Derek Murcott Movies

It is best not to suggest to the 500-pound, plaid-suited, humanoid alien Murray the Creature that he eat Italian for dinner because he is sure to take you literally as can soon be seen in this sci-fi parody. Before the film is through, Murray the meat-eater will have consumed 35 Italian residents of New York's little Italy. Investigating their bizarre disappearances is an Irish cop, who discovers their awful fate while waiting for a pizza in an Italian restaurant. Later he tries to get his superiors to believe his story, but of course they don't and the cop is left with no alternative but to try and dispatch Murray by himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Mae West (1892-1980) was perhaps the original comic sex goddess of American cinema. Originally a vaudeville performer, she became a national sensation following her 1926 Broadway show Sex, which she wrote, produced, directed and starred in. She continued to outrage the sensibilities of her time on Broadway before coming to Hollywood and doing the same there throughout the 1930s. She perfected her double entendre humor onscreen and gradually fell out of favor with an increasingly prudish film-going public, though her career underwent several brief revivals. Even as an extremely old woman, she affected the manners and dress of a reigning sex queen. The 1978 release of Sextette, based on her own original scenario, marked her final screen appearance. It was not well received by critics nor the public, and was an undignified note on which to end her sensational career. In this farcical and star-studded film, West plays the fading movie star Marlo Manners, whose attempts to consummate her marriage to Sir Michael Barrington (Timothy Dalton), her sixth husband, are humorously interrupted by the preceding five. Marlo is also dictating the unexpurgated story of her life, and when one of the tapes goes missing, it threatens to cause an international incident, as well as ruining a number of reputations (including her own). ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Comedy writers David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams of Airplane and The Naked Gun fame got their start at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, when they formed a theatrical group known as The Kentucky Fried Theater. The Kentucky Fried Movie is based on the KFT's gag-filled theatrical skits. Including well-known stars such as Bill Bixby, Donald Sutherland, Tony Dow, George Lazenby and Henry Gibson, the film has over 22 different segments of varying lengths. Some are seconds long. Longer segments include such highlights as: "Zinc Oxide," which spoofs school educational films; "Cleopatra Schwartz," a spoof of female blaxploitation action films, whose heroine is married to a rabbi; "Sex Record," which depicts a couple who are attempting to follow the step-by-step instructions of a how-to-do-it record; "Catholic High School Girls In Trouble," and "A Fistful of Yen," (the longest episode), which is an elaborate spoof of martial-arts films. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In the fifth episode of the six-part story "The Time Monster," the Master (Roger Delgado) continues in his efforts to use the dreaded "time-eater" Kronos (Marc Boyle) as a means of conquering the universe. But his plan hits a snag when Queen Galleia (Ingrid Pitt), who originally helped the Master gain access to the Atlantan crystal harboring Kronos' spirit, turns on the villain. Now also at the mercy of Kronos, the Master must rely upon his archrival, the Doctor (Jon Pertwee), to stay alive. Written by Robert Sloman, Doctor Who: The Time Monster, Episode 5 originally aired on June 17, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide