Miguel Angel Landa Movies
The current wave of kidnappings in Latin America inspired this tense suspense drama. Martin (Jean Paul Leroux) and Carla (Mía Maestro) are a wealthy young couple who, after a night of club hopping, head back to their car to go home. However, three kidnappers -- Bubu (Pedro Perez), Niga (Carlos Madera), and Trece (Carlos Julio Molina) -- are waiting for them; seeing how free they are with their money, the men figure that Martin and Carla should fetch a decent ransom for their release. The kidnappers demand 20,000 dollars to set Martin and Carla free, and Carla's father (Rubén Blades) struggles to raise the cash, with the criminals insisting upon payment in a mere two hours. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mía Maestro, Rubén Blades, (more)
- 1989
In the present, the young man (Miguel Angel Landa) in this story works in the circus as the assistant to the star in the knife-throwing act. An accomplished knife-thrower himself, he is inspired (if that is the right word) by the events in his past which have put him in this situation. As a boy, he and his mother were thrown out of the house by his father for no apparent reason, except that she was too saintly and the boy was too much trouble. Shortly after that, the boy saw his mother raped and killed. The rage he feels over those crimes so overshadows him that when he throws knives, the blades shimmer with flame. Eventually he runs across his mother's murderer, and forms an almost romantic bond with the man as he experiences powerful flashbacks of his earlier life, but finally he gets his revenge. The story to this film is based on the director's play Todo Bicho de Uña. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miguel Angel Landa
- 1987
An organized crime ring hides out in an abandoned movie theater as they plan their next caper in this staged and routine drama. Trouble begins when a young woman seeks refuge with the group. When her policeman husband tries to get her back, the woman refuses, and the livid lawman vows vengeance against the gang, hoping to kill them and his estranged wife. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- 1986
Based on a well-known story that was first filmed in the era of silents, this Venezuelan version of Manon Lescaut's scandalous life stars Mayra Alejandra in the title role. Manon's first conquest is Roberto (Victor Mallarino), a young man studying for the priesthood who gives up that career goal when he meets the seductress. Roberto and Manon take off for a posh Caracas hotel loaded down with money stolen from Roberto's wealthy dad. Manon is unable to remain faithful to anyone for long, and when Roberto's money runs out, she finds a wealthy businessman to take his place. And so it goes, until a few cracks start to appear in Manon's formula for success. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mayra Alejandra, Victor Mallarino, (more)
- 1982
- R
Inspired by a real crime in Caracas, Venezuela, this is a fictional story about a kidnap victim who was murdered but whose case was not pressed through to the end. It turns out that his kidnappers belonged to influential families that had the power to buy off or bully the police and the legal system. When a police detective (Miguelangel Landa) gets close to an indictment in the case, he is stopped from revealing who the perpetrators are -- and he agonizes over the cover-up, at odds with his own conscience. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miguel Angel Landa
- 1977
The popular Latin American music used on its soundtrack enlivens El Pez Que Fuma, a drama which explores the seamy underworld of Caracas from the point of view of a brothel. In the pecking order of that world, the gaudily dressed mobster who is a frequent customer comes out on top, but a younger man seeks his place. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miguel Angel Landa, Orlando Urdaneta, (more)
- 1975
In 1964 a U.S. army colonel was kidnapped by a group of Venezuelan radicals who hoped to effect a prisoner exchange with a Vietnamese man who was sentenced to death for an assassination plot involving the U.S. Secretary of Defense. This political thriller follows the events and characters involved in that real-life episode. Especially interesting is the situation of a journalist, a member of the gang of kidnappers, who was assigned to cover the story. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Orlando Urdaneta
- 1973
Fran (Elizabeth Baur) discovers that her cleaning lady Rosita (Maria-Elena Cordero) is an illegal alien, smuggled into the country by the minions of a shady "employment agency". Convinced that the smugglers have killed her sister, Rosita is prepared to turn herself in and reveal all. But those responsible for her sibling's death aren't about to let that happen--and unless Ironside (Raymond Burr) can save her, Rosita will be the next victim. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1972
The IMF has only 72 hours to intercept a huge shipment of cocaine, which is being delivered to supplier Carl Reid (Stephen McNally) by smuggler Fernando Lorca (Gregory Sierra). In order to undermine the main villains, agents Phelps and Willy prey upon the gullibility of Reid's second-in-command, Joe Conrad (William Shatner, in the second of his Mission: Impossible guest appearances). The gimmick: a "miraculous" new computerized machine which purportedly manufactures synthetic cocaine. Barbara Anderson again appears as IMF operative Mimi Davis, subbing for series regular Lynda Day George. Scripted by Harold Livingston from a story by Livingston and Norman Katkov, "Cocaine" was first broadcast on October 21, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Graves, Greg Morris, (more)
- 1969
Sr. Bertrille's curiosity is piqued when the nuns of Convent San Tanco begins receiving huge donations and valuable gifts from a mysterious benefactor. The sisters don't know that the philanthropist is Alonzo Baldaran (Nehemiah Persoff). They'd be even more surprised if they knew that the convent's shabby little handyman is Baldaran himself. Written by Michael Morris, "A Convent Full of Miracles" first aired on November 5, 1969. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Jethro is impressed by the celebrated bullfighter El Magnifico (Miguel Landa). He is even more impressed by the fact that El Magnifico is surrounded by a throng of beautiful and adoring girls whereever he goes. Taking the bull by the horns, Jethro decides to become a matador himself, while the aforementioned El Magnifico begins a-courtin' Elly May. "The Matador" was originally telecast on February 22, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
No sooner has he arrived at Fort Casper than Beau (Roger Moore) is framed for the murder of Indian brave Swift Rider (Miguel Landa). The actual killers were Marsh (John Zaccaro) and Lawson (Richard Coogan), a pair of crooked shopkeepers who have been systematically cheating Swift Rider's tribe, and are hoping to stir up a war between the Indians and the Army to cover their tracks. Locked up in the stockade, Beau is rescued by Chief Standing Bull (Robert Warwick)--but only so he can be married to Swift Rider's sister Pale Moon (Andra Martin, a marriage slated to end as quickly as it begins with Beau's swift and ignominious demise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
