Steffen Zacharias Movies

In this human-scale drama/comedy, a pair of Beverly Hills parents, Albert (Ryan O'Neal) and Lucy (Shelley Long) first come together as a couple interested in writing (she) and teaching (he), but Albert's life takes an upscale turn when he starts both writing and then directing in Hollywood. As he becomes successful, Lucy is forced to burrow into her own writing in self-defense, and after her book is well-received, she is compensated a little for Albert's lack of attention and philandering. After Hollywood and its well-known flaws are sketched out in the increasingly strained marriage, the story reaches its primary focus: Albert and Lucy's 9-year-old daughter Casey (Drew Barrymore) talks to a lawyer because she wants to sue her parents for divorce. She gets no hugs or affection, and precious little attention, and she would prefer to go live with the maid. Given the parents' celebrity, the case receives wide press -- and the family begins to reconsider where it is going and why. Although a bit long, especially in the first half which wanders off course a little, the story is engaging enough (especially for Hollywood buffs) to balance any weaknesses. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Paul Kersey's (Charles Bronson) self-appointed one-man vigilante squad goes bi-coastal in Michael Winner's sequel to his Death Wish. Kersey has taken up residence in Los Angeles, but lunatic violence follows him across the country like toilet paper sticking to his shoe. Kersey's Spanish cook is immediately gang-banged and killed, while his daughter, still suffering from a catatonic stupor after her brutal rape in the first film, finds herself raped yet again. Vincent Gardenia as New York detective Frank Ochoa, reprises his role from the first film here -- traveling to Los Angeles to locate Kersey but finding death waiting for him off a LA freeway ramp. After all this mayhem, Kersey cannot cringe in hiding for long, and once again he loads up his tube socks with rolls of quarters and goes hoodlum hunting. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Twice during the mid-1970s, Andy Griffith unsuccessfully attempted to launch a TV detective series titled Abel Marsh. The first pilot film was The Girl in the Empty Grave; the second was The Deadly Game. Griffith once again stars as resort-town sheriff Abel Marsh, this time wrestling with a sinister conspiracy involving a dangerous chemical spill. Lane Slate produced, directed and wrote the film, while Griffith's longtime manager Richard O. Linke functioned as executive producer. Deadly Game was first telecast December 3, 1977. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Nellie Oleson (Alison Arngrim) dares Laura (Melissa Gilbert) to venture into a "haunted" house, reputed to be occupied by a maniac. As it turns out, the house's owner, old Mr. Pike (John Anderson) is more befuddled than insane; he has stubbornly remained locked up in his home awaiting the return of his wife -- who died several years ago. Befriending Mr. Pike, Laura gently tries to shake the man out of his self-imposed dungeon of denial. This episode was originally slated to air on September 24, 1975. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

No relation to the 1985 film of the same name, The Sicilian Connection was a multinational programmer designed to cash in on the success of The Godfather and The French Connection. Nightclub owner Ben Gazzara becomes involved with drug trafficking. What we know (but the villains don't) is that Gazzara is actually a narcotics agent. The tension level noticeably sags until the showdown denoument. Silvia Monti, Fausto Tozzi and Jess Hahn fill out the other principal roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this Italian western, an outlaw enlists the aid of his pal and a robber gang to pull off a gold heist. Later, the gang argues about how the loot should be split. The robber gang then absconds with the gold leaving the other pair in the dust. The outlaw and friend set off to capture the treacherous gang. They finally find them in a Mexican town where the residents are celebrating a religious festival. A terrible shootout ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When American agents in Moscow try to recover a stolen letter implicating America in an anti-Red China plot, they discover a hornet's nest of treason, double agents, murder, and betrayal. The plot has as many switchbacks as a Formula One racetrack, and a pad and paper to keep track of the agents and their code names wouldn't hurt. Still, The Kremlin Letter is an interesting espionage movie with some good performances. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

In order to protect a group of Mormons from Mexican bandidos, two brothers are forced to convert in this comedic spoof of spaghetti westerns. Trinity is Still My Name is the title of the sequel. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

Vittorio Gassman stars in this uneven blend of sex and comedy where animals attempt to take over the world. Satirical jabs are taken at the advertising, politics and heroes. Gassman plays a model who makes his career by appearing on billboards and loses a battle of wits with a gorilla in a zoo. Our hero watches a striptease through a telescope in Rome. He also witnesses a giant moth devouring the bathing suits of bikini-clad beauties. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

One of the most fearsome of the Japanese monsters to hit the screen in the early 60's makes his debut in sci-fi thriller. As tensions between America and the Soviet Union rise to a fever pitch, U.S. troops shoot down a Russian bomber which is flying low in an Arctoc region. The bomber crashes, and its payload of hydrogen bombs explode upon impact. The blast releases and awakens Gamera, a gigantic fire-breathing turtle which had been frozen under the ice since prehistoric times. The newly revived monster makes his way to Tokyo, Japan, where he begins to lay waste to the city. As emminent scientist Dr. Hidaka (Eiji Funakoshi) searches for a way to defeat the monster, a young boy named Yoshiro (Yoshiro Unchida) develops an unlikely friendship with Gamera. For the film's American release, additional scenes were added featuring U.S. actors Brian Donlevy and Albert Dekker. The spelling of the monster's name was also changed; he's Gammera with two M's in this movie, but just Gamera in the sequels which followed. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide