Philip Quast Movies

Dominic Cooper (An Education) headlines director Lee Tamahori's fact-based docudrama centering on the nightmarish experiences of an Iraqi army lieutenant whose life became a living hell after he was hand-selected to be a "fiday" (body double) for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's ruthless son Uday. Baghdad, 1987: Iraqi soldier Latif Yahia (Cooper) becomes privy to the inner workings of the royal family after receiving an offer he can't refuse. Desperate to protect his family and terrified of making any fatal missteps, Latif studies Uday's every personal tick in order to become the spitting image of the so-called "Black Prince." While some Iraqis might have been honored to be presented with such a unique opportunity, Uday's unparalleled sadism and debauched lifestyle quickly began to eat away at the very core of Latif's soul. As war with Kuwait looms on the horizon, Latif finds himself increasingly drawn to Uday's ravishing mistress Sarrab (Ludivine Sagnier), a woman with her own terrifying tales to tell about time spent with Iraq's cruelest son. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A teenage girl from the coastal town of Robe in South Australia realizes that hoping for change just isn't enough as she sets out in search of the father she never knew. Seventeen year old Emily (Victoria Thane) lives with her single mother Susan (Susie Porter) in a sleepy seaside town. Emily never knew her father, a man her mother claims was just a drifting summer tourist who wandered into town one day before disappearing without a trace. Susan's devoutly religious parents were mortified when their daughter got pregnant at the age of fifteen, and ever since she had Emily she's been struggling to forget the past. Kindly local Stephen lost his wife and baby daughter in a tragic accident, and remains haunted by the incident to this very day. In Stephen Emily sees a surrogate father, and in Emily Stephen sees the daughter his baby daughter could have grown into. Though Stephen's sister Elizabeth is married to local policeman Carl, she suspects that her husband is currently engaged in a clandestine extramarital affair. Could Carl be Emily's real father? If so, what would that mean for Emily's relationship with Elizabeth and Carl's teenage son Joel? Perhaps by summoning some much needed courage, Emily can bring about the change in her life that she so desperately craves. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The six-part Australian miniseries Corridors of Power used broad comedy as a weapon against the less savory aspects of political gamesmanship. The plot was propelled by the race between Members of Parliament Fielding (Philip Quast) and Dunne (Jeremy Sims), as both vied for the same coveted seat in a Federal election. Backbiting, deal-cutting, finagling, and outright prevaricating were par for the course, yet somehow the two main characters remained lovable in a rogue-ish sort of way. Broadcast by Australia's ABC network, Corridors of Power originally aired from October 8 to November 12, 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This futuristic British miniseries began when the best friend of Det. Sgt. Michael Colefield (Jack Davenport) suddenly vanished from the altar at his own wedding. Though told not to investigate, Michael unearthed evidence that his pal had transformed into a vampire. This led the hero to a secret government organization, working in cahoots with the Catholic Church to rid the world of a vampiric scourge, using SWAT team tactics and state-of-the-art computer technology (those infected with vampirism could be detected with computer-generated ultraviolet light). Somewhat perversely, the modern-day bloodsuckers tried to maintain their respectable cover by actively supporting charities and worthwhile causes, thereby coming off somewhat more sympathetically than their relentless pursuers. One of the more intriguing aspects of this six-part series was the refusal by the authorites to make any direct reference to vampires; their quarry was always described as "Code 5" or "Leeches." A fascinating blend of traditional British cop drama with Dracula-style melodramatics, Ultraviolet made its Channel 4 debut on September 15, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Recorded live at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1995, this tenth anniversary performance of Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil's landmark musical features a one-night-only "dream cast" of Les Mis veterans. Colm Wilkinson reprises his original role as Jean Valjean, the hero imprisoned 17 years for stealing a loaf of bread; Philip Quast is his relentless pursuer Javert. Other stars include Ruthie Henshall as Fantine, Judy Kuhn as Cosette, Michael Maguire as Enjolras, Alun Armstrong as Thenardier, and the inimitable Michael Ball returning to the role of Marius. ~ Sarah Welsh, Rovi

Aimed at children, this live-action Australian adventure follows an adorable golden retriever puppy on a cross-country search for the dingoes who comprise his doggy roots. Though the cocky young puppy's real name is Muffin, he prefers to think of himself as Napoleon. His quest begins at a children's birthday party where he frolics gaily with the children until he lands in a basket that has several helium balloons tied to it and is suddenly carried away. Eventually he lands on the rocky shore of distant Sydney Harbor. There he is befriended by a parrot-like galah named Birdo Lucci (other sly in-jokes for film buffs abound in the story). Together, the two buddies head into the bush in search of Napoleon's forebears. Along the way, they encounter a variety of native Australian critters including a koala, a kindly mother kangaroo, a hissy frill-necked lizard, a mean snake and a terrifying black cat who mistakes Napoleon for a giant mouse. Eventually, Napoleon meets his distant relatives too. Like the animals in Babe, this film's closest relative, the animals in this outing are endowed with human voices and qualities. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Young Edward (Philip Quast) is an impressionable lad who is used by friends and family in this offbeat drama. While attending a prim and proper boarding school, he loses his best friend when the young Asian hangs himself after repeated racial slurs and taunts from cruel classmates. When he is older, Edward (Marcus Gollings) is set up by his drug-dealing brother in a money-laundering scam. The crooked brother gets off, while Edward suffers the humiliation of being branded a criminal. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

With a touch of comedy, this Aussie film ("Our Home" spelled backwards) chronicles the unnerving experience of a young couple buying a home when their income is already stretched thin. Terri and Des (Joy Smithers and Martin Sacks) live on a beach with their son Les, and life is difficult, but the scenery is stunning, and their son has playmates, the children of others camped out there in the same circumstances. Both parents work, Terri ironically cleans houses for others, and Des drives a bus. One day Terri gets fed up with not being able to afford a home and contacts an agency specializing in financing such projects, and soon Terri is cleaning house for her own family. But life in suburbia is far from ideal -- Les has no playmates, his father has to leave for work before the crack of dawn because they live so far from the city, and their neighbors are busybodies. Barely making it on their shoestring budget, neither Terri nor Des plan for any unexpected setbacks -- a serious error, it turns out.
~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi