John Maxim Movies
- 1988
This biographical costume drama from director Franco Zeffirelli covers the early life of Arturo Toscanini and stars C. Thomas Howell as the famous composer. When Arturo lands a job with the orchestra of Claudio Rossi (John Rhys-Davies), he soon finds himself bound for a tour of South America and lands in idyllic Rio. Arturo is given the task of convincing the famed prima donna diva Nadina Bulichoff (Elizabeth Taylor) to rehearse for an upcoming show with the orchestra, but in the process, Toscanini attempts to change the minds of both Nadina and her lover, Brazilian Emperor Don Pedro II (Philippe Noiret) on the issue of slavery. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- C. Thomas Howell, Elizabeth Taylor, (more)
- 1968
Written and directed by series star Patrick McGoohan, "Once Upon a Time" was the first of two episodes of The Prisoner designed to "explain" (more or less) several of the questions posed by the previous episodes, and to bring the saga to a conclusion --- albeit not a logical one. Leo McKern costars as the Previous Number Two, who had supposedly been dispensed with in the earlier episode "Chimes of Big Ben." Returning to the village for one last desperate attempt to "break" Number Six, Number Two utilizes a sinister mind-probing process called Degree Absolute (which was also this episode's original title). Forced to relive all the events of his life, Number Six is plunged into a bizarre netherworld where reality is not even a concept. This time around, the stakes are extremely high, with the lives of both Number Two and Number Six hanging in the balance. When The Prisoner was originally planned as a two-season series, "Once Upon a Time" was supposed to have been the 13th and final episode of Season One. But upon rethinking the series in terms of a single 17-episode season, the script was refashioned as the next-to-last episode; as such, it first aired in England on January 28, 1968, and in America on September 14, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo McKern
- 1967
In this episode of the cult-favorite TV series The Prisoner, Number 6 (Patrick McGoohan) appears to be developing an artistic side when he begins work on a series of sculptures for an art exhibit. What his captors do not realize is that they can be assembled into a boat, and Number 6 uses them to sail away from the Village. In time, Number Six reaches England, where he returns to the offices of the espionage organization from which he attempted to resign, only to discover he's fallen into a trap. Leo McKern plays Village leader Number Two in this episode, while Finlay Currie and Nadia Gray highlight the supporting cast. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leo McKern
- 1966
Christopher Lee dons the evil Count's cloak once again after an 8-year hiatus for this first "authentic" sequel to Hammer Studios' Horror of Dracula (the literal 1960 follow-up Brides of Dracula did not feature Lee). The story begins when two stuffy vacationing couples make an ill-fated stopover at Castle Karlsbad in the Carpathian mountains -- despite the warnings of the mysterious Fr. Sandor (Andrew Keir) and the near-destruction of their coach when the terrified driver runs for his life. After a slightly tedious stretch, one of the men (Charles Tingwell) is sacrificed in a bloody Satanic ritual, orchestrated by the Count's loyal manservant Klove (Philip Latham) to bring the legendary vampire back to life. The revived Count immediately sets his sights on the man's wife (Barbara Shelley), making her his undead bride; the surviving pair seek refuge in Fr. Sandor's abbey, with the undead bloodsuckers in hot pursuit. This stylish and chilling production is imbued with Gothic atmosphere by director Terence Fisher (one of his last films for the studio) and remains one of the classier entries from Hammer's heyday. Also known as Revenge of Dracula. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, (more)
- 1965
Hammer Films co-produced this lavishly mounted adventure, the fourth adaptation of the novel by H. Rider Haggard. In Jerusalem, Leo Vincey (John Richardson) meets with a slave girl, Ustane (Rosenda Monteros), who has been charged with bringing him to an immortal queen, Ayesha (Ursula Andress). Ayesha, who desires Leo because of his resemblance to her long-dead lover, offers riches if he will travel to her lost city in the mountains, where a magical flame will also give him eternal life. Accompanied by his adventurous friend Major Horace Holly (Peter Cushing), Leo sets out for the fabled city across the desert, but along the way Ustane causes trouble when she decides she wants Leo for her own. She (1965) was followed by a sequel, The Vengeance of She (1968), although the follow-up did not star Andress. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ursula Andress, Peter Cushing, (more)
Hammer Studios followed up Evil of Frankenstein with this entertaining sequel, again starring Peter Cushing as the quintessential mad scientist obsessed with the reanimation of dead bodies and the creation of superhuman creatures. His latest project involves transferring the mind of a wrongly-executed man into the body of his lover (former Playboy centerfold Susan Denberg), whose own suicide left her horribly disfigured. After restoring her beauty, the Doctor performs the mind-transference, which comes off without a hitch... until the lust for revenge against his executioners begins to surface. He/she then pursues this vendetta by seducing and murdering those who wronged him. Hammer stalwart Terence Fisher directs this quirky entry with his usual flair -- aided considerably by a decent budget -- and spices things up with a fair share of titillation (courtesy of Ms. Denberg). ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, (more)
- 1965
In the fourth episode of the six-part story "The Chase," the Doctor continues his desperate efforts to repair the TARDIS and prevent the Daleks from continuing their campaign of interplanetary destruction. This may prove even more difficult in the light of a new and terrifying weapon created by the villains. In the course of events, the Doctor's companion, Vicki (Maureen O'Brien), is given an unexpected -- and hair-raising -- ride through time and space. Written by Terry Nation, "Journey Into Terror" was originally telecast on June 12, 1965. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Hartnell, William Russell, (more)
- 1961
A strange bet provides the basis of this comedy, a British theater producer decides to make some easy money by betting a psychiatrist, whom he overheard telling a colleague that he could create the perfect child by hypnotizing a pregnant woman, that the shrink has as many holes in his theory as he did in his head. The wager is made, and the producer then talks an actress friend into masquerading as the pregnant woman to ensure his win. Unfortunately for him, the actress and the doctor fall in love. Seeing that her sweethearts theories are being derided by his peers, she decides to help him out and get pregnant for real. To do this, she gets drunk, staggers over to the producer's apartment and demands that he satisfy her right then and there. Unfortunately in the middle of it all, the doctor shows up. Then the producer's fiancee pays a visit and the whole scam falls apart in his living room. Fortunately happiness ensues when the doctor and the actress marry and decide to try the experiment for real. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Agnes Laurent, John Bentley, (more)
