Michael Sheard Movies

The third installment in the widely beloved Spielberg/Lucas Indiana Jones saga begins with an introduction to a younger Indy (played by the late River Phoenix), who, through a fast-paced prologue, gives the audience insight into the roots of his taste for adventure, fear of snakes, and dogged determination to take historical artifacts out of the hands of bad guys and into the museums in which they belong. A grown-up Indy (Harrison Ford) reveals himself shortly afterward in a familiar classroom scene, teaching archeology to a disproportionate number of starry-eyed female college students in 1938. Once again, however, Mr. Jones is drawn away from his day job after an art collector (Julian Glover) approaches him with a proposition to find the much sought after Holy Grail. Circumstances reveal that there was another avid archeologist in search of the famed cup -- Indiana Jones' father, Dr. Henry Jones (Sean Connery) -- who had recently disappeared during his efforts. The junior and senior members of the Jones family find themselves in a series of tough situations in locales ranging from Venice to the most treacherous spots in the Middle East. Complicating the situation further is the presence of Elsa (Alison Doody), a beautiful and intelligent woman with one fatal flaw: she's an undercover Nazi agent. The search for the grail is a dangerous quest, and its discovery may prove fatal to those who seek it for personal gain. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade earned a then record-breaking $50 million in its first week of release. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

In the second episode of the four-part story "Remembrance of the Daleks," the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) and Ace (Sophie Aldred) have arrived in 1963 London, in search of a stellar manipulator known as the Hand of Omega. Impressed by the pop-cultural trappings of her new surroundings, Ace is blissfully unaware that her movements are being monitored by the two armies in a Dalek civil war -- both of whom are willing to wipe out all mankind to get their mitts on the Hand of Omega before the Doctor does. First telecast October 12, 1988, "Remembrance of the Daleks, Episode 2" was written by Ben Aaronovitch. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

O'Malley (Tom Selleck) is a heavy-drinking, tough biplane pilot flying the skies of China for fun and profit when Eve (Bess Armstrong) seeks him out to help her find her father before he is declared dead and she loses an inheritance to the evil Bentik (Robert Morley). O'Malley does not really want Eve around, but adventure and the challenge beckon. If only their journey together had been sparked by a little excitement, clever humor, snappy dialogue, and seductive romantic chemistry, this bland film would be a different trip altogether. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

In the conclusion of the four-part story "Castrovalva," the TARDIS crew is trapped on huge Block Transfer Computation, which the Master (Anthony Ainley) has disguised as an arboreal planet. Knowing that he and his companions must escape this false world lest the Master succeed in his latest bid to take over the Universe, the Doctor (Peter Davison) must first rescue the brainwashed Adric (Matthew Waterhouse) from the villain's evil influence. Written by Christopher H. Bidmead, "Castrovalva, Episode 4" originally aired on January 12, 1982. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The second entry in George Lucas' Star Wars trilogy finds Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the green-as-grass hero from the first film, now a seasoned space warrior. Luke's Star Wars cohorts Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) are likewise more experienced in the ways and means of battling the insidious Empire, as represented by the brooding Darth Vader (body of David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones). And, of course, "The Force," personified by the ghost of Luke's mentor Ben Kenobi (Alec Guinness), is with them all. Retreating from Vader's minions, Luke ends up, at first, on the Ice Planet Hoth, and then the tropical Dagobah. Here he makes the acquaintance of the gnomish Yoda (voice of Frank Oz), whose all-encompassing wisdom comes in handy during the serial-like perils of the rest of the film. Before the film's open-ended climax, we are introduced to the apparently duplicitous Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) and are let in on a secret that profoundly affects both Luke and his arch-enemy, Vader. Many viewers consider this award-winning film the best of the Star Wars movies, and its special-effects bonanza was pure gold at the box office. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Returning to Liberator with his new friend, Dayna (Josette Simon), Avon (Paul Darrow) finds that the ship has been captured by a Federation death squad, commanded by Tarrant (Steven Pacey, in his first series appearance). Meanwhile, Cally (Jan Chappell) has spirited the wounded Vila (Michael Keating) away to a hospital ship, ostensibly bound for the planet Chenga. Only upon discovering that their longtime enemy, Servalan (Jacqueline Pearce), has likewise boarded the ship do Cally and Vila find out that this "hospital" is actually a bank for human organs -- and that they've been slated to be "donors." "Powerplay" originally aired on January 14, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

One of the earliest English spy novels, The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers, is the basis for this movie. In the story, it is 1901, and England is at the height of its power and influence in the world. Arthur Davies (Simon MacCorkindale) is out sailing in his yacht in the North Sea. Off the coast of Germany, he has a set-to with a local sea-captain, Dollmann (Alan Badel). The encounter itself was odd enough, but adding to it's strangeness is Arthur's nagging sense that the German captain was known to him, somehow. He discovers that Dollman is actually a British naval officer who has gone bad and calls on his old college friend, Charles Carruthers (Michael York) to help him investigate this phenomenon. Eventually, the two men discover that the Kaiser Wilhelm has planned to secretly invade and conquer Britain, and they are the only ones who can prevent it. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Force 10 From Navarone was a sequel to the 1961 blockbuster The Guns of Navarone and tells the tale of ten widely divergent WW II troubleshooters who attempt to blow up a crucial bridge in Yugoslavia. As in the first Navarone film, one of the guerillas is a traitor: group leader Mallory (Robert Shaw) knows the identity of the turncoat, but can't prove it until it's almost too late. The beautiful female resistance leader is played by Barbara Bach, while Harrison Ford, fresh from his Star Wars success, is the romantic lead. Others in the cast include Edward Fox, Franco Nero and Alan Badel. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The "Invisible Enemy" of the title is an intelligent space virus called the Swarm, which the crew of an earth base on the Jupiterian moon Titan. In his efforts to stop the Swarm, the Doctor (Tom Baker) is himself infected -- leading to a truly "fantastic voyage" for the miniaturized clones of the Doctor and Leela (Louise Jameson), not to mention a brand-new edition to the Doctor Who supporting cast. Written by Bob Baker and David Martin, "The Invisible Enemy" began its four-episode run on October 1, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Invisible Enemy," the infectuous space virus known as the Swarm has escaped the Doctor's body and is prepared to conquer the Universe. Fortunately, the miniaturized clones of the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Leela (Louise Jameson) have successfully cured the real Doctor, who is thus able to set a trap for the killer virus. This Doctor Who adventure served to introduced the character of robotic dog K-9 (voiced by John Leeson). Written by Bob Baker and David Martin, "The Invisible Enemy, Episode 4" originally aired on October 22, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "Pyramids of Mars," Osirian criminal genius Sutekh (Gabriel Woolf) is foiled in his attempt to escape his Martian force-field prison on Earth. Even so, Sutekh is able to possesses the mind and body of the Doctor (Tom Baker), who, unable to control his own actions, abducts Sarah (Elisabeth Sladen) and archeologist Scarman (Bernard Archard) and transports his captives to Mars -- where the spirit of Sutekh intends to carry out his scheme of wholesale interplanetary destruction. Written by Stephen Harris, "Pyramids of Mars, Episode 3" first aired on November 8, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Based on a novel by Graham Greene that uses the rise of Nazi Germany as its backdrop, this drama stars Michael York as Anthony Farrant, an idealistic young British businessman. On his way home after a trip to the Far East, Anthony takes a friend up on her advice and makes a stop in Germany, where he calls upon Erich Krogh (Peter Finch), a highly successful financier. While Anthony was taught to value fairness and decency, he soon falls under Erich's spell, in which opportunism, corruption, and decadence hold sway. England Made Me was filmed in Yugoslavia, doubling for both Germany and France; Tony Wollard's art direction was nominated for a British BAFTA Award. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

In the third episode of the six-part story "The Mind of Evil," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) once more crosses the path of his arch-rival, the Master, who has assumed the guise of mild-mannered Professor Emil Keller, and infiltrated a world peace conference. It doesn't take long for the Master to wreak his usual havoc, this time by utilizing a mind-altering nerve gas. The Doctor knows what is going on, but he still doesn't know why. Written by Don Houghton, "The Mind of Evil, Episode 3" first aired on February 13, 1971. Originally filmed in color, this episode currently exists only in a black-and-white version. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi