J.J. Johnston Movies
- 1987
- R
The third entry in the violent cycle of prison dramas has street-kid turned prizefighter Too Sweet back in the slammer again. Because he is such a great fighter, he finds himself caught in the uncomfortable position of having to choose whether to fight for the warden or for the crook who rules the inmates. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leon Isaac Kennedy, Anthony Geary, (more)
An impulsive but determined white principal brings order and respect to a predominantly African-American and Latino high school in this comedy-drama from the director of Young Guns and That Was Then, This Is Now. Rick Latimer (James Belushi), a high-school teacher, is in the process of a divorce when he sees his estranged wife at a bar having drinks with her attorney. Drunk and enraged, he smashes the guy's car up and receives a reprimand from the school board -- a new job as principal at rough-and-tumble Brandel High. Security guard Jake Phillips (Louis Gossett Jr.) is soon teaching his new boss the ropes, but Rick isn't willing to accept the violent and drug-ridden status quo. With a two-word motto -- "No More!" -- he sets about cleaning out the riff-raff, also taking time out to tutor students and get to know Jake. But when chief thug Victor (Michael Wright) refuses to back down, the violence escalates. Eventually, Victor's vengeance threatens the lives of steely history teacher Hilary Orozco (Rae Dawn Chong) -- and Rick himself. Kelly Minter, who plays one of Brandel High's troubled students, portrayed a dyslexic in the similarly themed Summer School the same year The Principal was released. Screenwriter Frank Deese would go on to write the Corey Haim/Corey Feldman vehicle License to Drive. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Belushi, Louis Gossett, Jr., (more)
- 1987
Al (Ed O'Neill) is wrong when he jumps to the conclusion that his never-seen boss Gary (Geoffrey Scott) has died, but he is right on the money when he concludes that Gary has gone out of his way to avoid him. His gorge rising, Al demands that his boss acknowledge his existence--or he'll quit. The role of Ed is played by veteran character actor Lewis Arquette, the father of actresses Rosanna Arquette and Patricia Arquette. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1987
- R
In this film, based on a true story, convicted criminal Lee Umstetter (Nick Nolte) is sentenced to life in San Quentin prison, with no possibility of parole. Despairing at his interminable sentence, Lee spends his time reading and educating himself. When he writes and performs a play that attracts the notice of a film critic (Rita Taggart), she sets out on a quest to have him paroled. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nick Nolte, Lane Smith, (more)
"Fatal attraction" has become a household term for love turned to murderous obsession, thanks to the success of Adrian Lyne's 1987 movie. Dan (Michael Douglas) is a family man whose one-night affair with Alex (Glenn Close) turns into a nightmare when she insists on continuing the relationship, claiming to be carrying his baby. Alex systematically terrorizes Dan, even temporarily kidnapping his daughter, in her attempts to win back his affection. Douglas' besieged family man guiltily tries to preserve his marriage and family from the consequences of his own indiscretion. Close's performance as the love-struck psycho-siren remains her signature role: She conveys the buried feminist message of the film in her challenge to Dan to take responsibility for his sexual behavior. Though many critics acknowlegded the film's striking similarities to Clint Eastwood's 1971 film Play Misty for Me, Fatal Attraction spawned numerous other movies about middle-class families besieged by a lone psychotic intent on infiltrating and destroying the fabric of the family unit, including The Stepfather (1987), Pacific Heights (1990), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), and Fear (1996). ~ Laura Abraham, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, (more)
Stepping into the role made famous on Broadway by Tom Conti, Richard Dreyfuss stars as a profoundly handicapped sculptor in Whose Life is it Anyway? Left a quadraplegic after an auto accident, the embittered Dreyfuss feels utterly useless, as both an artist and a human being. He doesn't want his family's love, or his doctor's care, or his nurse's ministrations. Dreyfuss simply wants to die-but this is impossible, given the legal state of things in the 1970s. Whose Life is It Anyway? may be the only film in which a person's right to self-destruction is regarded as a happy ending. Not as depressing as it sounds, Whose Life Is It Anyway is perversely hilarious at times, with Dreyfuss at his acerbic best. The film was scripted by Reginald Rose and Brian Clark from Clark's stage play. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dreyfuss, John Cassavetes, (more)
- 1980
Hoping to divest himself of his well-earned nickname, veteran moonshiner Hard Luck Jones (Fred Stuthman) steals a vintage armored personal carrier from Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke), who'd been using the vehicle to transport illegal cigarettes. Jones intends to transform the APC into Hazzard County's first "mobile still", and to that end he hides the valuable relic on the Dukes' property--potentially giving Boss yet another excuse to throw the whole Duke clan into the hoosegow. This episode was originally scheduled to air on December 21, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
In an episode cowritten by M*A*S*H's medical consultant Walter Dishell), the 4077th must perform immediate surgery on a soldier with a severely lacerated aorta. With only 20 minutes to close the wound and restore circulation, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Mike Farrell) must rely upon an aortic graft. This puts the doctors in the unenviable position of hoping that the potential graft donor, a GI with a fatal head wound, will die in enough time to save the life of their patient. "Life Time" is the famous episode in which the precious seconds are ticked off by a clock superimposed in the lower corner of the screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Crisis in Mid-Air is essentially a "problem drama" concentrating on a single individual. George Peppard plays a veteran air traffic controller who holds himself responsible for a mid-air collision. With an FAA investigator breathing down his neck, Peppard gets a chance to prove his value when another flight, with 235 passengers on board, puts in a "Mayday" call. The TV Guide ads for this television movie were a little misleading, suggesting that Peppard was in the cockpit rather than the control tower. Crisis in Mid-Air debuted February 13, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1978
- PG
An unscrupulous Chicago towing company rakes in the bucks by picking up perfectly fine cars and impounding them. This comedy chronicles the attempts of two plucky bar maids to stop them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jennifer Ashley, Sue Lyon, (more)
- 1977
Mildred Natwick guest stars as the Hartley's next-door neighbor, Grace Dubois, who has retreated into her own little fantasy world. When Grace's relatives move to have her shipped to a nursing home, Emily intervenes. First telecast on December 3, 1977, this was one of several sixth-season Bob Newhart Show episodes to do without the services of star Newhart, who was unhappy with recent CBS scheduling decisions. "A Girl in Her Twenties" was written by Laura Levine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Suzanne Pleshette, Bill Daily, (more)
