John Laughlin Movies
Actor John Laughlin is best known as Woody in the dance movie Footloose. Laughlin has also made a massive number of TV guest appearances on everything from Tales from the Crypt to Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
Richard Gere plays Zack Mayo, an aloof, taciturn man who aspires to be a navy pilot. Once he's arrived at training camp for his 13-week officer's course, Mayo runs afoul of abrasive, no-nonsense drill sergeant Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.). Mayo --or "Mayonnaise," as he is dubbed by the irascible Foley -- is an excellent cadet, but a little cold around the heart. Foley rides Mayo mercilessly, sensing that the young man would be prime officer material if he weren't so self-involved. Zack's affair with working girl Paula Pokrifi (Debra Winger) is likewise compromised by his unwillingness to give of himself. Only after Mayo's best friend Sid Worsley (David Keith) commits suicide over an unhappy romance does Zack come out of his shell and mature into a real human being. Take away the R-rated dialogue and the sex scenes, and Officer and a Gentleman could have been a 1937 MGM flick, maybe with Robert Taylor as Zack, Wallace Beery as Foley, and Jimmy Stewart as Sid. An Officer and a Gentleman was nominated for 7 Oscars, with wins to Gossett and to the hit song "Up Where We Belong." The closing scene has surely become a classic of movie romance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Gere, Debra Winger, (more)
- 1996
- R
An explosive situation erupts when a mob war thrusts a yakuza, an ex-cop, and his adolescent daughter into a deadly, no-win situation. Booted in disgrace from the L.A. police force Bob Malone (Michael Rooker) suffers a seemingly endless unlucky streak. Matters don't improve when a robbery led by a crazed criminal (Bob Goldthwait) transpires at the bank where Malone is filling out foreclosure papers. Witnessing the crime, something inside Malone snaps and he single-handedly wipes out most of the robber gang. Unfortunately, the ringleader escapes and Malone ends up jailed by his corrupt former colleague Lt. Tony Dussecq (Tom Laughlin). At the same time, two Japanese yakuza arrive in L.A. to deliver a special message to L.A.'s most prominent Mafia don. The yakuza are in a restaurant when the bank robber (wearing a vest covered with explosives) bursts in and threatens to blow the place up. One of the Japanese, Koji (Ryo Ishibashi), intervenes in an explosive sequence. He too ends up at the police station just as Malone's feisty teen daughter Chelsea (Danielle Harris) arrives with bail money. The yakuza suddenly escapes, taking Chelsea and Malone with him as hostages. Now pursued by the crooked coppers and the mob, the unlikely threesome have no choice but to team up to survive. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Rooker, Ryo Ishibashi, (more)
Joanna Crane (Kathleen Turner) is a cold, workaholic sportswear designer, divorced and dedicated only to her job. Once strapped into that role, Joanna looks for an "out" and finds it by donning a wig and hitting the pavement as a $50/trick hooker named China Blue. Explicit scenes show her at work on her night job, including a long S and M segment with a policeman. While making money as China Blue, Joanna runs into a menacing, fanatic preacher (Anthony Perkins) who is out to save her from this life of sin, but in the meantime, he is also busy watching nude girly shows. As China Blue and the sexually ambivalent Reverend heat up their relationship, he becomes difficult to read: is this psycho reverend a killer? While China Blue is plying her trade, Bobby Grady (John Laughlin) has finally realized after 12 years of marriage that his wife Amy (Annie Potts) is frigid and just as he has this remarkably delayed insight, he is assigned by Joanna's boss to find out if she is stealing designs or not. By tracking Joanna, Bobby sees her transformation as China Blue and as might be expected, sex is not far behind. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathleen Turner, Anthony Perkins, (more)
- 1984
John Evan tells the story of his life in an interview before his death beginning with his crimes and ending with his electric chair execution. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1991
The whole story is in the title of this made-for-TV heartstopper. Based on a true 1988 incident, the film details the breakout of a fire in a Los Angeles high-rise. The LA fire department does what it can, but their ladder equipment falls short of the 37-story requirement. Lee Majors, Lisa Hartman and Peter Scolari comprise the all-TV star cast of this Towering Inferno clone (which improves upon its role model): Majors is the LAFD supervisor, while Hartman and Scolari are the unlucky entrapped office workers. The focal point of Fire! Trapped on the 37th Floor is not the conflagration itself but the resourcefulness of the professional firefighters and the improvisational skill with which they utilize their equipment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Majors, Lisa Hartman, (more)
In this lively adolescent-oriented musical, a city kid attempts to adapt to life in an ultra-conservative backwater Midwestern town. Once there, he ends up leading the repressed teenagers into a rebellion against the town fathers, who have outlawed rock & roll and dancing. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, (more)
A boy grows to manhood with revenge on his mind in this martial arts-influenced Western. When John Slaughter (Michael Worth) was a boy, his family was killed by a gang of bloodthirsty outlaws. Twenty years on, Slaughter has become a sure hand with a gun and has learned the mysteries of Asian martial arts. Slaughter tracks down one of the men who killed his parents but is unable to exact revenge upon them; however, he does discover that one of the outlaws. Jack Pickett (Gary Busey) is now the mayor of the town of Ghost Rock and is using his political power to rob his constituents for all their worth. Determined to seek a greater justice than mere personal revenge, Slaughter joins forces with a small band of do-gooders to end Pickett's stranglehold over the town once and for all. Ghost Rock also features supporting performances from Jeff Fahey, Adrienne Barbeau, and James Hong. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Michael Worth, (more)
- 1994
- R
Sexual harassment and revenge are the themes of this thriller. A secretary is murdered in a New York office building. In L.A. Ashley, who works for an advertising agency, is at an office party.There she surreptitiously has sex with a fellow employee. Michael Miller just moved from New York to be the new marketing head. With him he brings his pregnant wife and his daughter Emily. Soon after his arrival he begins harassing Ashley culminating in an attack in an elevator. She goes to court charging him with sexual harassment, but because she has a reputation for making it with others in the office, loses. Despondent, she offs herself in a car crash. Ashley's sister is livid and decides she will avenge her sister's death by ruining Michael. First she gets a job at the agency. Next she seduces Michael and video tapes him making love to her. Mayhem ensues when she repeatedly blackmails him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Bauer, Tahnee Welch, (more)
Acclaimed author Janette Oke's bestselling series of books comes to life on the screen once again in this, the fourth feature following the continued Westward journey of settlers Missie and Willie Lahaye. Their roots now firmly planted as they set up homestead in the far West, Missie (Erin Cottrell begins to realize her passion for teaching as Willie (Logan Bartholomew) cares for the couple's young daughter Kathy while expanding the family ranch with a little help from sons Jeff (Dre Tyler Bell) and Matthew. When the frontier railroad comes to town, the pleasure of a long-promised visit from Missie's father Clark (Dale Midkiff) is suddenly offset by the tragic death of young Kathy. As the untimely demise of their beloved daughter begins to drive an emotional wedge between Missie and Willie, the devastated father unexpectedly accepts an offer made by the powerful Samuel Doros (John Laughlin) to assume the role of town sheriff. Their faith shaken and their once close-knit bond suddenly torn asunder, Missie and Willie desperately attempt to bring their crumbling family back together as son Jeff faces a series of dangers while hopelessly falling for Doros' beautiful daughter Colette (Mae Whitman). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Erin Cottrell, Logan Bartholomew, (more)
- 1991
Based on Shelby Foote's novel September, September, this made-for-cable effort focuses on the exploits of a trio of white drifters who hatch a scheme to kidnap the young grandson of the wealthiest black industrialist in Memphis, Tennessee in 1957. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
Helen Barton (Faye Dunaway) and her insurance salesman husband Morely (Daniel J. Travanti) set sail with Lexa (Kim Cattrall) and her husband Jeff (John Laughlin) in this modern-day pirate adventure. Jeff's late father and Morely are searching for the treasure the two buried on a remote island 35 miles from Cuba in 1959. Lexa and Morely are engaged in a secret love affair, while Helen suffers from glaucoma-related blindness. Ned Beatty plays the old salt Ellis. There are more crosses and double-crosses than depicted on the Jolly Roger, complete with excessive sex and violence, with an interesting premise ruined by stilted dialogue and uneven continuity. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Faye Dunaway, Daniel J. Travanti, (more)
This black comedy offers a rather twisted version of the classic road movie, as it tells the story of a ten-year-old boy who is determined to win the "Motorama" road game, a promotional effort by a major gas station that promises winners 500 million dollars. In order to win, one simply has to collect enough game cards from Chimera gas stations all over the country to spell out the word "Motorama." Since his parents are not interested in the contest, the lad feels he has no other choice than to steal a bright red classic Mustang and set off across several fictional states to do it by himself. Along the way, he has assorted adventures, and many of them are not at all pleasant, but most of them are very strange. The film features cameos from several notable cult favorites, including Jack Nance, Drew Barrymore, Dick Miller, and even the pop singer Meat Loaf. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jordan Christopher Michael, John Diehl, (more)
- 1985
Helen Hayes makes her second TV appearance as Agatha Christie's female sleuth Miss Marple in Murder with Mirrors. Marple has been summoned to the lavish country estate of her old friend Carrie Louise Serrocold (Bette Davis). Carrie's stepson has been killed, and she fears that his won't be the last corpse to befoul the estate. She's right, and the game is afoot for Miss Marple once more, with a full contingent of prime suspects (including John Mills, Leo McKern and Dorothy Tutin). Murder with Mirrors was filmed on location on a genuine 13th century British estate. If Helen Hayes seems more spirited than Bette Davis (eight years Helen's junior), it's because Bette was seriously ill prior to and during shooting. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helen Hayes, Bette Davis, (more)
- 1986
This episode reunites Jessica (Angela Lansbury) with her former sweetheart David Everett (Leslie Nielsen), a man of great charm--and a great capacity for causing trouble. This time, Everett has spearheaded a search for buried treasure off the coast of Cabot Cove. When one of the divers is murdered, Jessica agrees to investigate in hopes of clearing Everett's name, only to discover that, as usual, her ex-lover has not been entirely honest and above-board with her (nor anyone else, for that matter!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1988
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is among the guests enjoying a skiing vacation at a mountain lodge. At least, she and the other guests were enjoying the vacation until they were all trapped in the lodge by a sudden blizzard. Among the others are a jealous husband, an outraged wife, a long-suffering agent and an abrasive champion skier. Before long, one of these characters is going to be murdered, and Jessica will try to figure out the killer's identity before he (or she) can strike again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
In this soft-core thriller features attractive people groping each other, frequently. ShannonTweed and John Laughlin are married, but they are not happy. They live on a very expensive, but remote ranch. Tweed is a powerful businesswoman yet neglectful wife. Poor Laughlin turns to kinky sex to combat her frigidity. A swinging couple suddenly appears at the door claiming their car broke down. They were really hired by Laughlin to warm up his wife. Plenty of fondling ensues, but Tweed remains unmoved. Laughlin starts getting ugly. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shannon Tweed, John Laughlin, (more)
- 1999
- R
- Add Operation Delta Force 4: Deep Fault to QueueAdd Operation Delta Force 4: Deep Fault to top of Queue
Marc Roper's action film Operation Delta Force IV: Deep Fault finds the heroic Delta Force attempting to recover scientists who have been kidnapped. During the mission, however, they learn of Project Zeus, and now must risk their lives before Zeus destroys the planet. The cast includes Justin Williams, Greg Collins, and Gary Hudson. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- 1993
An attractive businesswoman is ignored by her abusive, uncaring husband. She has an affair with a male stripper and another affair with a young black woman. When pictures of her and her black female lover turn up, blackmail and murder result. Her ex-boyfriend -- a cop -- believes that she has been framed and sets out to find the real killer. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1986
- R
In this sci-fi/western film set two hundred years from now, a bank robber, Grange is captured and sentenced to the penal colony on the mining planet Proxima Centauri 3 where he meets bounty-hunter Walker, and the Colonel, a retired policeman from LA who was considered the best of his kind. Grange is a dangerous lunatic and Walker and the Colonel must team up to keep him from escaping. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Farnsworth, Michael Paré, (more)
A robot cop goes rogue in this sci-fi actioner from prolific director Jim Wynorski. John Laughlin stars as Stark, the cyborg lawman in question. On the run from his keepers, Stark finds refuge with Grace (Carol Alt). Adding some tension and intrigue to the situation is the fact that Grace has murdered her husband. Along for the ride is Corey Feldman as the leader of the team sent to hunt down Stark. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Carol Alt, John Laughlin, (more)
- 1985
In this drama, an angry, bereaved husband decides to get his own kind of justice after the man who killed his wife and son is freed on a legal technicality. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1982
Once again, Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke) frames the Duke cousins for one of his own crimes. As Sheriff Little (Don Pedro Colley) locks Coy (Byron Cherry) and Duke (Christopher Mayer) in the calaboose, Boss puts the second phase of his master scheme in motion. With the Dukes out of the way, Boss is convinced that he'll encounter no problems in following a map supplied by an ex-con, leading to a half-million dollars in stolen bonds--somewhere at the bottom of Soggy Marsh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
A reporter and his girlfriend do some investigative journalism and discover that a successful actor/businessman who recently returned to Queensland may well be involved in pornography and snuff films. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lou Brown, David Clendenning, (more)
- 2007
Michael Rooker and Rance Howard star in co-directors Terry Leonard and Thadd Turner's take on the adventures of a legendary old-west gunfighter and his quick-draw compatriots. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Rooker
