John Vine Movies
- 2000
In this two-part miniseries pilot for the British cop show of the same name, Trevor Eve starred as Detective Chief Inspector Peter Boyd of the "Cold Case" squad. On this occasion, Boyd dogged the trail of a serial killer who preyed on schoolgirls. Reopening an unsolved murder case, Boyd hoped to use the evidence at hand to catch the elusive murderer, who seemed to be repeating his familiar pattern after five years of inactivity. This particular investigation ended up taking a great personal toll, not only on the relatives of the victims but also on Boyd and his family. Waking the Dead originally aired on September 4 and 5, 2000. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Trevor Eve, Sam Loggin, (more)
This British television docu-drama dishes up the turbulent royal marriage of Charles and Lady Di. The story is based on Andrew Morton's tell-all book and is considered the most accurate version of the situation. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Serena Scott Thomas, David Threlfall, (more)
- 1990
This made-for-cable feature film stars Edward Asner as a fashionable confidence trickster. Asner masterminds an investment scam which cleans out four gullible young men. The foursome pool their resources and decide to beat Asner at his own game with a con of their own. Jenny Agutter is the lovely bait used by the victims to trap the seemingly susceptible crook. Originally shown in two two-hour installments, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less had some surface stylishness thanks to director Clive Donner; unfortunately, there's hardly enough story to fill up even 90 of the film's 200 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1990
This film is based upon the true story of Mordechai Vanunu, an Israeli lab technician who left his job and country in protest of the nuclear arms project to which he'd been assigned. Going public, he hoped to deter the hellish mission and sway world opinion against those within his country responsible for the nuclear buildup. ~ Rovi
- 1986
- PG
Set during the last days of the old west, this zany adventure follows the exploits of a pair of cow-poke bankrobbers her are captured and then given the choice between going to jail or going overseas to fight WW I. They choose the latter and end up in France where they eventually join a squadron of British pilots. The fliers have been assigned to gun down a well-protected, gigantic German zeppelin that has been causing many headaches for the Allies. Unfortunately, the attempts take a heavy toll on the planes and slightly addled British plane mechanic Fritz is having increasing difficulties piecing the planes back together. Tables turn for the better when the two unwilling soldiers learn to fly the planes themselves. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Scott McGinnis, Jeff Osterhage, (more)
Based on the P.D. James novels, the miniseries Shroud for a Nightingale follows the investigations of Commander Adam Dalgliesh (Roy Marsden). Also starring John Vine and Joss Ackland. This box set from Wellspring Media offers three videos. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Roy Marsden
- 1983
- R
The Keep is an ambitious visual feast from director Michael Mann, whose previous effort was the moody, stylish Thief, and who would soon produce the quintessential pastel-colored '80s TV series Miami Vice. Adapted from the novel by F. Paul Wilson and set in German-occupied Romania of 1943, the film introduces the invaders to the dark presence lurking within the walls of an ancient fortress in the Carpathian Alps -- a presence which doesn't take well to unwanted guests. When soldiers under the command of Captain Woermann (Jurgen Prochnow) begin to die horribly, he receives the unwanted assistance of Nazi Major Kampffer (Gabriel Byrne), who immediately assumes command and forcibly enlists the aid of the local expert on ancient languages, the Jewish Doctor Theodore Cuza (Ian McKellen), in the translation of the cryptic writings left near a murdered soldier's body. When Cuza comes face-to-face with the Keep's ancient resident -- an ethereal creature which gains strength by draining the life-force from its enemies -- he forms a pact with the creature in the hope that it will escape and destroy Hitler's armies. When a mysterious stranger (Scott Glenn) arrives at the nearby village and befriends Cuza's daughter Eva (Alberta Watson), he reveals the true nature of the beast within the Keep, as well as his intent to destroy it before Cuza can release it -- a task which, if failed, will spell doom for all mankind. The film's fever-dream-logic casts a hypnotic spell -- ably assisted by Tangerine Dream's pulsating, ethereal music (including electronic variations on a theme by Thomas Tallis) -- with a story that seems to play by the Keep's own eerie supernatural rules. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Starring:
- Scott Glenn, Alberta Watson, (more)
Roy Marsden stars as Commander Adam Dalgliesh in this made-for-television adaptation of the novel by P.D. James. Edwin Lorrimer (Geoffrey Palmer) is a noted forensic scientist who is often called upon to testify in court proceedings as an expert witness, and when he dies as a result of foul play, Dalgliesh is called in to investigate. Lorrimer was killed inside the building where he worked, and given the tight security of his offices, initial police research assumes that someone who worked alongside Lorrimer is the most likely culprit. However, the longer Dalgliesh looks into the murder, the more he's convinced the answer lies elsewhere. Originally aired as a three-part miniseries, Death of an Expert Witness also features John Vine, Barry Foster, and Brenda Blethyn. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
It was Richard Attenborough's lifelong dream to bring the life story of Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi to the screen. When it finally reached fruition in 1982, the 188-minute, Oscar-winning Gandhi was one of the most exhaustively thorough biopics ever made. The film begins in the early part of the 20th century, when Mohandas K. Gandhi (Ben Kingsley), a British-trained lawyer, forsakes all worldly possessions to take up the cause of Indian independence. Faced with armed resistance from the British government, Gandhi adopts a policy of "passive resistance," endeavoring to win freedom for his people without resorting to bloodshed. In the horrendous "slaughter" sequence, more extras appear on screen than in any previous historical epic. The supporting cast includes Candice Bergen as photographer Margaret Bourke-White, Athol Fugard as General Smuts, John Gielgud as Lord Irwin, John Mills as the viceroy, Martin Sheen as Walker, Trevor Howard as Judge Broomfield, and, in a tiny part as a street bully, star-to-be Daniel Day-Lewis. Gandhi won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, (more)
A reclusive, unhappy gold magnate finds his isolated tropical paradise threatened by the intrusion of organized criminals in director Nicolas Roeg's convoluted, arty drama. Gene Hackman stars as Jack McCann, a one-time gold prospector who his parlayed the discovery of a rich deposit in the Canadian wilderness into an immense fortune. Instead of satisfaction, McCann's wealth leads to depression and paranoia, and he moves to a remote island and withdraws from the world. The bulk of the film centers on what has become of McCann some thirty years later, as he attempts to deal with a troubled daughter (Theresa Russell) and the attentions of the Mafia, who want to build a new casino on his tropical home. As the pressures increase, his efforts to protect his property and maintain his family become increasingly desperate, culminating in an extended public trial. Even stranger and more stylized than most of Roeg's work, the disjointed Eureka will seem incomprehensible and painfully pretentious to those with little patience for his indirect narratives and purposefully exaggerated approach. Devoted fans, however, will find further proof of the director's impressive visual sense, especially during the film's earlier sequences. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, (more)
This lighthearted Agatha Christie whodunit concerns a group of friends who spend the weekend at The Chimney's, a gorgeous old palatial estate,. When one individual fails to awaken the morning after the guests arrive, and another mysterious death follows, Lady Eileen 'Bundle' Brent (Cheryl Campbell) and Jimmy Thesiger (James Warwick) put their heads together to find the murderer. The crimes involve stolen government information and a secret society called 'The Seven Dials.' Made for Granada Television in Great Britain.
~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1980
A reporter and his girlfriend do some investigative journalism and discover that a successful actor/businessman who recently returned to Queensland may well be involved in pornography and snuff films. ~ Tana Hobart, Rovi
- Starring:
- Lou Brown, David Clendenning, (more)
- 1980
- R
In this grim drama, a grieving widow finds herself seeking solace in the arms of her late husband's lover, a woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Liv Ullmann, Amanda Redman, (more)
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