Michael J. Pollard Movies

Taking his cue from such 1970s horror classics as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and The Hills Have Eyes (1977), animated rocker Rob Zombie goes celluloid with the throwback shocker House of 1000 Corpses. Running low on gas as they travel the highways of America in search of the ultimate roadside attraction, a group of teens pull into Captain Spaulding's (Sid Haig) museum of oddities (which also offers fried chicken and gasoline) only to become obsessed with uncovering the mystery of a legendary local maniac known only as Dr. Satan. When an attractive and mysterious hitchhiker subsequently offers to give the thrill seekers a personal tour of Dr. Satan's old stabbing grounds, a breakdown forces them to take refuge with a group of menacing oddballs as a fearsome storm rages outside. As the evening progresses and the backwoods hosts' Halloween festivities become ever more threatening, the teens soon realize that the legend of Dr. Satan may hold a bit more contemporary weight than any of them had previously thought. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A man discovers his past hasn't just caught up with him -- it's taking him on a cross-country road trip in this edgy comedy. Level-headed Ben (Patrick Swayze) gives his less-than-stable girlfriend Lulu (Melanie Griffith) her walking papers and heads out to California, in hopes of breaking into the movie business as a screenwriter. Seventeen years later, Lulu checks out of a mental hospital and appears at Ben's doorstep in Los Angeles, claiming that she was pregnant at the time they broke up and that she was forced to put their child up for adoption; after all these years, Lulu has decided it's time they paid their son a visit. Lulu forces Ben to drive her to Wisconsin in search of their son, while Ben's wife Claire (Penelope Ann Miller) hops on a plane to Wisconsin in hopes of capturing Lulu upon arrival. Forever Lulu marked the directorial debut of screenwriter John Kaye, who also penned the original screenplay; the film was backed by Green Moon, the production company founded by leading lady Melanie Griffith. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

A Russian immigrant arrives in the Unites States to discover that the American dream has dampened somewhat in writer-turned-director Len Richmond's satirical look at America's preoccupation with all things sexual. Despite enthusiastic Alex's (Michael York) best efforts, the only job he can find upon arriving in the United States is a low-paying stint in a sex-toy factory. When elderly factory owner Eppy (Nancy Fish) takes pity on the struggling newcomer and introduces him to has-been adult film star Catherine (Prunella Gee) in hopes of making a match, the romantic bachelor finds that true love doesn't always arrive in the most conventional form. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A group of mobsters fight for control in this satirical comedy-drama. Vic (Richard Dreyfuss) is a not-especially-stable crime boss who -- following a spell in a mental hospital after being diagnosed with schizophrenia -- is sent home and is ready to resume his place as supreme leader of the mob. Mickey Holliday (Jeff Goldblum), Vic's enforcer and right hand man, is trying to get everything squared away for Vic's return, which may complicate his personal life, since he's been having an affair with Vic's girlfriend Grace (Diane Lane), as well as her sister Rita (Ellen Barkin). While Vic has been away, a number of other gangsters have been squabbling over who will take control of his territories, including Jake Parker (Kyle MacLachlan), Jules Flamingo (Gregory Hines), and Jacky Johnson (Burt Reynolds). However, it's the seriously eccentric Ben London (Gabriel Byrne) who turns out to be Mickey's and Vic's most potent rival as the various gangsters shoot it out over who gets what piece of the pie. Inspired in part by the "Rat Pack" crime flicks of the 1960s -- such as Ocean's Eleven and Robin and the Seven Hoods -- Mad Dog Time (also released under the title Trigger Happy) was written and directed by former actor Larry Bishop, son of Rat Packer Joey Bishop, who pops up in a small role. Larry's co-star from Wild in the Streets, Christopher Jones, appears in a supporting role as a gunman; it was his first film appearance since Ryan's Daughter in 1970. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In this sci-fi/horror outing a polluted pool of water spawns a deadly strain of gigantic mosquitoes eager to quaff human blood. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

The year is 2008 and something is terrorizing the streets of London, leaving numerous heartless corpses behind. Fortunately detective Harley Stone (Rutger Hauer) is on the case and discovers that the murderous monster behind the killings is just that. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

When con man Eddie Dash (Richard Pryor) is released from prison he's told to fulfill the required 100 hours of community service as the bodyguard/escort of a recently released mental patient (Gene Wilder). It's not too long before Wilder figures out a way to make a little dough at the expense of his impaired charge. Together they manage to get involved in an inheritance scam that's loaded with troubles and trials for all. It's apparent to most viewers that the Richard Pryor appearing in this film is a far cry from the actor most have seen previously; this is the first film undertaken by Pryor following a very serious illness. ~ Rovi

Warren Beatty directed and starred in this big-budget action comedy featuring Chester Gould's square-jawed, two-dimensional comic strip detective. Ruthless gangster Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) touches off a gang war against underworld boss Lips Manlis (Paul Sorvino), with Big Boy and his minions rubbing out enough of Manlis's goons (along with Manlis himself) to take over his nightclub, and a healthy percentage of the city's criminal activities in the process. Caprice also gains proprietary rights to Manlis's girlfriend, nightclub chanteuse Breathless Mahoney (Madonna). Big Boy's next move to is unite the rest of the city's crooks under his command; this wave of corruption attracts the attention of lawman Dick Tracy, who is determined to smash Caprice's criminal network once and for all. As Tracy plots to put Big Boy behind bars where he belongs, Breathless uses her considerable charms in an attempt to sway Tracy from the path of righteousness; this causes no small amount of anxiety for Tracy's long-suffering female companion, Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headly), and the street-smart kid (Charlie Korsmo) they've been keeping an eye on. The various bad guys, heavily made up to resemble Gould's cartoon characters (though Beatty is not made up to resemble Tracy), include Dustin Hoffman, James Caan, R.G. Armstrong, and William Forsythe. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

I Come in Peace is a silly, derivative science fiction exploitation thriller which is a triumph of style and skillful direction, despite a plot that steals elements from numerous good films and mixes them with some appallingly bad acting. Jack Caine (Dolph Lundgren) is a not-by-the books police officer investigating the death of several people, including his partner, by a gang called the "White Boys." All the victims seemed to have died of drug overdoses, but Jack thinks that there is something more sinister afoot. His investigation reveals a plot by aliens who use the bodies to extract a chemical that is sold to addicts on their home planet. Originally entitled Dark Angel, I Come in Peace, while silly and confusing, has great production values and some excellent special effects. The main reason to see this film is because of the expert direction by former stunt-man Craig Baxley who manages to keep the action moving at a fast pace and tie up the loose ends of the threadbare story. The cinematography by Mark Irwin is outstanding and shows that imagination and a good visual sense can overcome a limited budget and a bad plot. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi

Working Trash's ad copy consisted of a photo of a large threaded screw, with the caption "Tonight, two working stiffs are going to do to Wall Street what it's done to us." Wink wink, nudge nudge. The two stiff workers--er, working stiffs--are George Carlin and Ben Stiller, janitors in a large brokerage firm. By utilizing the inside information they've gleaned from their employers' wastebasket, Carlin and Stiller proceed to strike it rich on the market. Buddy Ebsen costars as the head broker, looking as confused as we are at finding him in this TV movie. Working Trash premiered on the Fox Network--as if there was any doubt. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Angela (Pamela Springsteen), the murderous camp counselor of Sleepaway Camp 2, returns to the scene of her crimes in this no-frills installment. Assuming a camper's identity (after mowing her down with a Mack truck), Angela arrives at Camp Rolling Hills, which was purchased and renamed "New Horizons" after her last killing spree. Husband and wife entreprenurs Herman and Lily (Michael J. Pollard and Sandra Dorsey) have reopened it as an "experiment in sharing" to bring street-smart disadvantaged kids together with snobby rich brats. Splitting up into three groups of culturally mixed teens, they go off into the woods for a camping trip designed to break down barriers. Instead, Angela finds a myriad of reasons to off her fellow campers (thanks to their constant bad behavior), and gets the job done with axes, tent spikes, a lawnmower, and firecrackers up the nose. Even the presence of an off-duty police officer (Cliff Brand), who is familar with Angela's crimes, doesn't deter her from slaughtering everyone for the merest provocation. ~ Fred Beldin, Rovi

Sylvester Stallone tries his luck with his first cop buddy movie in Tango and Cash, directed by Andrei Konchalovsky. Stallone is Ray Tango, a Los Angeles narcotics cop who dresses in fancy suits, wears wire-rim glasses, and talks to his stockbroker more than he talks to his mother. Kurt Russell is Gabriel Cash, another Los Angeles narcotics cop who has long, disheveled blonde hair and dresses in worn-out sweatshirts. Together, Tango and Cash are the two best narcs in LA, which causes drug baron Yves Perret (Jack Palance) no end of distress. Since Yves controls a billion-dollar drug empire, Tango and Cash have to be taken out of the picture in some way. So Yves arranges for Tango and Cash to be framed for a crime. But the duo accepts a plea bargain that will give them 18 months in a minimum-security prison. Unfortunately, Yves arranges for their destination to be diverted to a maximum-security hell-hole where Yves's minions proceed to torture Tango and Cash --although they still have time to trade quips with each other. Ultimately, they escape from their torture chamber and seek out Yves and his gang. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

When his brother is murdered, a policeman is caught between his devotion to the law and his family's desire for revenge in this action drama. Patrick Swayze plays Truman Gates, who left his backwoods Appalachian home for life as a Chicago police officer. When his brother is killed by a gangster, Truman is determined to seek legal retribution. His older brother Briar (Liam Neeson) has different ideas, however, and travels to the city to seek old-fashioned vigilante justice. Truman must now choose between his family's belief in mountain justice and the duties of his job. Though the film is not particularly action-packed, director John Irvin does provide the expected gunplay and macho confrontations. However, despite a surprisingly distinguished cast (also including Helen Hunt and Michael J. Pollard), little distinguishes the film from numerous other revenge stories with a similar outline. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi