Vera Lockwood Movies
A versatile actress of theater, film, and television, Vera Lockwood originally trained to be a singer. A relative of Italian stage and film director Luchino Visconti, Lockwood's numerous stage appearances included the original Broadway productions of The Ritz, Goodbye Fidel, The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker, and Sunrise at Campobello. Her film credits include The Freshman, Aladdin, Out for Justice, and Mortal Sins. In 1999 Lockwood was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance on NYPD Blue. She also appeared in guest roles on ER, Murphy Brown, and Doogie Howser, M.D.. On July 28, 2000, at the age of 82, Lockwood died of natural causes at her home in North Bergen, NJ. At the time of her death, she was a cast member of Over the River and Through the Woods at the John Houseman Theater. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide- 1997
During a home invasion, a wife and baby are killed, but the husband is only wounded. Smelling a rat, Simone (Jimmy Smits) and Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) work hand in hand with retired cop Gotelli (Carmine Caridi), now an insurance investigator, to determine if the husband arranged the killings to collect a hefty life-insurance policy. Also, Harvey Boutier (Dick Anthony Williams), a terminally ill friend of Lt. Fancy (James McDaniel), shows up at the precinct with new information on a 15-year-old murder case. And finally, the squad investigates the beating death of a widely despised record-company CEO. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Greene (Anthony Edwards) is a changed man after the departure of Susan Lewis -- and the change is not for the better. Surreptitiously checking into Jeanie's (Gloria Reuben) confidential file, Greene learns the truth about her HIV status. Meanwhile, Carter (Noah Wyle) is taken aback by Keaton's (Glenne Headly) travel plans, and Benton (Eriq La Salle) bears down even harder on Gant (Omar Epps). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This groan-inducing would-be camp from the director of Leprechaun boasts some good makeup by Kevin Yagher but is still easily the worst of the '90s crop of fairy-tale horrors. Kim Johnston Ulrich plays a widowed mother who buys a jade rock at an antique store. When she cries on it, she releases Rumpelstiltskin (Max Grodenchik), a soulless hunchbacked gnome who grants wishes, demanding newborn babies as his price. He also spews a lot of bogus Freddie Krueger wisecracks, dons sunglasses to ride a motorcycle, and pulls off his own head to bite a cop's neck. Most of the film follows Ulrich and an obnoxious talk-show host (Tommy Blaze) as they flee from the little goon with Ulrich's baby. There are chases by motorcycle, 18-wheeler, dune buggy, bulldozer, and police car, as well as several crowd-pleasing explosions. At one point, Ulrich runs over the gnome and his severed hand gives her the finger. That should give an indication of the level of entertainment contained herein. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Johnston-Ulrich, Tommy Blaze, (more)
- 1994
Corky (Faith Ford) finally gets the chance to conduct her first truly hard-hitting interview when she goes one-on-one with ruthless retail mogul Ross Bowen (William Windom). Though she acquits herself quite well, Corky suffers the usual professional consequences when she is deluged with hate mail. Murphy (Candice Bergen) and the gang are all for sheltering Corky from this assault, but the plucky girl reporter insists upon meeting her attackers head-on--by inviting all of the mail writers to the "FYI" studios. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Developed by Tina Sinatra and approved by Frank himself, Sinatra is a made-for-television mini-series following the life and times of Frank Sinatra, one of the most popular and acclaimed singers of the 20th century. Opening with his childhood in Hoboken, New Jersey, the film follows Sinatra's (Philip Casnoff) rise to the top in the '40s, through the dark days of the early '50s and his triumphant re-emergence in the mid-'50s, to his status as pop culture icon in the '60s, '70s and '80s. In between, the film hits all of the main events, including his three marriages, his connections with the Mafia and his notorious friendship with the Rat Pack. Even with the presence of Tina Sinatra as executive producer, Sinatra doesn't gloss over the more unsavory portions of Frank's life, which makes it all the more impressive. With the exception of a couple of early songs, all the music in the movie is taken from the original Sinatra recordings. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Steven Seagal plays a good if troubled man living in a corrupt world (sound familiar yet?) in this action drama. Gino Felino (Seagal) is a cop who grew up in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood, and while many of his old friends now live on the other side of the law, he retains a fierce loyalty to the community. When his partner, a friend since childhood, is murdered -- in broad daylight, and in clear view of his wife and children -- Gino is assigned to investigate, and he soon learns that the shooter was Richie Madano (William Forsythe), his life-long nemesis and now a low-level wise guy with an addiction to crack. Gino swings into action to bring Richie to justice, though he discovers that he's not the first in line -- the Don who oversees Richie's crew is appalled by this crime, and Gino has to bring Richie in before the Mafia can put a bullet in his head. Out for Justice also features Jerry Orbach, Jo Champa, and Gina Gershon; keep an eye peeled for John Leguizamo and Julianna Margulies in small roles. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Seagal, William Forsythe, (more)
- 1991
A nervous Dan (John Larroquette) wants to break off his relationship with Mary (Teresa Parente), the daughter of mob boss Joseph Schiavelli (played by Broadway headliner and versatile cartoon voiceover artist Tony Jay). But first, Schiavelli makes Dan an offer he can't refuse: an invitation to dinner with the mob family--with the proviso that Dan must bring Christine (Markie Post) along as a "peace offering". This is the only Night Court episode in which series star Harry Anderson does not appear. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Season Four of Full House gets off to a running start when the Greek grandparents of Jesse Katsopolis (John Stamos) descend upon the Tanner household on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary. The couple's rather bizarre customs and traditions set the household on its ear; and at the same time, the various cousins brought along for the ride stir up a few romantic complications--leading to a surprise at the end involving Jesse and Becky (Lisa Loughlin). Though they normally share the role of little Michelle Tanner, twins Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen make a rare joint appearance in this episode when Michelle meets her lookalike cousin Melina. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this farcical comedy, Matthew Broderick plays Clark Kellogg, an aspiring director who arrives in New York City to attend film school. However, moments after he arrives in the city, he's robbed by Victor Ray (Bruno Kirby), leaving him no money for the $700 in books required by his instructor, Arthur Fleeber (Paul Benedict). A few days later, Clark runs into Victor and demands his money back, but Victor has already lost it (on a horse race in which he wasn't entirely sure the animal he bet on was a horse). Instead, he offers to fix Clark up with a job with his boss, an "importer and exporter" named Carmone Sabatini (Marlon Brando), who bears a stunning resemblance to Don Corleone in The Godfather. Clark's adventures with Sabatini are just beginning when he's instructed to pick up a package from the airport. Clark is expecting it to be contraband, and he's right, but not in the way he figured -- it turns out he's accepting delivery of a komodo dragon, which is to be served at a "gourmet club" specializing in dishes prepared from endangered species. Marlon Brando's hilarious comic variation on one of his best-known roles is the highlight of this film, but Bruno Kirby and Paul Benedict also deliver fine comic turns, and Matthew Broderick copes nobly with his role as the film's lone normal person. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Matthew Broderick, Marlon Brando, (more)
- 1986
The CIA plays footsie with the Mob in Agent on Ice. Secret service boss Clifford David conspires with Mafia chieftan Louis Pastore in a plot to assassinate "inconvenient" political leaders. Young CIA operative Tom Ormeny, who has no inkling of David's plan, is ordered to kill Pastore-who, as it turns out, isn't killed at all. Set up as a fall guy, Ormeny is disgraced and fired from the service. His only hope for redemption is to prove that Pastore is still alive, still doing the CIA's dirty work. Though partially set in Europe, Agent on Ice was filmed entirely in New Jersey-and looks it. John Pastore, who plays the "assassinated" Mafia boss, also produced the film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Ormeny, Clifford David, (more)
The members of an all-girl rock band, hoping to make it big, team up with the members of a sorority house to beat boys at a number of sporting events in order to keep their house from folding. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robin Johnson, Patti R. Lee, (more)
- 1983
- R
In this undistinguished softcore film, Albert (Chris Lemmon -- Jack Lemmon's son) is an adman for a clothing company charged with recruiting five well-endowed, beautiful women to model the company's line of bras. One of the women is at work in a horror-parody film, another is a disco singer, another a wrestler, and the remaining two are a Countess, and the daughter of the president of the company. Albert carries out his assignment with good comic timing, in spite of his nemesis Lydia (Jennifer Richards). ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Lemmon, Olivia Pascal, (more)
- 1976
Slow responses to emergency calls have resulted in serious medical complications for a number of accident victims. To remedy this, Roy (Kevin Tighe) and John (Randolph Mantooth) take it upon themselves to upgrade the dispatching system. The case load this week range from an elderly woman who has collapsed in a grocery store to an escaped prisoner who manages to get himself trapped on a steep building ledge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
