Jan-Michael Vincent Movies

Photographer and documentary filmmaker Bruce Weber looks at the lives of his subjects, the nature of the creative spirit, his inner drives and desires, and what fuels his own muse in this, his third feature film. Named for the popular Cantonese-American dish that brings together a diverse range of ingredients, Chop Suey jumps back and forth between a number of different themes and perspectives, using both videotape and a variety of film stocks to add a similar variety to the movie's look. Weber explores his issues with self-image and sexuality as he explains the homoerotic subtext of his photography to one of his models, a former wrestler fresh out high school. Weber also discusses the importance of the work of other photographers as he hones his individual style, as well as actors and artists who had an important impact on him, including Robert Mitchum, Diana Vreeland, and Wilfred Thesiger. Weber also interviews Teri Shepherd, who discusses her relationship with her former lover, the late singer and comic Frances Faye. Chop Suey premiered at the 2001 Berlin Film Festival, where it was nominated for the festival's Teddy Award, a special prize for films with gay and lesbian themes. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This confused sequel to Abducted (1986) features some gorgeous Vancouver wilderness scenery, lovingly photographed by Danny Nowak, in the service of an unappealing Deliverance variant. Vern (Lawrence King), the crazed wild man long presumed dead, abducts three female campers, taking one of them, Maria (Raquel Bianca), to his cave in the woods where he plans to impregnate her until he learns that she is not a virgin. Revolted, Vern makes Maria wear a horned buckskin mask, and she plays along, waiting to attack when the time is right. Dan Haggerty returns from the first film as Vern's father, who tracks down his son after fighting with a crazed hunter (Jan-Michael Vincent), only to be murdered. The cast is adequate, but Boon Collins' tepid adventure is hopelessly flawed. The long, superfluous scenes of Vincent and Haggerty gutting (real) rams and other wildlife while debating the merits of hunting will offend many viewers, and the script is muddled and unrealistic, with some of the most preposterous dialogue since the original. At its core, Abducted II: The Reunion is a rape-revenge movie with no rape, a moralistic diatribe with no morals, and a horror film with no horror. In other words, a complete waste of time. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

In this action-thriller, Brad Cartowski (Michael Pare) is a Navy SEAL whose wife, Marcy (Claudette Mink), has been kidnapped by a band of Libyan terrorists. The terrorists have also hijacked an airliner filled with passengers, and in exchange for the return of both Marcy, the jet, and its passengers, they're demanding the release of Carlos (Billy Drago), the leader of their organization who has been captured by American operatives. The United States warily agrees to the deal, but after Carlos is set free in Athens, he and his men decide to keep the plane -- and Marcy. An outraged Brad discovers the U.S. military is hesitant to step in and save Marcy, so he teams up with fellow SEAL Cody (Jan-Michael Vincent) to stage a rescue mission on their own. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

A mysterious priest proves himself a master of martial arts in this LA-set chop-socky adventure. As the story begins, he is a gentle fellow who attempts to fight the bad-guys with peace and love. When that fails, he resorts to stronger methods and nunchakus whirl, feet and fists fly, and criminals hit the ground. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

If you liked the 1941 Johnny Weissmuller opus Tarzan's New York Adventure, you'll go ape (sorry!) over the made-for-TV Tarzan in Manhattan. The Jungle Lord uncovers an insidious plot by a covetous scientist to enhance the natural IQ of African monkeys. To prevent his beloved Cheetah from falling into the hands of vivisectionists, Tarz heads for New York, where he meets his Jane (Kim Crosby) -- a wisecracking cabbie. Tony Curtis plays Jane's father, barely justifying his "special guest star" credit. Tarzan in Manhattan was the pilot for a TV series that just plain didn't swing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

There's not much doubt this film's a direct descendant of Schwarzenegger's Terminator classic, though it's certainly a distant descendant. Here a fugitive from a far-away planet escapes execution in a hijacked spaceship and crashes on the planet Earth where he's befriended by some young campers and the local constable. However this Terminator take also has a chasing enforcer (the Alienator) who shows up before long, sent to capture the escapee. The earthlings come to the defense of their new friend and fight it out with the indestructible Alienator. ~ All Movie Guide

The third season of Airwolf continues to spotlight its title "character," a state-of-the-art helicopter with a full arsenal of high-tech weaponry and the capability to fly anywhere at the fastest possible speed without the necessity of refuel. Still in charge of Airwolf are maverick pilot String Hawke (Jan-Michael Vincent), his mechanic buddy Dom Santini (Ernest Borgnine), and spunky female pilot Caitlin O'Shaughnessy (Jean Bruce Scott). And, as before, the Airwolf team accepts various dangerous assignments -- ranging from rescue missions to thwarting government takeovers -- from Michael Archangel (Alex Cord), the mysterious, white-suited emissary from the Firm, the top secret organization for whom Airwolf was created. Naturally, the Firm would like Airwolf all to themselves, but the fiercely independent String continues to hold off turning the vehicle over to them until his brother, a MIA from the Vietnam War era, is located and rescued. Keeping a close eye on the Airwolf team's activities is another rep from the Firm, the bold and beautiful Marella (Deborah Pratt) -- formerly a series regular, now a recurring character. Canceled by CBS at the end of season three, Airwolf would return to the airwaves courtesy of cable's USA Network beginning in January of 1987 -- but not without several sweeping cast changes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Airwolf stars Jan-Michael Vincent as Stringfellow Hawke, a reclusive helicopter pilot. Airwolf itself is a super-powered copter that has been stolen by its creator (David Hemmings) and sold to the Libyans. Hawke agrees to retrieve Airwolf on one condition: That the US government effect the release of his brother, who has been missing in Vietnam for fourteen years. Inasmuch as the government fails in their end of the bargain, Hawke keeps Airwolf himself, thereby establishing the premise for the subsequent long-running (1984-1988) TV series. This two-hour Airwolf opener originally aired on January 22, 1984. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season two of Airwolf finds the title "character" -- a high-tech helicopter equipped with remarkable sensing devices and a full complement of weaponry -- being used on behalf of the forces of good by maverick pilot String Hawke (Jan-Michael Vincent) and String's partner/best buddy Dom Santini (Ernest Borgnine). Though technically Airwolf belongs to the Firm, a top secret government agency, String refuses to turn over the vehicle until the Firm locates his brother, who has been missing since the Vietnam debacle. Dispatching String and Dom on their various missions is the Firm's mysterious, almost ethereal representative, Michael Archangel (Alex Cord). This season, the two heroes are assisted by Caitlin O'Shaughnessy (Jean Bruce Scott), a spunky female copter jockey, and also by their old "friend" from the Firm, the beautiful Marella (Deborah Pratt) -- who, though no longer a regular, continues to pop up on occasion. The three protagonists' adventures bring them in contact with corrupt sheriffs, megalomaniacs armed with stolen nuclear devices, Mexican crime lords, homicidal hijackers, Russian "moles," and modern day slave traders. And every so often, tantalizingly brief clues are provided as to the whereabouts of String's brother St. John Hawke. Airwolf remained off the radar so far as the Top Thirty Nielsen-rated programs were concerned throughout its second season, though it seldom failed to win its Saturday night time slot for CBS. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the seven-part, eighteen-hour miniseries The Winds of War, President Roosevelt has dispatched Naval Commander "Pug" Henry (Robert Mitchum) to Germany, there to try to reason with the power-mad Adolf Hitler (Gunter Meisner), whose army has just invaded Poland. Henry also confers with Hitler's ally Benito Mussolini (Enzo Castellari), who proves to be as stubborn as Hitler is obsessed. Also figuring in Henry's foredoomed negotiations is anti-semitic German banker Wolf Stoller (Barry Morse), the proverbial "smiler with the knife", at whose sumptuous dinner party Henry's wife Rhoda (Polly Bergen) almost forsakes her common sense. The Winds of War was adapted by Herman Wouk from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The sixth episode of the seven-part, eighteen-hour miniseries The Winds of War takes place in early 1941. Government attache "Pug" Henry (Robert Mitchum) commands a fleet of destroyers escorted a US convoy that is unoffically heading to England, there to aid in the war effort against Germany. En route, Hardy crosses the path of a Nazi U-boat, forcing him to choose between violating America's neutrality or fighting for his life. Meanwhile, Henry's pregnant daughter-in-law Natalie (Ali Graw) and her Uncle Aaron (John Houseman) encounter more anti-semitism as they try to book passage from Europe to the US. The Winds of War was adapted by Herman Wouk from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the seven-part, eighteen-hour miniseries The Winds of War, several of the characters introduced in part one are swept up in the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland. Among these are Byron Henry (Jan-Michael Vincent), Natalie Jastrow (Ali McGraw) and Leslie Slote (David Dukes), who in true Casablanca fashion must realize that the problems of three little people aren't worth a hill of beans in this crazy world--especially after witnessing the Nazi slaughter of a Polish refugee caravan. Back in the US, Byron's father, Naval Commander Victor "Pug" Henry (Robert Mitchum) is the recipient of personal, highly top-secret orders from President Roosevelt (Ralph Bellamy) himself--orders which may well determine the fate of the free world. The Winds of War was adapted by Herman Wouk from his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jan-Michael Vincent plays a self-destructive beach bum to whom surfing is a Zen experience. We first meet Vincent in the devil-may-care 1960s, in the company of his carefree buddies William Katt and Gary Busey. The boys reunite ten years later, after one has served time in Vietnam. The beach is still there, the waves still break upon the shore, and towards the end of the film, the characters become people that we truly care about. Barbara Hale, the real-life mother of costar William Katt, makes a piquant supporting appearance. Cut from 129 minutes to 104 for its pay-cable release, Big Wednesday is also known as Summer of Innocence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide