Marg Downey Movies
- 2004
A man with no memory is unwittingly thrown into danger in this thriller with a comic edge from Australia. As Adrian (Clayton Watson), a young man who suffers from severe amnesia and can't retain a memory for longer than 30 minutes, is being held against his will by gangsters, he struggles to figure out what has happened to him, using his collection of scribbled notes and instant photos to recall recent events. Eventually, Adrian remembers Brandon (Nathan Phillips), who works at a home for the challenged where Adrian spends his days. Brandon is a champion surfer who is sentenced to work at the home as community service after becoming involved in a vicious fight. Brandon has convinced his supervisor Maxine (Marg Downey) to let him take Adrian and palsied Trevor (Steady Eddie) to the beach for a day in the sun; Brandon, however, has an ulterior motive, as a surf competition is being held at the seashore that day. After picking up hitchhiker Jo (Chloe Maxwell), Brandon and his charges arrive at the beach, where a run-in with Gene (Damien Garvey), the leader of a local gang, takes matters in an unfortunate direction. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nathan Phillips, Clayton Watson, (more)
The second and third novels in author Anne Rice's popular book series The Vampire Chronicles provide the inspiration for this horror sequel starring ill-fated actress and recording artist Aaliyah, who was killed in an airplane crash before the film's release. Stuart Townsend is the vampire Lestat, who has awakened from a century-long slumber and turned his considerable energy to rock music. His vampirism identity mistaken for a gothic hard rock publicity stunt along the lines of Kiss or Marilyn Manson, he quickly becomes a pop music sensation. Lestat's powerful music reaches the ear of the slumbering Akasha (Aaliyah), the millennia-old "queen of the vampires" who was the first immortal bloodsucker. Akasha is soon free and embarking on a quest to seize control of the world with Lestat at her side. In the meantime, Lestat becomes an object of fascination for Jesse Reeves (Marguerite Moreau), member of a secret order studying the supernatural called the Talamasca, and a band of ancient vampires come together in an effort to stop Akasha, even though her destruction could potentially cause their own deaths. Queen of the Damned co-stars Lena Olin and Vincent Perez. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aaliyah, Stuart Townsend, (more)
- 1989
Debuting in 1989, the Australian comedy series Fast Forward offered quickie takeoffs of down under movies, TV shows, and commercials. The series provided valuable exposure for such stars-to-be as Magda Szubanski, Michael Vietch, and Steve Blackburn. Over 70 hour-long episodes were telecast over a six-year period. Fast Forward aired over Australia's Seven Network until the fall of 1994. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
