Rob Paulsen Movies
- 1986
The "creeping unknown" in this Jonny Quest episode is a malevolent, mutated plant monster, headquartered in a dismal swamp. Suspected of causing the disappearances of several innocent humans, the monster is targetted for neutralization by the Quest Team. They'd better hurry; the plant's victims have turned into plants themselves, every bit as dangerous and terrifying as the "original." "The Creeping Unknown" first aired on December 14, 1986 as part of the syndicated "Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera" weekend package. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Scott Menville, Granville van Dusen, (more)
- 1984
An interesting diversion for the genre, this stylish but leaden supernatural period piece tells the tale of an 18th-century minister (Dennis Lipscomb) and his flock who are exiled to the wilderness after being accused of witchcraft by the citizens of Dalton's Ferry. The small community settles briefly in an eerie valley in Shawnee territory -- which is also the domain of a powerful demon and his earthen underlings. As horrific apparitions and bizarre events begin to haunt the party in increasing frequency, a young madwoman believed to be a witch brings her own formidable powers to bear against the demonic menace. Good performances and beautiful location cinematography help to create a mood of encroaching doomretentious dialogue, leaden pacing and an overabundance of clunky religious allegory causes the entire project to collapse under its own ponderous weight. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dennis Lipscomb, Rebecca Stanley, (more)
- 1984
Acknowledging the excellent response to the syndicated 1983 cartoon miniseries G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Hasbro Toys commissioned a sequel, G.I. Joe: The Revenge of Cobra, which aired the following year. The plot is set in motion when the evil organization Cobra steals the laser core from the cannon of the G.I. Joe team. With this element, Cobra creates the Weather Dominator, wreaking havoc upon the earth's atmospheric and ecological balance. The Joes manage to neutralize the Dominator with an energy feedback, whereupon the machine's three most vital components are scattered to various parts of the world. For the balance of the story, both the Joes and the Cobras struggle to recover those precious components. Several new characters (and potentially marketable action figures) were introduced in the course of the story, notably the villainous Zartan and the Drednoks. As with the first G.I. Joe cartoon project, this one was offered as either a two-hour "movie" or as a five-part miniseries, its individual episodes bearing the titles "In the Cobra's Pit," "The Vines of Evil," "The Palace of Doom," "Battle on the Roof of the World," and "Amusement Park of Terror." Written by Ron Friedman, G.I. Joe: The Revenge of Cobra first aired in the United States from September 10 through 14, 1984. One year later, the daily G.I. Joe series proper was entered in syndication. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In Body Double, director Brian DePalma pays homage to the Alfred Hitchcock movies Vertigo and Rear Window, adding a few grotesque touches all his own. Craig Wasson plays Jake, a struggling actor who keeps losing jobs because of his claustrophobia. To make matters worse, his girlfriend has walked out on him, so he has no place to sleep. His pal offers him the use of his apartment for the evening. The apartment happens to be equipped with a huge picture window and telescope, enabling him to spy on his beautiful neighbor Gloria (Deborah Shelton) while she undresses. He also bears witness to her brutal murder. And then he meets a porn star (Melanie Griffith), who has just taken a job posing as the late Gloria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Craig Wasson, Gregg Henry, (more)
Popular action figure G.I. Joe was reinvented in animation form in this pilot for the daily syndicated cartoon series of the same name. In keeping with the new marketing strategy established by Hasbro Toys, "G.I. Joe" was no longer an individual, but instead a team of specially trained guerilla fighters, led by Clayton M. "Hawk" Abernathy. The villains of the piece were the members of Cobra, led by Cobra Commander and his Darth Vader-like lieutenant (and frequent rival), Destro. In their first adventure, the Joes were obliged to collect three rare elements vital to a weapon that would counter Cobra's deadly M.A.S.S. device, which allowed the bad guys to transfer matter anywhere at any time for their own evil purposes. Written by Ron Friedman, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was made available as either a two-hour animated special or as a five-part miniseries, bearing the individual episode titles "The Cobra Strikes," "Slave of the Cobra Master," "The Worms of Death," "Devil's Cauldron," and "The Stake in the Serpent's Heart." The miniseries version was originally shown on American television from September 12 through 16, 1983. It was followed in 1984 by another miniseries, G.I. Joe: The Revenge of Cobra, and in 1985 by the daily syndicated G.I. Joe series proper. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
