James Victor Movies
- 2007
Real-life rap artist Snoop Dog guests in this episode as fictional rapper Murderuss, who is accused of killing his musical rival Extra Large (Marcello Thedford). Monk (Tony Shalhoub) does his best to clear Murderuss, but all the circumstantial evidence is against the singer: his trademark pocket watch was used to trigger the bomb that wiped out Extra Large, and Murderuss' famous gold chain was used to strangle the first victim's chauffeur. Before long, even Monk is persuaded of Murderuss' guilt--but he's afraid to drop the case for fear of incurring the rapper's rath--er, wrath. The solution to the crime...comes in a rhyme...in the nick of time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2000
The ER is the site of several personal crises: the parents of a premature infant implore the staff to save the child, a gay woman (Rosemary Forsyth) is prevented by legal red tape from getting treatment for her comatose life partner, and a homeless patient who refuses to show up for dialysis sparks a quarrel between Benton (Eriq La Salle) and Romano (Paul McCrane). In another development, Carter (Noah Wyle) attends his first AA meeting, where another of his ER colleagues agrees to be his sponsor. And Greene (Anthony Edwards) pops the question to Elizabeth Corday (Alex Kingston). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
The setting is a lodge in the Grand Tetons, where Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is a guest of the owner, a retired colonel. It soon develops that the colonel is being blackmailed, and that another of the guests has been involved in diamond smuggling. Somehow or other this all ends up with murder, compelling Jessica to cut her vacation short and clear the reputation of another old friend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
In this action thriller, a group of Islamic terrorists, led by Nagi Hassan (David Suchet), highjacks a 747 jetliner with 400 passengers aboard, but Lt. Col. Austin Travis (Steven Seagal), a United States intelligence agent, is convinced that this isn't an ordinary case of air piracy. His suspicions are soon confirmed; Hassan's men have obtained a large cache of stolen Soviet nerve gas, and they are using the 747 to smuggle the deadly gas into the United States, where they intend to use it to wipe out Washington D.C. and possibly the entire East Coast. As the jet approaches the U. S., engineer Dennis Cahill (Oliver Platt) designs a plan in which a military plane will be able to transfer U.S. soldiers onto the 747 and regain control of the plane and its deadly cargo. However, when Travis dies in the course of the mission, intelligence agent Dr. David Grant (Kurt Russell) is forced to take his place alongside explosives expert Cappy (Joe Morton), commando Rat (John Leguizamo), and stewardess-turned-anti-terrorist Jean (Halle Berry). Executive Decision was the first directorial assignment for veteran film editor Stuart Baird; he cut the film as well. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kurt Russell, Halle Berry, (more)
- 1996
Aspiring actress Julia's career prospects look dismal and her roommates are preparing to marry each other and move to Boston. When she receives a marriage proposal on the back of a post card from her ex-flame Mark, who feels that he can finally support her after getting a job with a law firm, she leaves her San Diego apartment to travel up to Spokane, WA to become his bride. This bittersweet comedy chronicles her many misadventures she takes her northward journey. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Tired of his bloodthirsty vocation, a gunslinger returns to his old hometown to help out his troubled former lover. Much to his surprise, he learns he has an adolescent daughter. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lance Henriksen, Kay Lenz, (more)
- 1990
Zorro: The Legend Begins is the pilot film for the 1990 revival of Zorro. This time Duncan Regehr assumes the role of foppish Spanish Californian Don Diego, who when the peasants fall under the oppression of the local despots, dons cape, cloak and mask to become Zorro. Efrem Zimbalist costars as Diego's father, who admires Zorro but has little use for his wastrel son (not realizing that both men are one). Filmed in Spain, this TV movie is heavier on the tongue-in-cheek humor than earlier Zorro incarnations--just as well, since it's very hard in AD 1990 to take any of this stuff as gospel. The Zorro series debuted January 5, 1990, over the Family Channel cable service; oddly enough, this pilot film wasn't shown until April 14 of that same year. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Edward James Olmos portrays the real-life Jaime Escalante, a no-nonsense mathematic teacher in a tough East LA high school. Handed a classroom full of "losers" and "unteachables," Escalante is determined to turn his young charges' lives around. Drawing from his own cultural heritage, Escalante forms a bond with his largely Hispanic student body, evoking the names of famous Spaniards and Latin Americans whose great accomplishments were predicated on their ability to learn. The students gradually come to realize that the only way they'll escape their own poverty-stricken barrio is to improve themselves intellectually. As a result, the class' academic achievements soar dramatically -- too dramatically for the Educational Testing Service, which is convinced that the class' high test scores are the results of cheating. The triumphant exoneration of Escalante's students provides Stand and Deliver with its rousingly upbeat conclusion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips, (more)
- 1987
- R
In this comedy-drama, Vashti Blue (Whoopi Goldberg) is a struggling actor who takes out her frustrations via the telephone, in various accentual impersonations, by making prank calls from her apartment. Off the screen Goldberg attempted to prevent the release of this version of Telephone by filing suit, but apparently did not win the case. Many critics seem to insist she was right in doing so. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Whoopi Goldberg, Severn Darden, (more)
- 1985
While playing the monster in the low-budget horror flick "Gatorella", Hannibal (George Peppard) scouts around for appropriate South American locations on behalf of his producer friend Jerry Isaacson (Michael Lerner). With the help of fellow A-Teamer Face (Dirk Benedict)--who is promised a leading role in the film for his efforts--the ideal location is found near the Argentinian estate of Ramon De Jarro (Walter Gotell). Unfortunately, the minute the A-Team arrives on the scene, De Jarro betrays them to Col. Decker (Lance LeGault). But De Jarro isn't the villain of the piece: he has taken this action to save the women and children of a local village from the wrath of a fugitive gangster (who, of course, soon becomes the A-Team's prime target!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
There is hardly any variation on the stereotyped teens-and-sex movie in this story about four high school seniors who travel to Mexico to find a brothel and have something to brag about when they get back home. Among the four is the sensitive Woody (Tom Cruise) who is not sure he wants this trip, the nerd Wendell (John P. Navin, Jr.), the jock Spider (John Stockwell), and the big-talker Dave (Jackie Earle Haley). As the four set off on their adventure, they give a ride to Kathy (Shelley Long), a woman who is a bit ditsy, but decent, going to Mexico to get a divorce from her husband. Once south of the border the quintet meet up with a wide range of clichéd Mexican types and work out their individual experiences in the manner to which teen movies are accustomed. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Cruise, Jackie Earle Haley, (more)
- 1982
This made-for-TV movie was initially shown under the title I, Desire. Coroner's aide David Naughton can't understand why one of the corpses under his care has been drained of blood. Doing a little detective work on his own, Naughton follows the trail of clues to sexy streetwalker Marilyn Jones. Could it be that this far-from-happy hooker is a vampire? Dorian Harewood costars as the detective on the case. I Desire originally aired November 15, 1982, two weeks too late for Halloween. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1980
- R
Charles Bronson switches from his traditional role as a vigilante to playing an actual lawman in this crime drama. Jeb Maynard (Bronson) is a border patrol agent who is trying to stem the tide of illegal aliens from Mexico into the United States. Jeb is hot on the trail of Hotchkiss (Ed Harris), a "coyote" who brings illegals into the United States for a hefty price and with little concern for their safety. But while Jeb is sworn to keep illegal immigrants out of America, he finds his relationship with Elena Morales (Karmin Murcelo) becoming more than professional. Elena is an illegal alien who wants to cooperate with Jeb by leading him to Hotchkiss, who smuggled her into the United States. But businesslike Jeb soon finds that the plight of Elena and her young son, who are desperate to build a better life for themselves, has touched a soft spot inside him. While the story may sound similar to the Tony Richardson/Jack Nicholson picture The Border, Borderline actually preceded it by two years. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Bruno Kirby, (more)
- 1979
- R
A focus on life in a gang, Boulevard Nights portrays the dangers of street violence. Richard Yniguez plays a young Chicano who tries to get out of the gang, but he keeps finding himself drawn back into it. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Yniguez, Danny De La Paz, (more)
- 1979
- PG
Although it is far from a perfectly contrived drama, Defiance has its moments of high emotions and rising fear. Tommy (Jan Michael Vincent) takes up temporary housing in a New York neighborhood plagued by a violent gang, the Souls. Tommy is waiting for his next assignment as a seaman and though he tries to avoid the gang and his neighbors, it does not work. Soon he is single-handedly battling the Souls and not only changing their attitudes, but the attitudes of his previously intimidated neighbors as well. They quickly back him up as the one person who can make the neighborhood safe again. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jan-Michael Vincent, Theresa Saldana, (more)
- 1977
- R
William Devane plays a rare sympathetic role in Rolling Thunder, though his behavior is just as cold-blooded and sharkish as in any of his villainous assignments. Devane is cast as Maj. Charles Rane, a recently released Vietnam POW who is given a hero's welcome in his Texas hometown. Things sour pretty quickly, however: Rane's wife has lost all love for him, his son doesn't recognize him, and there are those in town who consider him a "loser" or "baby-killer." All he really has to show for his ordeal in Nam is a cache of silver coins bestowed on him by the more sympathetic townsfolk. A scumbag gang of thieves decides to relieve Rane of his money; they kill his family, then torture and disfigure Rane to ascertain the whereabouts of the coins. Now living only for vengeance, the taciturn Rane heads to Mexico to exact his own brand of justice on the fleeing crooks. Tommy Lee Jones co-stars as Rane's best friend, Johnny Vohden, who unquestioningly agrees to help Rane in his mission of revenge. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, (more)
Fuzz treads the line between raucous comedy and gut-churning melodrama. Based on an "87th Precinct" novel by Ed McBain (aka Evan Hunter), the film stars Burt Reynolds and Jack Weston as, respectively, detectives Steve Carella and Meyer Meyer. Their current assignment is to bring in Deaf Man (Yul Brynner), a mad bomber who has been targeting politicians. A subplot concerning a couple of punks who get their kicks by setting fire to sleeping winos is dramatically justified by the main storyline, but it was this element that caused a lot of trouble for the producers of Fuzz when a pair of real-life teenagers decided to imitate the film. On a lighter note, Raquel Welch co-stars as Detective Eileen McHenry, who is obliged to go undercover -- and under covers -- with fellow officer Bert Kling (Tom Skerritt). And as a bonus, viewers are treated to Burt Reynolds' first "drag" scene. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Jack Weston, (more)
- 1970
Officers Reed (Kent McCord) and Malloy (Martin Milner) have their hands full with a boisterous female alcoholic named Mae Pilaf (Norma Crane). After breaking up a barroom brawl in which Mae is involved, the two cops are summoned to an apartment where a shooting has occurred--and run into old Mae all over again. Can she be rehabilitated, or should Reed and Malloy just give Mae up as a bad job and move on to the next call? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Rock & roll mayhem characterizes this swinging 1960s musical that chronicles the adventures of a free-wheeling draft dodger who teams up with a biker and his movie-star-wannabe girl friend and heads for Tinseltown. Once there, the biker goes to meet his sister-the-go-go girl and her boss at the local disco. The manager approves of the aspiring starlet's moves and decides he will replace his drug-addicted lead dancer with her. Meanwhile, a club janitor learns that the biker, the club owner and another are murderous dope pushers. This causes trouble for the actress and the draft dodger. After extricating themselves from danger, the evader decides that he must screw up his courage and do his patriotic duty. Songs include: "Do You Want to Laugh or Cry?" "Hello, Michelle," "One Good Time, One Place," "You Gotta Come Down," "Cowboy Santa," "Minnie Shimmy" and "Strange Things." ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1968
The weekend has arrived, and Bill (Brian Keith) looks forward to a long-planned a hunting trip, while Cissy (Kathy Garver) is set to go out on a date and Buffy (Anissa Jones) and Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) are anxious to build a snowman. But when a raging blizzard strands Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) in Long Island, Bill is stuck with taking care of the kids--who in turn are stuck in the apartment. The result: No hunting, no date, a messy "indoor" snowman and a busted TV! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
Not quite over the shock of becoming "surrogate father" to his orphaned nephew Jody (Johnnie Whitaker) and niece Buffy (Anissa Jones), Bill (Brian Keith) comes home from a job in Peru to find that his household has increased by one more relative: Buffy and Jody's 15-year-old sister Cissy (Kathy Garver). At first, Cissy despairs over the likelihood that Uncle Bill will send her back to Terre Haute, but ultimately he relents and welcomes her to the fold. Unfortunately, thanks to Cissy's take-charge attitude with her twin siblings, Bill's butler Mr. French (Sebastian Cabot) now feels like the proverbial fifth wheel--and promptly backs his bags in preparation of leaving for good! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
