J.C. Quinn Movies

Based on Joan Taylor's novel Asking for It, the made-for-TV An Invasion of Privacy stars Valerie Harper as recently divorced book illustrator Kate Bianchi. Moving into a remote, cloistered island community in Maine, Kate has barely arrived when she is raped by a local handyman. The hostile, inbred locals immediately turn against Kate when she presses charges, leaving only the town's college-educated police chief (Cliff De Young) to champion her cause. Jerry Orbach and Tammy Grimes took time off from their roles in the Broadway musical 42nd Street to show up in cameo roles. Filmed on Long Island Sound, An Invasion of Privacy first aired January 12, 1983, on CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charles Bukowski, the talented crown prince of self-abuse, wrote the short stories upon which the surprisingly entertaining Barfly was based. The film concentrates on alcoholic writer Mickey Rourke (the Bukowski alter ego) who carries on a hate-hate relationship with bartender Frank Stallone. Rourke makes the acquaintance of another of society's castaways, Faye Dunaway, who in addition to being a souse is said to be crazy. They move in together, even though Dunaway all but promises to be unfaithful for the price of a drink. Rourke has a chance to clean up his act when offered a large commission for his writings by publisher Alice Krige. They too end up in bed, each trying to change the other. The clarion call of the cheap wine bottle overrides Rourke's half-hearted efforts to enter the mainstream. Watch for author Charles Bukowski, as well as Fritz "Pop!" Feld and Vance Colvig (who's made a career out of playing street people) in Barfly bit parts. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Mathieu (Robin Renucci) is called on by the French government to investigate murders in the Asian community of Paris in this routine thriller. With Chinese and Vietnamese engaged in a bloody slaughterfest, the key to the mystery lies with the orphan girl (Marguerite Tran) who Mathieu helped to escape during the fall of Saigon in 1975. Now a beautiful young woman, Mathieu is reunited ten years later with the refugee, and together they attempt to solve the case. He uncovers a CIA plot that has carried over from the last days of the Vietnam War and that is related to the Paris murders. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This made-for-cable sequel to the 1990 TV-movie thriller Buried Alive picks up where the earlier film leaves off, with the death of the sheriff who solved the mystery in the original. Old Sam has left his money (a hefty sum indeed) to his niece Laura (Ally Sheedy), who is married to a no-account named Randy (Stephen Caffrey). Hoping to get his mitts on all of Laura's dough, Randy conspires with his mistress Roxanne (Tracey Needham) to arrange an "accidental" demise for his unwitting wife. On cue, Laura dies after consuming a poisoned meal, the authorities are satisfied that no foul play has occurred, and the girl's body is shipped off to the embalmer. Thanks to a power outage, the embalming process is halted and Laura is buried "intact" -- and of course, still alive! Once she's dug herself out of her grave, Laura embarks upon a campaign of vengeance, aided and abetted by a shadowy stranger who turns out to be the "murder victim" from the earlier Buried Alive, Clint Goodman (played again by Tim Matheson, who also directed this film). Entertaining in its own "they liked it once, they'll love it twice" fashion, Buried Alive II premiered February 4, 1997, on the USA network. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Although Gary's Old Towne Tap is under new ownership, the gang at Cheers intends to reinvigorate its war of practical jokes against the rival pub. Alas, Gary's taciturn owner (Harry Guardino) doesn't find the pranks very funny -- but then, not too many mobsters are known for their sense of humor. Senator John Kerry appears as himself in the opening scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Top Gun team of producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, director Tony Scott, and superstar Tom Cruise reunite for this excursion into stock-car racing that incorporates the vroom and rumble of deafening car engines with a rehash of the same elements that worked so effectively in Cruise's Top Gun, The Color of Money, and Cocktail. Cruise plays stock-car driver Cole Trickle, a young fireball on the Southern stock-car circuit who has loads of talent but no conception of how to channel that talent in to racing success. When Tim Daland (Randy Quaid) commissions veteran stock-car racer Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) to built a car and hires Cole to drive it, Harry must instill in Cole his philosophy of winning and teach him how to channel his raw talent into success -- or, as Harry puts it, "controlling something that's out of control." Cole immediately comes into conflict with the circuit's star driver, Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker), and their hijinks on the track causes them to smash up their cars and lands them both in the hospital. Because of his injuries, Rowdy is forced to withdraw from the circuit competition. With no rival to torment, Rowdy becomes Cole's supporter and friend, while Cole revs up his motors for Dr. Claire Lewicki (Nicole Kidman), the attractive brain specialist who supervises Cole's recovery from the crackup. Cole's health is restored, and he begins to race again, chastened and hanging onto Harry's every word. Cole appears to have centered himself for success, but in an orgasmic grand finale, Cole must compete against Russ Wheeler (Cary Elwes), a dastardly driver who not only wants to see Cole defeated but permanently disabled. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Deserted by her no-good mother Angie (Ally Sheedy), Emma Baker (Rachael Lee Cook) has been raised by her grandfather, a tough but compassionate old coal miner named Clayton Hayes (George C. Scott). Now 15 years old, Emma insists upon a reunion with her drink-sodden mom--only to be raped and impregnated by Angie's current lowlife boyfriend Ray Wilcox (Don Diamont). When Clayton goes to court in hopes of adopting Emma's sickly baby, he is thwarted by a misguided legal system that regards Wilcox as a more suitable guardian! Outraged, Clayton steals the baby and embarks upon a lengthy odyssey, with the authorities dogging his trail and a virtual battalion of truck drivers and other "little people" treating the old man as a folk hero. Produced for the CBS network, the made-for-TV Country Justice premiered January 14, 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

An unhinged city dweller becomes a vigilante as he tries to protect a troubled teenager. The fellow is Ernest, who came to LA in search of his fortune and who ends up addicted to coke and managing a pornographic video store. When he makes an awkward play for the boss's daughter, he loses his job. Unable to deal with it, he becomes really unstable. He murders his drug dealer and then becomes friends with the teen Christiane who is trying to cope with a stepfather who molests her and a mother who doesn't care. Ernest takes Christiane away from home and then helps her try to find her long-lost sister. Along the way he makes sure that anyone who ever harmed her is made to pay. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Originally shot in 3-D, Gun Fury opens with wealthy rancher Ben Warren (Rock Hudson) and his fiancée Jennifer Ballard (Donna Reed) aboard a stagecoach bound for California. Having recently fought in the Civil War, Ben is looking forward to returning to a peaceful life with his soon-to-be wife. Unfortunately, the coach is set upon by embittered ex-Confederate soldier Frank Slayton Philip Carey) and his gang. In the ensuing conflict, Ben is shot and left for dead, while Jennifer is kidnapped by Slayton, who claims her for his own interests. Ben recovers from his wounds and sets off to find Jennifer, trying to enlist the aid of others in his fight against Slayton. Most are unwilling to help, a fact which impresses upon Ben the responsibility every man must have in protecting society from people like Slayton. Eventually he succeeds in putting together a team of his own -- including a former member of Slayton's gang and a Native American with a grudge against the crooks -- and sets off for the border to bring about justice. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide

Having spent much of his directorial career emulating Don Siegel and John Ford, Clint Eastwood borrows a page from the catalogue of Sam Fuller in Heartbreak Ridge. Eastwood casts himself as an old-fashioned Marine Corps sergeant who is out of step with the new-fashioned military. He returns to his old outfit as a gunnery sergeant, where he runs afoul of 1980s-style superior officers to whom the words "Gung Ho" are foolish anachronisms. But through his tough tutelage, Eastwood's lackadaisical platoon is whipped into a first-rate fighting machine, favoring teamwork over such New Age gobbledygook as "self-fulfillment." Eastwood's men prove their mettle during the invasion of Grenada. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this Italian romantic fantasy, a has-been rocker finds renewal when on the beach he stumbles across a bottle that contains a beautiful genie who is capable of making all of his dreams come true. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In a futuristic world, the U.S. is ruled by a repressive government that bans most forms of media. As part of the enforcement, a cop (Billy Zane) is sent to the rebel state of Megaville on an undercover mission to infiltrate an unlawful media organization. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide