Gareth Hunt Movies

Alan Ayckbourn's riotously funny play about a small-time acting troupe in the sticks is brought to the screen by director Michael Winner. Jeremy Irons plays Guy Jones, a mild-mannered flunky for an electronics firm who finds himself transferred to the British seaside town of Scarsborough. Bereft after the death of his wife and seeking a diversion, he tries out for a local amateur opera company's production of The Beggar's Opera. This local company is lorded over by the scabrous and slightly insane Welshman Dafydd Ap Llewellyn (Anthony Hopkins). Dafydd is in a constant rage because of his resentment at having to deal with these rank amateurs who merely try out for his production to pass the time. But his ranting and raving dwindles the number of his cast members with the result that Guy's part in the play is forced to grow larger and more important. But as Dafydd snorts and fumes, he is oblivious to the fact that Guy's increased stature in the production has made him a local lothario. Not only does Guy find himself in the passionate embraces of Fay (Jenny Seagrove), who plays a prostitute in the production, but he also falls into the arms of Dafydd's frumpy and frustrated wife Hannah (Prunella Scales). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Hazard of Hearts was adapted for television from a 1948 bodice-ripper by Barbara Cartland. Set (where else?) in 1810 England, the film stars Helena Bonham Carter as the obligatory innocent young lass with a dynamite figure. Falling in love with a Rochester-like Marquis (Marcus Gilbert), Helena is whisked off to the mysterious Castle Mandrake ("played" by England's Belvoir Castle and Burghley House). Here, our heroine is menaced by Diana Rigg, the Marquis' evil, possessive mother. First broadcast December 27, 1987, Hazard of Hearts was buried in the ratings by NBC's repeat showing of Terms of Endearment (1983) and ABC's telecast of Stir Crazy (1980). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This British horror spoof was conceived as a star vehicle for then-popular TV comedian Kenny Everett, who plays an occult scientist whose team of paranormal researchers are measuring psychic disturbances at a rural English estate called "Headstone Manor." Once the site of a bloody massacre, the house is haunted by the very real presence of a moronic devil-worshipping coven and their exasperated leader, "The Sinister Man" (Vincent Price, who seems to enjoy serving up the ham). The inept Satanists are determined to prevent the so-called psychic experts from completing their task. Despite a few clever gags and some very funny asides from the mugging Price, viewers expecting a Monty Python-style satire of horror films will be rather disappointed. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "Planet of the Spiders," three spider-like creatures from Metebelis 3 arrive on earth by way of an English monastery. There mission: To retrieve a powerful blue crystal, previously stolen from them by the Doctor (Jon Pertwee), which is highly coveted by the giant spider empress, the Great One. Unfortunately, the crystal is swiped from the Doctor's friend, Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen), by a crook named Lupton (John Dearth) -- who subsequently loses the valuable artifact to another crook named Tommy (John Kane). All of this has a profound effect on the Doctor, who knows that mankind will be destroyed unless the crystal is returned to its rightful owner. Written by Robert Sloman, "Planet of the Spiders, Episode 3" originally aired on May 18, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "Planet of the Spiders," the Doctor travels to the planet Metebelis 3, in hopes of rescuing his companion, Sarah (Katy Manning). There he is given an ultimatum: immediately return the precious blue crystal, which he stole from Metebelis during a previous visit, or all mankind will be destroyed. Grimly, the Doctor weighs the alternatives, which include his own likely death once the crystal is given back to its rightful owner, spider-empress the Great One. Written by Robert Sloman, "Planet of the Spiders, Episode 5" originally aired on June 1, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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, All Movie Guide

This half-hearted avant garde feature is a thinly disguised exploitation feature for the British synth-pop duo The Pet Shop Boys (Neil Tenant and Chris Lowe). They travel though London where they encounter a variety of colorful characters. Several songs appear as well, including the title track, "West End Girls", and a song with the legendary Dusty Springfield, "What Have I Done To Deserve This?". ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Michael Winner directed this British comedy-thriller about the disappointing life of wedding photographer Harry Sterndale (singer-actor Chris Rea). Betrayed by his wife, Harry had his ideas stolen by his best friend Maurice Walpole (John Cleese), was fleeced by shady businessman Gerd Layton (Bob Hoskins), and is told he has less than two months to live. To get revenge on everyone who did him in, Harry purchases a gun from barmaid Fred (Joanna Lumley) and sets off to carry out his most outrageous fantasies, with lots of twist and turns along the way. Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

One-dimensional characters tend to fall flat, and that seems to be the case in this low-budget parody of a James Bond spy-thriller that has stretched the bravado of the spy genre beyond its elastic limits. The story involves a British agent, Charles Bind (Gareth Hunt) sent on a mission to find Lord Dangerfield (Noel Johnson) and along the way eliminate the evil Lucifer Orchid (Gary Hope). Lucifer is using plastic surgery to create doubles of the U.S. vice-president, agent Bind, and others in order to install the doubles in power and take over the world. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Blackballed by his peers, crackpot conservationist Zacardi (Vladek Sheybal) intends to get even with his highly trained birds, which swoop down and kill on his orders. Steed (Patrick MacNee), Purdey (Joanna Lumley) and Gambit (Gareth Hunt) endeavor to stop Zacardi in his plan to take over the world with his feathered friends. The climax of this episode (the top-rated installment of The New Avengers' first season) finds Purdey in perilous predicament that would even make Alfred Hitchcock nervous. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season two of The New Avengers begins with another revenge-motivated episode. Ten years ago, John Steed (Patrick MacNee) was forced to shoot down his old friend and fellow agent Mark (Clive Revill), who had defected to the East. Since that time, Mark has been slowly dying from his wound, as the bullet works its way towards his heart. But before he cashes it in, Mark intends to wreak vengeance by destroying everyone and everything that Steed holds near and dear--and, of course, Purdey (Joanna Lumley) falls into this category. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third of four New Avengers episodes filmed in Canada, Steed (Patrick MacNee), Gambit (Gareth Hunt) and Purdey (Joanna Lumley) are assigned to guard an antique automobile known as Emily. It seems that the old car contains the only known fingerprints of an elusive secret agent known only as (what else?) The Fox. Perhaps because it was played purely for laughs, "Emily" emerged as the top-rated New Avengers episode of the 1977-78 season--not to mention the highest rated Avengers installment of all time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this fourth Canadian-filmed episode of The New Avengers, Steed (Patrick MacNee), Gambit (Gareth Hunt) and Purdey (Joanna Lumley) doggedly search for a missing circuit, following such clues as a drowned corpse in an evening gown. The trail leads to the bottom of Lake Ontario, where our heroes discover a hidden Soviet missile silo. This is the episode in which Joanna Lumley bravely attempts a Canadian accent--and this is also the final New Avengers installment, bringing the 16-year-old Avengers TV franchise to a close. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide