Freddie Jones Movies

Based on a novel by Molly Keane, this literary drama focuses on the mutually antagonistic lives of three aging Irish sisters and a brother who live together in a run-down family mansion. One of the sisters is a widow, another a shoplifter, and a third a happy-go-lucky type. Although their brother Jasper (John Gielgud) tries to keep the peace, he is not always successful. Their tight enclave is disrupted when cousin Leda (Googie Withers) comes for a visit, stirring up unwanted memories. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

David Lynch wades through dark waters in his adaptation of Frank Herbert's cult science fiction novel. In condensing Herbert's rambling and complex book by eliminating characters and compacting events, Lynch succeeds in rendering the story incomprehensible to those unfamiliar with the novel and making the film look like a sketchy greatest hits collection of the book for Herbert fans. The story takes place in the year 10,191. The universe is governed through a system of feudal rule, presided over by Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV (José Ferrer), who appears to take his marching orders from something that resembles a talking vagina. In the kingdom are two rival houses -- the House of Atreides and the House of Harkonnen. Each house is trying to gain dominion over the universe, but that dominion can only be gained by the house that controls the Spice, a special substance that permits the folding of time. The Spice is only available on the desert world of Arrakis, or Dune. Shaddam, tired of the feuding between the two houses, permits the Atreides to take over the Spice production on Dune, while secretly working with the Harkonnens to launch a sneak attack on the Atreides and destroy them. The leader of the Atreides is Duke Leto (Jürgen Prochnow), who rules with the help of his concubine Jessica (Francesca Annis) and son Paul (Kyle MacLachlan). The rival Harkonnens are headed by the pus-oozing degenerate Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan, in a thoroughly through-the-roof performance) and his two unsavory nephews, Rabban (Paul L. Smith) and Feyd (Sting). When his father is murdered by the Harkonnens, Paul escapes to Dune, where he is greeted by the Fremen (the desert dwellers on Dune who prepare the Spice) as the messiah foretold in Fremen legend. Paul assumes the mantle of messiah and leads the Fremen in a revolt that topples the balance of power in the universe. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

This made-for-TV children's film (from the Faerie Tale Theatre) concerns five princesses who wear out the soles of their shoes each day. The King promises a fortune to the person who can figure out the reason for the problem. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

Meant to be a whimsical sword-and-sorcery film about a prince out to save his princess from the jaws of the Beast, Krull has enough scenes borrowed from blockbuster predecessors (Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Robin Hood, Star Wars) and is gentle enough to be rather derivative, ordinary fare. Prince Colwyn (Ken Marshall) has inherited a kingdom under siege by the evil Beast, and not only has to rid the land of the monster, but he has to rescue his bride Lyssa (Lysette Anthony) from the Beast's clutches as well. In his magical land, horses can sometimes fly, medieval castles can harbor weapons that light up, and before he can defeat the Beast, the prince has to get his hands on the glaive (French for "double-edged sword"), a razor-sharp, magical weapon capable of killing the monster. One of the more notable aspects of Krull is that a 30-year old Liam Neeson plays the bit part of Kegan, in only his third full-length feature film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Jean Stapleton stars as Eleanor Roosevelt in this made-for-TV biography, first telecast May 12, 1982. The film recounts Mrs. Roosevelt's life after the 1945 death of her husband, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. At the request of new president Truman, Eleanor serves as a United Nations delegate, spending much of her time tilting with dedicated anti-FDR politico John Foster Dulles (E.G. Marshall). She goes on to spearhead the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, proving to Dulles--and to Soviet delegate Freddie Jones--that she's anything but soft on Communism. The winning teleplay for Eleanor: First Lady of the World was by Caryl Ledner and Cynthia Mandenberg. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

John Hurt stars as John Merrick, the hideously deformed 19th century Londoner known as "The Elephant Man". Treated as a sideshow freak, Merrick is assumed to be retarded as well as misshapen because of his inability to speak coherently. In fact, he is highly intelligent and sensitive, a fact made public when one Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins) rescues Merrick from a carnival and brings him to a hospital for analysis. Alas, even after being recognized as a man of advanced intellect, Merrick is still treated like a freak; no matter his station in life, he will forever be a prisoner of his own malformed body. Unable to secure rights for the famous stage play The Elephant Man, producer Mel Brooks based his film on the memoirs of Frederick Treves and a much later account of Merrick's life by Ashley Montagu. The film is lensed in black and white by British master cinematographer Freddie Francis. Though nominated for eight Academy Awards, the film was ultimately shut out in every category. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally airing in England in 1977, the haunting mini-series Children of the Stones takes place in an British village called Milbury, which is home to a Stone Henge-esque megalithic stone circle. It follows the strange adventures of astrophysicist Adam Brake (Gareth Thomas) and his son Matthew, as they explore the unique metaphysical properties and complex backstory that make Milbury unique. Originally built by ancient Druids, the highly magnetic and extremely powerful stone circle exists in a time rift, causing the same actions and events to manifest themselves over and over again - until the stones' time cycle can finally be completed. Noted for its chilling score and multi-faceted story, members of Children of the Stones' young target audience have often described it as a sophisticated introduction to magical realism, as well as a traumatizingly scary experience. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide

When a killer leaves the body of an actress under a tree, a private detective's wife sets out to identify the killer. ~ All Movie Guide

You never heard of this one? It might be because Romance with a Double Bass isn't a feature film at all, but a 40-minute short subject, designed for British television. John Cleese, still in his Monty Python period, plays a double-bass player who woos a lovely princess (Connie Booth). Both Cleese and his beloved are left to wander the countryside naked when a thief steals their clothes. Yes, they're starkers, and the film does little to cover up the naughty bits. Though the rest of the Monty Python gang isn't around for Romance with a Double Bass, we are treated with amusing cameos from such master performers as Graham Crowden and Freddie Jones. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Freddie Francis' Son of Dracula, not to be confused with the 1943 film featuring Lon Chaney, Jr., is a minor curiosity, an attempt at a comedic, modern-day vampire story that is most notable for its eccentric casting and pop soundtrack. The title role is played by singer and songwriter Harry Nilsson, in his only leading role. Nilsson would later claim he considered the script "awful," but took the part for the chance to work with close friend Ringo Starr. Starr co-stars as Merlin the Magician, who is friend, assistant, and head astrologer to Nilsson's Count Down. The Count has recently inherited his father's title as ruler of the netherworld, and all the monsters are already arriving in London for the coronation party. Still, though, Count Down is unsatisfied; it seems he's a budding composer, more interested in music-making than evil-doing. When he falls in love, The Count considers giving up his immortality for the sake of a normal life. But first, he and Merlin will have to outsmart the nefarious Baron Frankenstein, who has his own plans for the Count. The film includes a performance of Nilsson's hit single "Daybreak." ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Following his successful foray into swashbuckler comedy with The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, director Richard Lester made what has proved to be one of the few quality films from the disaster craze that dominated filmmaking in the mid-'70s. Juggernaut is the pseudonym of a madman (Freddie Jones) who plants several steel drums aboard a luxury liner and calls the company's officials once the boat has put out to sea, demanding a large sum of money in exchange for instructions on how to defuse bombs inside the drums. Anthony Hopkins plays one of the company officials whose wife and children are aboard the ship, Omar Sharif is the ship's captain, Shirley Knight is a passenger who is also his mistress, and Richard Harris and David Hemmings are two members of the bomb disposal team, which is helicoptered onto the ship to defuse the explosives. As in many of Lester's best works, humor pops up in unexpected places; particularly memorable are Harris as the weary but wisecracking top dog among the explosives experts and Lester regular Roy Kinnear as a bumbling entertainment director desperately trying to distract the apprehensive passengers. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide