Stephen Shellen Movies

Bo Derek stretches her acting muscles in the role Katherine Sullivan, an agoraphobic who has not set foot out of her house in three years. Witnessing what she thinks is her husband's murder on the porch of her home, the terrified Katherine alerts the authorities. Shortly afterward, a detective shows up to investigate--only to completely vanish from sight. It is at this point that private investigator Jack Mize (Stephen Shellen) tries to figure out what has happened--and if Katherine has been telling the truth. Complicating matters is the sudden reappearance of the "dead" husband (Wayne Rogers), who calmly behaves as if nothing has happened. It is the first of a steady progression of strange and inexplicable events, leading to shattering climax. Originally produced for theatrical release under the title Jack Mize, this film was first seen in the US over the Lifetime cable network under the title Frozen with Fear, and has since been exhibited under a third title, Web of Deceit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a marine biologist launches a daring rescue after she learns her daughter has been kidnapped and sold into the European sex trade. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The first feature-length Canadian drama to be created by an all-black team of filmmakers, this inner city film from writer-director Clement Virgo tracks the lives and struggles of several urban minorities during one Easter weekend. As the pirate radio disc jockey known as Rude (Sharon M. Lewis) broadcasts throughout a Toronto project, an artist named General (Maurice Dean Witt) arrives at the home of his wife Jessica (Melanie Nicholls-King) after serving several years in jail for drug dealing. He's there to reconcile with Jessica, who is now a police officer, and with the ten-year-old son, Johnny (Ashley Brown), whom he didn't help raise. Impeding his progress is General's brother Reece (Clark Johnson), who covets his brother's wife and still works for the neighborhood's racist white drug lord Yankee (Stephen Shellen) -- who in turn wants General back in charge of the drug trade. Meanwhile, the young boxer Jordan (Richard Chevolleau) reluctantly accompanies his fellow athletes on a testosterone-fueled gay-bashing spree, even though he is beginning to believe that he may be homosexual. As all of this is happening, the heart-broken window dresser Maxine (Rachel Crawford) faces the dissolution of her relationship with her boyfriend after she has an abortion. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a man whose scientific meddling has unexpected results gets a cross-gender update in this comedy. Richard Jacks (Tim Daly) is a research scientist trying to work his way up the ladder at a major perfume company when he inherits the notebooks of his great-grandfather, Dr. Henry Jekyll. Fascinated by Jekyll's ideas about the duality of man, Jacks starts performing experiments to refine his potion that would isolate man's good and evil natures. However, Richard's version has a very different result than the old Jekyll formula, instead of turning him into a snarling beast, the drug transforms him into Helen Hyde (Sean Young), a beautiful and powerfully sexy woman with a slight case of nymphomania. Jacks figures that a good looking woman willing to sleep with nearly anyone should have no trouble rising to a position of power within the company, so his alter-ego Helen may be his ticket to a room at the top. But this plan may require a bit of explaining to Jacks' girlfriend, Sarah (Lysette Anthony). The supporting cast includes Polly Bergen, Jeremy Piven, and Harvey Fierstein, who is so awestruck by Helen Hyde's allure that he's rendered heterosexual by the experience. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of a two-part story, Fraser (Paul Gross) continues to search Chicago for Christina Nichols (Lisa Jakub), the runaway teenage daughter of a Canadian diplomat. Christina is in possession of a dead mobster's contact list, and thus has been targetted for extermination by criminal boss Eddie Beets (Stephen Shellen). In his efforts to catch up with the headstrong lass, Fraser finds himself at an after-hours bondage club, on a runaway escalator, and sliding down a garbage chute. Somehow he hopes that these and other experiences will ultimately teach Christina to act more responsibly--if she manages to live through the night, that is. Alfred Hitchcock fans will get a kick out of the character names of the hotel maid played by Beth Amos and the janitor played by Marvin Ishmael. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

At first, it appears that a wealthy woman's death was the result of suicide. But as the detectives and the lawyers dig deeper, it becomes obvious that the woman was murdered. This time the suspects include the dead woman's teenaged daughter and the victim's husband -- or, in this case, husbands. Prominent among the supporting cast are such powerhouse performers as Sarah Paulson and Victor Raider-Wexler. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Redford's lyrical direction sets the tone for this evocative adaptation of author Norman MacLean's memoir of his idyllic Montana youth. The MacLean family is presided over by the strict but encouraging Rev. MacLean (Tom Skerritt) and his loving wife (Brenda Blethyn). Craig Sheffer stars as the young Norman, the older son in his family, who takes his school work and writing a bit too seriously for Paul (Brad Pitt), the impetuous younger son, to take much stock in. Paul would rather have a good time, drink and play cards than get involved with academic study. Where Norman wants to be a college literature professor, Paul would prefer to stay in Montana all his life and wrangle some kind of job writing for a local newspaper. But, ironically, Paul is the better fly fisherman and in this way attains a sense of perfection. The film also details the MacLean boys' involvement with a colorful group of town's people -- including a young Indian woman Paul decides to date and the defiant Jessie (Emily Lloyd), whom Norman later marries. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

In this made-for-cable TV movie, an attractive woman leaves her small-town life hoping to make it as a model. However, her success earns her more admiration than she bargained for when a deranged killer begins murdering her male friends. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Four friends decide to travel to Zimbabwe for a white-water rafting trip, but find that its no vacation when their stoic American guide (Stephen Shellen) turns out to be an ex-soldier with a few psychotic grudges against humanity. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

This crime drama is based on the true story of Billy Isaacs who with his brothers killed a family of six. The story unfolds from Billy's perspective and follows their exploits after they escape from a Maryland prison and embark upon the 13-day joyride from hell. During the journey, the boys go on an unparalleled spree of robbery and cold-blooded murder. They made it through 12 states before they were finally stopped. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Director of the first Police Academy movie, Hugh Wilson is also responsible for the action comedy-caper Burglar. Bernice Rhodenbarr (Whoopi Goldberg) is a retired cat burglar who works at a bookstore. Bad cop Ray Kirschman (G.W. Bailey) blackmails her, so she agrees to do a job for Dr. Cynthia Sheldrake (Lesley Ann Warren) in order to get the money. While she is doing the robbery, she accidentally stumbles onto the scene of a murder. Since she is the prime suspect, Bernice is forced into many chase scenes as she plays detective to find out who the real murderer is in order to clear her name. She is aided by her only two friends: the hapless dog groomer Carl Hefler (Bob Goldthwait) and the drunken floozy Frankie (Elizabeth Ruscio). Along the way, she almost gets killed by numerous tough guys while being closely followed by two stupid cops (Anne DeSalvo and John Goodman). ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Intending to complete a master's thesis about the sexual relationships between men and women, sociology student Paul Barton sets off to capture examples on videotape. Paul's viewfinder takes him around campus and into rooms of a sleazified Hollywood motel to get first-hand study sessions. During his adventure, he meets and falls for fellow student Jeanne and begins a more personal exploration in the Love Zone. This comedy drama contains sex, nudity, and profanity. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide