Alexandra Paul Movies
Leggy, athletic leading lady Alexandra Paul spent her first years in films and TV in roles calling for acute physical fitness. Paul's earliest movie role of note was sensuous hitchhiker Becky in American Flyers (1986).Ms. Paul was cast against type in the Dan Aykroyd-Tom Hanks spoof Dragnet (1987) as the ever-imperiled Virgin Connie Swail (just plain "Connie Swail" by fade-out time). On TV, Paul had a recurring role as erstwhile detective Amy Hastings in the Perry Mason 2-hour specials of the late 1980s. In 1992, Alexandra Paul was cast as lifeguard Stephanie Holden on the internationally popular Baywatch, remaining with the series until bowing out in 1996. She remained a mainstay on women's programs and made-for-TV thrillers, all the while leading a vigorous off-screen life as a vocal activist for the environment, animal welfare and gay rights. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1984
- PG
In this standard human interest comedy, Susan Berlanger (Kristy McNichol) has been crippled since a child and has to wear a leg brace in order to get around, but that does not in any way prevent Sam (Robert Carradine) and several other men from being very attracted to her. Susan is a professional flautist with a ballet-company orchestra and is given a chance to travel to Europe for a concert tour, which she is more than happy to accept. Since she has doubts about relationships (do these men feel sorry for her?), she puts a cast on her leg and goes to a ski resort to find out what it is like to be treated "normally" by others. Once there, she meets a captivating photographer (Michael Ontkean) and falls in love -- but does not tell him the truth about her leg. Making matters even worse, a wealthy Frenchman courting Susan's roommate at the resort is an amputee -- he lost a leg in an automobile accident. Sooner or later, Susan will have to come to grips with her deception, her forthcoming marriage, and her interest in the photographer. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristy McNichol, Michael Ontkean, (more)
Director John Carpenter returns to the suburban landscape he explored so chillingly in Halloween (1978) with this lean, stripped-down adaptation of the Stephen King best-seller about a haunted car with a devilishly bad attitude and the teen underdog who falls head-over-heels for her chrome-accented charms. Shortly after geeky, horn-rim-sporting Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) narrowly escapes a beating at the hands of shop-class bully Buddy Repperton (William Ostrander) on the first day of his senior year, he soon falls prey to a far more duplicitous villain in the form of a rusted-out 1958 Plymouth Fury nicknamed "Christine" by its crusty owner George LeBay (Roberts Blossom) -- who sells wide-eyed Arnie the old hulk despite the protests of best friend Dennis (John Stockwell) and the admonition of his domineering parents. As Arnie sets to the task of restoring Christine, his hobby grows into an obsession -- and the real power that hums beneath her hood begins to emerge, seemingly granting newfound coolness and sex appeal to the once-nerdy outcast, while simultaneously drawing away his very soul. A vengeful spirit, Christine lashes out violently at those who dare to stand between her and Arnie -- starting with Repperton and his gang, who completely trash the car, but are soon hunted down one by one and pulverized beneath the whitewalls of the miraculously-restored Fury. When Arnie's pretty, popular girlfriend Leigh (Alexandra Paul) begins to suspect she may soon be on the receiving end of automotive vengeance, she calls on Dennis for help... but a frightening midnight ride in Christine convinces Dennis that Arnie's only hope lies in destroying the demonic vehicle. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, (more)
- 1982
The pilot film for the ABC series of the same name, Paper Dolls concentrates upon two pretty teenagers: Taryn Blake (Daryl Hannah) and Laurie Caswell (Alexandra Paul). Prodded on by their ambitious mothers (played by Joan Hackett and Jennifer Warren) and further exploited by a ruthless agent (Joan Collins), the two otherwise normal girls are transformed into 2,000-dollar-per-day fashion models. Although the glamour and excitement of the modeling world is thrilling at first, both Taryn and Laurie suffer mightily at the hands of those older than themselves. To make matters worse, both girls are thoroughly ostracized by their fellow teens. First telecast May 24, 1982, Paper Dolls became a weekly series over two years later, by which time the original stars had been replaced by Nicollette Sheridan (as Taryn), Terry Farrell (as Laurie), Brenda Vaccaro (as Taryn's mother), and Morgan Fairchild (as Racine, the agent); only Jennifer Warren was carried over from the original film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daryl Hannah, Alexandra Paul, (more)
- 1981
American Nightmare would seem to have been inspired by the 1979 George C. Scott feature Hardcore. In that film, Scott was a midwesterner who discovered that his beloved daughter was appearing in X-rated movies. In Nightmare, we find young Lawrence S. Day in search of his sister Lora Staley. His odyssey takes him into the seamiest recesses of the porn and prostitution scenes in the Big City. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lawrence Day, Lora Staley, (more)
- 1979
- R
Director J. Lee Thompson directed this World War II adventure drama from a script by author Bruce Nicolaysen who adapted the screenplay from his novel The Perilous Passage. Anthony Quinn stars as a brave Basque mountaineer who is hired by the American military to guide Professor Bergsson (James Mason) and his family over the dangerous Pyrenees. Together the two men struggle to ensure the group's survival and elude Von Berkow a crazed Nazi played by Malcolm MacDowell. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Quinn, James Mason, (more)
