20% profit soon, it will be shut down. Willa Weston (Jamie Lee Curtis), who was recently hired by McCain to oversee another firm that bit the dust, is assigned to keep a watchful eye over zoo director Rollo Lee (Cleese), who gets the idea that since people seem to enjoy aggressive, violent entertainment at the movies, the zoo should round up and execute all the cute, benign animals and replace them with more vicious specimens to boost attendance. Needless to say, talkative zookeeper Adrian "Bugsy" Malone (Michael Palin) is appalled at this suggestion and attempts to disguise the more timid beasts with fake fangs and daubings of artificial blood. Meanwhile, Rod and his son Vince (also played by Kevin Kline) want the animal displays to be more spectacular, and they hope to boost income by introducing corporate sponsorship with logos pasted on the cages, the staff uniforms, and even the animals themselves. An already complex situation is further tangled by the efforts of Vince, Rod, and Rolo to seduce Willa, whose obsession with the bottom line is compromised by her fondness for the gorillas. Fierce Creatures was originally shot in 1995, but when the original version tested poorly, producers John Cleese and Michael Shamberg opted to reshoot part of the film (most notably the ending), with director Fred Schepisi replacing Robert Young for the revised sequences. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Created by Phil Redmond, the British cop drama Waterfront Beat was set along the docks of Liverpool. John Ashton starred as DCI Don Henderson, head man of the Inner City and Waterfront Division. Henderson's subordinates were well suited to their responsibilities, though the unrelenting grimness of their surroundings and the nastiness of the crooks with whom they came in contact exacted a daunting toll on the protagonists. The 16 50-minute episodes of Waterfront Beat originally aired from January 6, 1990 to February 20, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The cast and crew of the satirical British comedy series Blackadder reunited for this perverse one-hour spin on Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Rowan Atkinson stars as Ebeneezer Blackadder, a kindly and beloved London businessman. Alas, Ebeneezer is too warm-hearted and generous to suit his greedy, grasping ancestors, who on Christmas Eve appear in spectral form to force their descendant to live down to Blackadder family tradition. Also appearing are Tony Robinson as Baldrick, Robbie Coltrane as The Spirit of Christmas, Miriam Margoyles as Queen Victoria, Jim Broadbent as Prince Albert, and Miranda Richardson in the dual role of Elizabeth I and Asphyxia XIX. A Blackadder's Christmas Carol made its British TV bow on December 22, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Jaclyn Smith is a curious choice to play the title character in the made-for-TV biopic Florence Nightingale. This fact, however, never enters into the consciousness of the viewer, thanks to Smith's excellent performance. Some liberties are taken with the details of the life of "The Lady with the Lamp," notably the addition of a largely speculative romance between Florence and her young swain (Timothy Dalton). The best scenes--and the most accurate--occur during the Crimean War sequences and during Nightingale's strenuous efforts to form the Red Cross. Co-produced by Tony Richmond, Jaclyn Smith's husband, Florence Nightingale debuted April 7, 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of the two-part story "The Awakening," the citizens of Little Holcombe seem to be taking their reenactment of the English Civil War a bit too seriously -- especially when Tegan (Janet Fielding) is chosen as a human sacrifice. Meanwhile, the Doctor (Peter Davison) tries to purge the community of the evil telekinetic influence of the Malus, with the assistance of a transplanted 17th century lad named Will Chandler (Keith Jayne). Other key players in the proceedings are local squire (and slave-of-the-Malus) Sir George Hutchinson (Dennis Lill) and Tegan's beleagured grandfather, historian Andrew Verney (Frederick Hall). Written by Eric Pringle, "The Awakening, Episode 2" originally aired on January 20, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Jack Thompson plays Stan Graham, a tragic and notorious figure of New Zealand's war years. Not the most easygoing person in the world to begins with, Graham is pushed over the edge when his farm is foreclosed. With seemingly no other options, he turns into a homicidal maniac, killing everyone he considers an enemy -- in short, everyone who crosses his path. Graham's murder spree plays right into the hands of Nazi propagandists, notably British turncoat Lord Haw-Haw. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the second episode of the four-part story "Image of the Fendahl," the Doctor (Tom Baker) is among those scrutinizing a recently excavated, 12-million-year-old skull. It doesn't take long for the Doctor to recognize the skull as an artifact of the Fendahl, a malevolent mythological figure from his home world of Gallifrey. What he doesn't yet realize is that the Fendahl is very much alive, and has infested itself in the body and soul of innocent Thea Ransome (Wanda Ventham). Written by Chris Boucher, "Image of the Fendahl, Episode 2" first aired on November 5, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "Image of the Fendahl," the title character, a malevolent figure of Gallifreyan mythology, assumes its original form after 12 million years of dormancy, using the hapless Thea Ransome (Wanda Ventham) as its medium. Knowing only too well the destructive potential of the Fendahl, the Doctor (Tom Baker) must stop this evil entity from regaining its power -- a process already well under way, thanks to a group of black arts practitioners led by Maximillian Staehl (Scott Fredericks). Written by Chris Boucher, "Image of the Fendahl, Episode 3" first aired on November 12, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi