Gerald Perreau-Saissine Movies

Little Dorrit was intended as the cinematic equivalent to the mammoth, eight hour Royal Shakespeare Company's staging of Dickens' Nicholas Nickelby. The film was released to theatres in two parts, each running approximately three hours. The first part, subtitled "Nobody's Fault," introduced us to the seamstress title character (Sarah Pickering), who chooses to live in debtor's prison with her father (Alec Guinness). Good samaritan Derek Jacobi endeavors to help both father and daughter. The second part, also known as "Little Dorrit's Story," details Dorrit's escape from penury to lasting happiness. Eschewing the usual 19th century-style British music often heard in Dickensian adaptations, director Christine Edzard creatively-and effectively--opts for the strains of Giuseppe Verdi. Edzard's eye for period detail is also deserving of unbounded praise. Unfortunately, Part Two of Little Dorrit spends nearly half of its running time recapping Part One, utilizing much of the same footage. For those familiar with "Nobody's Fault," "Little Dorrit's Story" is more a redundancy than a continuation. Still, taken together, parts one and two all fully deserving of the enthusiastic critical commentary that greeted them upon their original release-not to mention the multiple Academy Award nominations bestowed upon the project and its participants. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the first episode of the six-part story "Genesis of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and his companions Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) and Harry (Ian Marter) set out on a return trip to the Nerva Beacon space station. En route, the TARDIS crew is waylaid by a secret Time Lord faction -- and before long, the Doctor has once again been pressed into service to rewrite history (or at least, to give it his best effort). First telecast on March 8, 1975, "Genesis of the Daleks, Episode 1" was written by Terry Nation (the fellow who created the mutant Daleks in the first place). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the six-part story "Genesis of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) has been sent back in time to the planet Skaro, under orders to prevent the creation of the mutant Daleks. Complicating matters is the fact that the Doctor and his friends find themselves in the middle of the never-ending conflict between the Kaleds and the Thals, whose nuclear war has thrust Skaro into a second Stone Age. One of those Kaleds is the demented, deformed genius Davros (Michael Wisher), who holds the key to the Daleks' creation. First telecast on March 22, 1975, "Genesis of the Daleks, Episode 3" was written by Terry Nation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "Genesis of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) steps up his efforts to prevent the demented, deformed genius Davros (Michael Wisher) from creating the mutant Dalek race. Unfortunately, the Doctor and his companions Harry (Ian Marter) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) are trapped in Kaled City, where they are surrounded by fanatical supporters of Davros. Can the heroes count upon support from the pocket of anti-Davros activists within the city's walls? First telecast on April 5, 1975, "Genesis of the Daleks, Episode 5" was written by Terry Nation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the six-part story "Invasion of the Dinosaurs," eco-fanatics Grover (Noel Johnson) and Whitaker (Peter Miles) step up their efforts to hurl the world back to the Prehistoric Era. The Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and his UNIT colleagues manage to raid the villains' underground headquarters, but Grover has already activated the device that will enable him to carry out his crack-brained scheme. Written by Malcolm Hulke, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Episode 6" was first telecast on February 16, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fourth episode of the six-part story "Invasion of the Dinosaurs," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) have uncovered a plot to hurl the world back to the Prehistoric Era with the help of a herd of revitalized dinosaurs. Unfortunately, before they can give this information to the authorities, the two-time travelers are arrested as looters and thrown in prison. Though released by their old friends at UNIT, the Doctor and Sarah continue to run up against bureaucracy and treachery in their efforts to save humankind. Written by Malcolm Hulke, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Episode 4" was first telecast on February 2, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the six-part story "Invasion of the Dinosaurs," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) have returned to London, only to find the all-but-deserted city under martial law. The reason? A herd of dinosaurs is running amok through the London streets, spreading terror and destruction in their path. Now that the Doctor knows what's going on, the next step is to find out why. Written by Malcolm Hulke, "Invasion of the Dinosaurs, Episode 2" was first telecast on January 19, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Though originally filmed in color, the seven-part Doctor Who adventure "Doctor Who and the Silurians" presently exists in black-and-white only. First telecast on January 31, 1970, Episode One finds the Doctor (Jon Pertwee), the Brigadier (Nicholas Courtney), and Liz (Caroline John) investigating a series of curious power losses at the Wesley Moor nuclear research station in Derbyshire. This is but a prologue to the Doctor's fateful confrontation with the Silurians, a race of super-intelligent reptillians. "Doctor Who and the Silurians, Episode 1" was written by Malcolm Hulke. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the seven-part story "Doctor Who and the Silurians," a freak electrical surge has revived the Silurians, a super-intelligent reptilian race who ruled the earth before the emergence of mankind. Disdainful of the "evolved apes" currently in control of the world, the Silurians intend to regain their former power and glory -- but not if the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) can stop them. Written by Malcolm Hulke, "Doctor Who and the Silurians, Episode 3" first aired on February 14, 1970. Filmed in color, this episode is presently available in black-and-white only. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the seven-part story "Doctor Who and the Silurians," the efforts by the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) to negotiate a truce between the reptile-like Silurians and Humankind fall through disastrously. A faction of younger, more impulsive Silurians launch an epidemic designed to wipe out all "evolved apes" on Earth. Written by Malcolm Hulke, "Doctor Who and the Silurians, Episode 5" first aired on February 28, 1970. Filmed in color, this episode is presently available in black-and-white only. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

At Sword's Point is about the sons of Dumas' Three Musketeers--one of those "sons" being of the female persuasion, played by Maureen O'Hara. As the swash-buckling daughter of Athos, O'Hara joins the offspring of Aramis and Porthos, portrayed respectively by Dan O'Herlihy and Alan Hale Jr., as well as the bouncing boy of D'Artagnan, played by Cornel Wilde. These second-generation Musketeers are reunited by the ageing Queen Anne (Gladys Cooper), who wants to stem the villainy of her treacherous nephew, the Duc de Lavalle (Robert Douglas). Lunging and parrying throughout the French countryside, the new Musketeers save the day by preventing a marriage of state between the princess (Nancy Gates) and Lavalle, restoring the girl to her true love, prince Peter Miles. Technicolor is the only decided plus in the favor of the lazy and derivative At Sword's Point, which was completed in 1949 but remained unseen in RKO's vaults for three years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

According to Roy Rogers himself, this action-packed western remained one of his favorites. The manager of a traveling show, Rogers is wintering at a ranch belonging to wheelchair-bound Colonel Harkrider (George Cleveland), his daughter Kay (Dale Evans) and grandson Larry (Peter Miles). The latter, whose mother, a circus bareback rider, was killed during a performance, grows up with a paralyzing fear of horses. In contrast, Roy wants to purchase a wild stallion accused of being a killer but his bid is turned down and the stallion instead condemned to death. Unbeknownst to Roy, however, Monty Manson (Grant Withers), who heads a crooked "Range Patrol," saves the beast and uses it to terrorize the area's horse-breeders. Putting two and two together, Roy attempts to unmask Manson for the criminal he is but is ambushed by the patrol. The stallion, meanwhile, attacks both Colonel Harkrider and Roy's horse Trigger, Jr. but is chased off the property by Trigger himself. Overcoming his fears, Larry mounts Trigger, Jr. and joins the party searching for Roy. With Trigger's aid, Roy destroys the killer stallion in a final battle and Manson is brought to justice. Backed by Foy Willing, The Riders of the Purple Sage and Dale Evans, Roy Rogers takes time out to perform "May the Good Lord Take a Likin' to Ya", by Peter Tinturin; "The Big Rodeo", by Foy Willing; and "Stampede", by Willing and Carol Rice. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide