Leslie Meadows Movies

Winning a trip to the Disneyland of 1959, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Melanie (Bonnie Langford) collide en route with a satellite. The would-be vacationers end up in a Welsh holiday camp called the Shangri-La -- which is presently under siege by the Bannermen, a pair of genocidal assassins who have targeted another vacationer, Chimeron princess Delta (Belinda Mayne). American funnyman Stubby Kaye guest stars as Mr. Weismuller, while British TV game show host Ken Dodd appears briefly as the Tollmaster. Written by Malcolm Kohll, the three-episode "Delta and the Bannermen" began its original BBC run on November 2, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the three-part story "Dragonfire," the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and con artist Glitz (Tony Selby) have both been drawn to the frigid trading colony Iceworld. Here both men face death at the hands of the elusive exiled criminal Kane (Edward Peel), who now reluctantly rules the colony. Items essential to the action are a herd of surly dragons and a lost umbrella. Written by Chris Clough, "Iceworld, Episode 2" first aired on November 30, 1987. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Unleashed just as the disco phenomenon had peaked and was slipping out of public favor, this one-of-a-kind pop musical is set in 1994, when a Mephistophelean entrepreneur named Mr. Boogalow (Vladek Sheybal) controls the international recording industry through the Worldvision Song Contest. Boogalow's wildly theatrical protégés, a decedent dance-pop group called Bim, seem a sure bet to walk off with the grand prize and worldwide fame, but at the last minute Alphie (George Gilmour) and Bibi (Catherine Mary Stewart), a folk duo from Canada, nearly steal their thunder with their song "Love, the Universal Melody." While Boogalow rigs a victory for Bim, he sees moneymaking potential in Alphie and Bibi and offers to sign them to a contract. Alphie, suspicious of Boogalow, declines, but Bibi leaps at the chance, and is soon remodeled into a stylish pop star while heart-broken Alphie throws in his lot with a gang of hippies living in the park. Bibi comes to regard fame and wealth as hollow and empty, but discovers walking away from Boogalow is easier said than done. Featuring an inarguably remarkable finale, The Apple was shot primarily in Germany, despite being set in the United States; while George Clinton is credited with writing lyrics for several of the original tunes, be advised it's not the same George Clinton who led Parliament and Funkadelic in the 1970s and '80s. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

British musical star Tommy Steele had starred in Half a Sixpence in London and on Broadway, thus he was first choice for this garish film version. Based on the H.G. Wells story Kipps (previously filmed in 1941 with Michael Redgrave), Half a Sixpence tells the tale of a humble London drapery clerk (Steele) who inherits a fortune. He briefly forgets his old mates and his faithful girl friend (Julia Foster), but soon discovers that High Society isn't his cup of tea. Filmed during the "monster musical" cycle fostered by The Sound of Music, Half a Sixpence isn't really suited for the spectacular approach dictated by co-producer Charles H. Schneer. Fortunately, the guiding directorial hand is the film's other producer: George Sidney, a veteran of MGM's Arthur Freed unit, who knew how to successfully weld music with story. Thanks to Sidney and star Steele, Half a Sixpence never gets too out of hand, though we'd argue with some of the eyestrain-inducing color choices in the bigger numbers. The film might have done better at the box office had the score yielded a few hit songs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide