Jared Martin Movies

After a moderately successful first season in syndication, the H.G. Wells-based science fiction series War of the Worlds returns for a second season with several radical changes in place--and not merely the new title, War of the Worlds: The Second Invasion. As we shall see, the series has abruptly taken on the dimensions of two other entertainment properties: the Mad Max movies, and the briefly popular network sci-fi series V. As before, scientist Harrison Blackwood (Jared Martin) and his astrophysicist colleague Suzanne McCullough (Lynda Mason Green) continue to wage war against an army of extraterrestrial invaders, but not precisely the same invaders as in the previous season. It turns out that the dreaded Mortaxians, who had the ability to assume the bodies and identities of humans in order to carry out their dirty work undetected, were actually soldiers in the employ of an even stronger other-worldly race, the human Morthrai. Summarily exterminating the Mortaxians for failing to complete their mission of conquering the Earth, the Morthrai show up to finish the job--which is distressingly easy, inasmuch as the entire infrastructure of earthly society has apparently collapsed between Seasons One and Two, leaving the planet in a chaotic, dysfunctional state, with the "leadership" in the hands of local despots and scoundrels. (So much for Mad Max) Commandeering the Morthrai is the Hitlerlike Malzor (Denis Forest) and his beautiful-but-deadly consort Mana (Catherine Disher). Dictating the progress of the war against the humans is the "Joseph Mengele"-type scientist Ardix (Julian Richings), bent on "purifying" the earth by purging all undesirables. Malzor, Mana and Ardix are guided in their sinister ambitions by a jellyfish-shaped deity called The Eternal. (So much for V) Though he hadn't received much official support during Season One, Dr. Blackwood is almost completely on his own during Season Two in his Herculean efforts to ward off the invaders and save the world. Worse still, two of his former colleagues, computer whiz Norton Drake and Army colonel Paul Ironhorse, have been killed off. Luckily, Blackwood can still count on the help and support of his trusted aide Suzanne McCullough, as well as a newcomer to his team, ex-soldier John Kincaid (Adrian Paul). With their original headquarters destroyed, the alien fighters were forced literally underground, running their resistance movement from their city's sewer system. Sensing that the "improvements" wrought on Season Two of War of the Worlds were more hindrance than help, the producers decided to wrap things up permanently in the 44th and final episode "Knight Time", in which a clear victor in the Earth-Morthrai conflict is declared (as if we're going to tell you who it is!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season One of the lavishly produced sci-fi series War of the Worlds begins with a two-hour pilot episode, establishing the fact that the Earth had first been visited by aliens from the planet Mortax in 1938, and that the two planets waged a violent war in 1953, with the Earth emerging triumphant and the Mortaxian "casualties" entombed in steel drums and buried in various nuclear testing sites throughout the world. And why wasn't this common knowledge to the public. Well, thanks to mass hypnosis, Mankind had been convinced that the 1938 visitation was merely a radio hoax perpetrated by a young actor named Orson Welles, and the 1953 war--which ended with the aliens being killed off by bacteria--was nothing more than a Hollywood movie produced by George Pal! Unfortunately, the Mortaxians are not dead, only hibernating, and after awakening they escape to an abandoned nuclear site in Nevada, there to receive orders from their leaders, the Advocates (played this season by such actors as Richard Comar, David Calderisi, Isle Von Glatz and Michael Rudder). Those orders are simple and two the point: Proceed with the original mission to conquer the earth! Simplifying this task is the fact that the aliens can absorb the bodies of human beings and assume their identities, thereby moving about without detection--at least until the high radiation level in their systems cause them to literally melt into nothingness. Alone among his colleagues, Dr. Harrison Blackwood (Jared Martin) suspects that the "myth" of the Mortaxians is a reality, and he tries vainly to alert the world that the aliens are alive, well, and dangerously close to taking over. Expressing high skepticism over Blackwood's theories are his astrophysicist colleague Suzanne McCullough (Lynda Mason Green), a divorcee with a young daughter named Debi (Rachel Blanchard). Similarly, martinet Native American military officer Col. Paul Ironhorse (Richard Chaves) finds Blackwood's notions hard to swallow. Only when paraplegic computer whiz Norton Drake (Philip Akin), who manages to get about with the help of his computer-activated wheelchair, "Gertrude", punches up evidence that the aliens are burrowing their way towards their old warships, still held in storage, do Suzanne and Ironhorse begin to come over to Blackwood's side--and then, it still takes several violent "close encounters" to win the hearts and minds of the disbelievers. The rest of the season's 22 episodes finds Blackwood and his team coordinating their counterattack against the Mortaxians from their hidden headquarters, The Cottage. Along the way, Blackwood wins several more converts to his cause, and also crosses paths with other aliens who have either cast their lot with Mortaxians or who side with the humans. And throughout it all, it is very, very difficult to distinguish the good guys from the bad guys--even for the viewers at home! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Horror legend Lucio Fulci directed this substandard supernatural thriller. Lara Naszinski develops a psychic link with a comatose student who was the victim of a cruel prank at a Boston girls' school. Together, the girls wreak havoc upon their bullying tormentors. Fulci eschews his usual gory set-pieces here for bizarre murders involving living statues and killer snails, and the plot, cribbed from Richard Franklin's superior Patrick (1978), is weak and underdeveloped. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

This actioner is set in a remote, heavily forested area in Northern California where marijuana growers raise their illegal crops and run whole communities with their terrorist tactics and wealth. The tale centers on the efforts of a fearless New York cop to free one such community from the tyranny of the pot growers. It begins with a surveyor who is leading the town's crooked sheriff to a small marijuana field he has just discovered. The surveyor is killed before he can get there. Joshua, a small boy, sees the execution and tries to get back in time to tell his parents. Unfortunately, the killers murder his family and throw him off a cliff. The boy's aunt, worried at not hearing from her family, gets suspicious and asks an old flame, NY cop Joe Dillon, to investigate. The town sheriff is not pleased by his intrusion and warns him to stay out of it. Dillon disobeys, and that is where all the action comes in. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This fantasy-adventure is geared to the younger set. The saga begins when an American military plane is forced to explode an atomic bomb in the ocean, which brings up an ancient sea monster from his deep hibernation. When poor Capt. Barrios (Timothy Bottoms) is taking the watch on his ship, the monster surfaces and scuttles the vessel. A fellow sailor, mad as a hornet, accuses the Captain of being drunk and Barrios is stripped of his rank and threatened with a criminal trial. Anxious to prove he was right about the sea monster, the much-maligned Capt. Barrios sets out to locate a woman who has seen the beast, and to contact an expert who might be able to help. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

While visiting her cousin Abby (Lynn Redgrave) at lavish Langley Manor in the deep South, Jessica is among those present when patriarch Denton Langley (Dan O'Herlihy) is accidentally killed during a fox hunt. What is puzzling about the situation is that Langley's normally docile horse was startled enough to throw the man to his death. Later on , Langley's daughter is also killed, and all evidence points to a single, and very unusual, suspect: Langley's beloved pet dog (and sole beneficiary) Teddy! Country singer Roger Miller appears as the local sheriff. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this futuristic Italian crime drama, 21st-century Romans devise an ingenious way to take care of criminals -- they make them fight each other gladiator-style on national television. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

While exploring an abandoned mansion, Erin (Mary Elizabeth McDonough) befriends a reclusive artist named Derek Pembroke (Jared Martin), who is haunted by a profound tragedy in his past. Soon thereafter, it is learned that Pembroke is a former mental patient--a disturbing bit of information that comes to light just as Erin turns up missing! And in a somewhat lighter vein, Elizabeth (Kami Cotler) and Jim-Bob (David W. Harper) attempt to capture a wild songbird as a present for Grandma (Ellen Corby)...but must settle for a "mild" one. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This 90-minute pilot for the weekly TV series Fantastic Journey debuted February 3, 1977. A scientific expedition disappears in the Bermuda Triangle. Emerging from an eerie green mist, the crew finds themselves in the Strange New World, where past, present and future coexist. In subsequent episodes, the regulars would stumble upon special guest stars who likewise "dropped in" (one of these, Roddy McDowall, stuck around until the series' final episode, which aired June 16, 1977). The supporting characters include medical expert Carl Franklin, young mind-reader Ike Eisenmann, and requisite drop-dead-gorgeous mystery woman Katie Saylor. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a song by Leonard Cohen, this peculiar experimental film set in late-'60s San Francisco was executive-produced by game-show mogul Gene Barry, the director's father. It concerns Suzanne (Sondra Locke), who gets crucified in a film-within-a-film which receives much of the screen time. Suzanne is meant to be a Christ figure, and the story focuses on her use as a doomed symbol for the beliefs of Manson-like filmmaker Jared Martin. Richard Dreyfuss and Paul Sand are among the cast of this offbeat, grungy little film which deserves points for originality if nothing else. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

This poorly-wrought drama attempts to raise social consciousness and inspire folks to register for the vote as it chronicles the exploits of an interracial acting troupe who travel about giving a play about voter registration. Set during 1964, the troupe members get along well initially. Eventually personal differences force the group to break up. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This dark comedy finds Charlie (Charles Pfulger) traveling to stay at the house of his fiancee's parents two days before his wedding to Josephine (Jill Clayburgh). With his two friends, he discusses Vietnam, the sexual revolution, black power, and compares bachelor life to that of a married man. Charlie tries to talk Josephine's former suitor into resuming his quest, is propositioned by the church organist, and misses his own bachelor party before finally making to the wedding at the insistence of his friends. Robert De Niro plays the role of Charlie's friend Cecil in this unusual comedy with lots of improvisational dialogue. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide