Peter Sallis Movies

In the mid-'90s, an Englishman by the name of Alan Conway (John Malkovich) conned many people into believing that he was the reclusive American director Stanley Kubrick, despite the fact that Conway was openly gay, bore no physical resemblance to Kubrick, and knew little about the director's work. Conway's story has been loosely adapted into the comedic feature Colour Me Kubrick. Anthony Frewin, who worked as Kubrick's personal assistance for many years, wrote the script, and Brian Cook, who served as Kubrick's assistant director on several films, including Barry Lyndon and Eyes Wide Shut, marks his directorial debut with the film. Colour Me Kubrick follows Conway on a number of adventures, wherein he cadges drinks, cash, sex, and more from unsuspecting victims, ranging from a heavy metal band to a wine bar owner (Richard E. Grant) to a British lounge singer (British television comic Jim Davidson making his feature-film debut), who are awestruck by his purported fame and fortune, and willing to overlook Conway's genuinely bizarre behavior in the hopes of impressing the great director. Conway's act reached its pinnacle when he temporarily pulled the wool over the eyes of then-New York Times theater critic Frank Rich (William Hootkins). Colour Me Kubrick features cameos by Ken Russell, Honor Blackman, Peter Sallis, and Marc Warren. The French production had its international premiere at the 2006 Tribeca Film Festival. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide

The third film to feature the claymation adventures of Wallace and Gromit, A Close Shave finds the inventor and his dog with a new business, new friends, and a new adversary. As the story begins, the team has decided to open a window-washing service, with Wallace providing clever gadgets while Gromit does the real work. Yet Wallace continues inventing in his spare time and has recently built a new device, the Knit-O-Matic, to clean and shear sheep -- which comes in quite handy when a lost lamb takes refuge in their home. Wallace and Gromit soon discover that this lamb has escaped from a pair of evil sheep rustlers who want him back. The mastermind of the rustling scheme turns out to be Preston, a dog belonging to local wool-shop proprietor Wendolene Ramsbottom; complicating things further is the fact Wendolene is also the object of Wallace's romantic affections. When Preston frames Gromit as the rustler and plots to steal the Knit-O-Matic, the pair must find a way to save the sheep and themselves. Director Nick Park once again mixes inventive animation with deviously clever plotting and whimsical humor, a combination that won him his third "Best Animated Short" Oscar. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

It's another bank holiday in northern England, and eccentric inventor Wallace and his faithful dog, Gromit, are sitting around the house with nothing to do. While poring over stacks of travel magazines, Wallace suggests that the pair break for a hot cup of tea and some cheese. When he discovers that there's no cheese to be found anywhere in the house, he hits upon an ideal place for a picnic: "Everybody knows the moon's made of cheese." With Gromit's help, he immediately starts construction on a rocket ship, and before long the two are walking on (and tasting) the lunar surface. As they continue to explore, they are blissfully unaware that they -- and their rocket -- are being watched by a creature that has dreams and aspirations of its own. ~ Emru Townsend, All Movie Guide

The British/Canadian Full Circle is better known by its American title, The Haunting of Julia. The eponymous Julia, played by Mia Farrow, is driven to near-madness by the death of her daughter. Things don't get much better when Julia and her husband move into a forbidding old mansion. The events leading up to her daughter's horrible death threaten to repeat themselves, thereby explaining the film's original title. Based on a Peter Straub story, Full Circle covers familiar ground, but fans of Gothic horror will be generously served. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This romantic drama concerns two star-crossed lovers who are half-brother and sister to each other. Catherine (Anna Calder-Marshall) is the daughter of the lord of the manor who falls for the brooding stable boy Heathcliff (Timothy Dalton). When Heathcliff leaves to seek his fortune, he returns to find Catherine has married the local magistrate Edgar (Ian Ogilvy). The story is told by the beautiful blonde servant girl Nellie (Judy Cornwell), who narrates at the beginning to set the stage for the picture. Hindley (Julian Glover) is Catherine's older brother who tries to take over the house and land after the death of their father (Harry Andrews). When his own wife and child dies, a drunken Hindley gambles away the family holdings to the opportunistic Heathcliffe. Filmed in England, the scenery is spectacular but this version lacks the foreboding, shadowy drama of the 1939 original starring Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the six-part story "The Ice Warriors," a team of 31st century scientists has inadvertently revived an ancient Ice Warrior named Varga (Bernard Bresslaw). Revealing himself to be from the planet Mars, Varga demands that his space ship, and his fellow Ice Warriors, also be thawed out. It falls to the reluctant Doctor (Patrick Troughton) to carry out the Warrior's orders -- or else. The thrill quotient in this episode is heightened by the evocative music score by Australian composer Dudley Simpson. Written by Brian Hayles, "The Ice Warriors, Episode 2" originally aired on November 18, 1967; unfortunately, none of the four remaining episodes are known to exist. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the fourth episode of the six-part story "The Ice Warriors," Martian invader Varga (Bernard Bresslaw) and his companions intend to use the earth's 31st Century "New Ice Age" to their advantage. The Doctor (Patrick Troughton) hopes to prevent this by utilizing a super computer -- but a team of scientists, led by Professor Clent (Peter Barkworth), are reluctant to let him do so. Written by Brian Hayles, "The Ice Warriors, Episode 4" originally aired on December 2, 1967; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the six-part story "The Ice Warriors," the Doctor (Patrick Troughton) is still figuratively frozen in the earth's "New Ice Age" of the 31st century. Faced with an invasion of Martian Ice Warriors led by the villainous Varga (Bernard Bresslaw), the Doctor persuades scientist Clent (Peter Barkworth) to utilize a powerful ionizer against the enemy. But this counteroffensive tactic yields very strange results. Written by Brian Hayles, "The Ice Warriors, Episode 6" originally aired on December 16, 1967; this episode apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Albert Finney both directs and stars in the "alienation" comedy-drama Charlie Bubbles. The eponymous Bubbles (Finney) is a trendy and fabulously wealthy novelist. Indulged at every turn, and able to indulge in his wildest fancies, Charlie is bored by his privileged existence. He staves off ennui by drinking and carousing with best-buddy Smokey Pickles (Colin Blakely) and by having a fling with his secretary Eliza (Liza Minnelli, in her screen debut). Billie Whitelaw delivers the film's best performance as Charlie's vitriolic wife. Directed in the "mod" fashion popular at the time, Charlie Bubbles sometimes resembles a music video without the music. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Escape by Night was originally released in Great Britain as Clash by Night, which was also the title of the Rupert Croft-Brooke novel on which it was based. Gangster boss Tom Bowman has been arrested and is being transported to prison in a bus containing several innocent "civilians." Bowman's old gang hijacks the bus to rescue their boss, then take refuge in an old barn. The gang holds off the authorities by threatening to torch the barn and all its occupants. The climactic conflagration is predictable, but its outcome isn't. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Assigned to investigate the disappearance of five fellow agents, Steed ends up being accused of their murders. Alas, the only person able to prove his innocence has completely lost his memory. Acting on her own volition, Cathy tries to get to the truth herself and learns a few unpleasant facts about her "trusted" colleagues. Written by Martin Woodhouse, "The Wringer" was originally telecast in England on January 18, 1964; it made its American TV bow on March 26, 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Terrence Rattigan, the playwright who brought us the multicharactered, multistoried Separate Tables, again offers us an episodic cross-section of humanity in The V.I.P.'s. When a heavy London fog paralyzes all air traffic, the lives of several people are profoundly affected. As indicated by the title, most of the characters in this portmanteau film are of the social and/or financial elite. Elizabeth Taylor wishes to leave her enormously wealthy husband Richard Burton in favor of playboy Louis Jourdan. Peripatetic European film producer Orson Welles is hoping to escape London with his newest protegee Elsa Martinelli in order to avoid paying his income tax. Australian businessman Rod Taylor, accompanied by his devoted (and adoring) secretary Maggie Smith, is anxious to head to New York to stave off a hostile takeover of his firm. And impoverished aristocrat Margaret Rutherford (who won an Oscar for her performance) would rather not go to Florida to accept a job as a social arbiter, but the wolf must be kept from the door. Before the fog disperses, you can be sure that at least one of the many plotlines will intersect with another. David Frost, in a tiny part as a reporter, was fond of recalling in later years that, while the major stars of The VIPS were introduced in the opening titles with animated limousines, he was consigned a tiny Volkswagen; alas, no such cartoon joke appears in the film, though on occasion the actors-particularly Mr. Welles-behave as though they were cartoons. Mercilessly skewered by the critics, The VIPS was a winner at the box-office, due in great part to the Cleopatra-inspired publicity concerning the top-billed Liz Taylor and Dick Burton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide