David Allen Movies
David Allen was a visual effects director who received an Academy Award nomination for his work on Young Sherlock Holmes. He began his career on television in 1965, working on series programs at first and then moving on to commercials. He helped in the animation of several iconic TV commercial characters, including the Pillsbury Doughboy and Mrs. Butterworth. As most professionals do, he eventually moved on to film, working on several as a special effects specialist. He died in 1999, at the age of 54. ~ All Movie Guide
British director Neil Marshall's directorial debut Dog Soldiers resurrects and embraces the low-budget horror-comedy. Sergeant Harry Wells (Sean Pertwee) leads a team of British soldiers on a routine expedition to the Scottish Highlands. The six men would rather be at home watching the game, but they are even more dismayed when a carcass lands on their campfire. The next morning, they happen upon a severely injured Captain Richard Ryan (Liam Cunningham) and the bloody remains of his squadron. Soon they are attacked by giant werewolf beasts and chased through the woods, only to be saved by zoologist Megan (Emma Cleasby), who explains some of the truth about the creatures. They all take refuge in an old farmhouse while the threat of the monsters looms increasingly heavy. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Pertwee, Kevin McKidd, (more)
- 1999
Against the backdrop of Hollywood's romanticization of Native American life, documentary filmmaker Nick Kurzon records this clear-eyed account of life on a reservation, focusing on the wheelings and dealings of Darrel "Chip" Wadena, the White Earth tribe's long-standing chief. Aided by activist Erma Vizenor, Kurzon captures the tribe's desire for change and progress, thwarted by Wadena's corruption. Super Chief was screened at the L.A./AFI Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
This romantic historical drama is based on the diaries of Agnes Von Kurowsky, who while serving as a nurse during World War I had a love affair with a young man who would later become one of the great literary figures of the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway. In 1918, 18-year-old Hemingway has volunteered to fight in the great war; while he goes into battle imagining it to be a lark, he soon discovers that the realities of warfare are far more grim, and during a shelling attack in Italy, his leg is severely wounded. Hemingway has taken a great deal of shrapnel, and the doctors at the field hospital decide that amputation would be the quickest and most effective way to deal with the injury. However, the idea of losing a leg horrifies Hemingway, and he pleads with Agnes (Sandra Bullock), the Austrian nurse looking after him, not to let the doctors cut off his limb. Moved by Hemingway's concern, Agnes convinces the doctors to pursue other treatments, and she looks after him during his long and difficult convalescence. Love and passion bloom between the young and naive soldier and the 26-year-old nurse, but while he's eager for her to return home with him as he follows his muse as a writer, she regards him not as the love of her life but as a passing fling and thinks that he's too young to marry. Agnes eventually sends Hemingway a "Dear John" letter; later Hemingway would use her as the basis for several characters in his novels and short stories, not always flatteringly. In Love and War was directed by Richard Attenborough, previously an Academy Award winner for Gandhi. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sandra Bullock, Chris O'Donnell, (more)
- 1995
- PG
This family-oriented fairy tale was shot on-location in Romania and is set in medieval times. There teenage Prince Davin and his father engage in a playful joust that unfortunately results in injury for the King who eventually dies, not because of the joust but because his devious head knight El El has been slowly poisoning him. As soon as the king dies, El El claims the crown until poor guilt wracked Davin comes of age. Under El El's ruthless reign, the poor peasants fall into a grim oppressed life. To make it worse, the villainous king claims he is acting under the orders of Davin. Eventually Davin figures out El El's treachery and confronts him. El El decides Davin must die and so the boy flees with only his father's perplexing last words to guide him. Just before he expired, the King whispered of a statuette of the mythical Galgameth, a giant metal-munching dragon that will faithfully serve the one who sheds tears upon the statue. Though big and clunky looking, Galgameth has a certain homely charm that will appeal to children. With the giant monster's help, good Prince Davin is able to ensure a happy ending for his kingdom. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Devin Oatway, Sean McNamara, (more)
- 1993
- PG
This family fantasy focuses on a widowed farmer and his kids who find some mysterious eggs which hatch to reveal a brood of baby dinosaurs. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
The supernaturally animated demonic puppet creations of a mad puppeteer spring back to life in hopes of reanimating their master with an ancient Egyptian formula that utilizes brain serum in this gory horror thriller. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth MacLellan, Collin Bernsen, (more)
- 1991
- R
A disparate pair of vampiric brothers tussle for the possession of their father's powerful bloodstone in this violent horror outing that was shot on location in Transylvania. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Set in the year 2030, the film concerns a rebel movement led by Lathan Hooks (Ralph Waite), who is dedicated to the riddance of the conservative corporate machine which rules America. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Ganus, Megan Ward, (more)
Erstwhile inventor Rick Moranis has been experimenting with an electro-magnetic shrinking machine. He leaves the device unattended in his attic; shortly afterward, it is accidentally activated. Alas, the demon machine is aimed at Moranis' children, as well as the son of neighbor Matt Frewer. The kids, shrunk to 1/4-inch height, are tossed into the trash bin by the unwitting Moranis. For the rest of the film, our teeny-tiny protagonists attempt to gain their parents' attention--and to survive the wilds of the backyard, where all sorts of dangers, from bumblebees to lawnmowers, threaten their well-being. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids features Marcia Strassman as Moranis' wife, and juvenile players Robert Oliveri, Kristine Sutherland, Thomas Brown, Jared Rushton and Amy O'Neill. The visual effects are the handiwork of such masters as Joe Johnston, Phil Tippett, and David Allen. When originally released to theatres, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids was double-billed with the "Roger Rabbit" cartoon Tummy Trouble; this is how it is presented on videotape as well. The film (the live-action one, that is) prompted a 1992 sequel, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rick Moranis, Matt Frewer, (more)
Though Willow was one of director Ron Howard's few box-office disappointments, it definitely deserves a second look. At once an epic celebration and a gentle spoof of the sword-and-sorcery genre, the film concerns the efforts by little person Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) to protect a sacred infant from the machinations of a wicked queen (Jean Marsh). One source book has assessed the picture as a combination of The Ten Commandments and Snow White. This is true enough, except that neither one of those properties offered such offbeat casting choices as Billy Barty and Jean Marsh. Executive producer George Lucas has (through the conduit of screenwriter Bob Dolman) added elements of his own Star Wars saga to the stew. The results are generally satisfactory, though the film is sometimes weighed down by too much plot, and the action sequences may not be suitable for very young children. Incidentally, this is the film where co-star Val Kilmer met his future wife Joanne Whalley. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, (more)
Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy are among the impoverished residents of a slum tenement threatened with demolition by evil land developers. Only a miracle can save Cronyn, Tandy, and their friends -- and that miracle manifests itself in the form of a "family" of extraterrestrial flying saucers, who need the electricity provided by the tenement to survive. The grateful humanized spaceships repay their earthbound hosts by doing battle with the villains' henchmen. When the building is engulfed in flames, all seems lost, but the aliens have a few more tricks up their metallic sleeves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, (more)
- 1987
This musical documentary follows British rock group The Cure through their performance at the classic Theater Antique D'Orange in the French countryside. Band members Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, Porl Thompson, Boris Williams, and Laurence Tolhurst make their way through 23 songs that echo the angst of their faithful teenage audience. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
Young Judy Bower (Carrie Lorraine) is spending the summer with her stupid, abusive father, David (Ian Williams), and nasty stepmother, Rosemary (Carolyn Purdy-Gordon). On a dark and stormy night, their car breaks down on a lonely road in the woods and they are forced to seek shelter. As they walk, Rosemary throws Judy's beloved teddy bear into the woods, and the imaginative child envisions it coming to life as a great fanged beast which slaughters her tormentors. The idea of loyal toys protecting their young owners from the ravages of the adult world is forcefully made, and imbues the rest of the film. They come upon a creepy old house owned by elderly Gabriel Hartwick (Guy Rolfe) and his wife, Hilary (Hilary Mason). Gabriel is a doll-maker and dazzles Judy with his collection of exquisitely detailed creations. Another car breaks down in the storm as well, bearing amiable Ralph Morris and two trampy hitchhikers. What they and the Bowers don't know is that the dolls are alive, and protect the young (Judy) and the young at heart (Ralph) from the evils of adulthood. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ian Williams, Carolyn Purdy-Gordon, (more)
Red Dragon, the Thomas Harris novel that introduced serial killer Hannibal Lecter to the world, was adapted for the screen by Michael Mann as Manhunter. Ace criminal profiler Will Graham (William Petersen) is very good at his job because he has the ability to make himself think like the killers he tracks. Will has been in retirement since catching Hannibal "the Cannibal" Lecter (Brian Cox), as being inside that particular deranged mind caused Will to have a breakdown. Will's boss Jack Crawford (Dennis Farina visits Will at his home, showing him pictures from a murder scene and asking for his help in catching a new killer they have dubbed "the Tooth Fairy" (Tom Noonan). In order to test his mental strength, Will visits Hannibal in his prison cell. Adding to the already substantial mental stress Will experiences when he returns to the job are nosy tabloid reporter Freddy Lounds (Stephen Lang), as well as Hannibal's attempts at seeking revenge through the Tooth Fairy. After two additional films that featured Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal) became box-office blockbusters, Manhunter was re-made as Red Dragon starring Hopkins and Edward Norton as Will Graham. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William L. Petersen, Kim Greist, (more)
- 1986
Street gang member Jeff (Adam Baldwin) leaves the organization, seeking out a quieter existence. Meanwhile, gang leader Cinco (Danny De La Paz) and his minions have taken over the local high school, dispensing drugs with impunity. When Cinco is arrested, a rumor spreads that he's been sold out by Jeff. In the ensuing hostilities, Jeff's girlfriend (Deborah Foreman) is beaten and bloodied. A showdown is inevitable, and, per the film's title, it takes place just after the last school bell has rung. Filmed in 1984, 3:15 - The Moment of Truth wasn't released until 1986. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adam Baldwin, Deborah Foreman, (more)
- 1985
- PG13
First shot in 1983 but not released until 1985, this low-budget, amateur fantasy is about Paul Bradford (Jeffrey Byron), a computer whiz who takes on the forces of evil in the guise of Heavy Metal (Blackie Lawless), the leader of an eponymous L.A. band, and Mestema (Richard Moll) the black magician who forces Paul into seven separate confrontations with powerful enemies, much in the manner of Hercules and his challenges (each confrontation directed by a different individual). The nasty Mestema is holding Paul's girlfriend Gwen (Leslie Wing) hostage, giving him all the more reason to meet these challenges, armed with his computer and nothing more. And all this happens in a mere 73 minutes of running time -- counting the long credits -- or about 10 minutes a challenge. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeffrey Byron, Richard Moll, (more)
When a group of miners discovers a mysterious but delicious white substance bubbling up from the earth, a conglomerate markets the gooey, addictive fluff as a dessert in this tongue-in-cheek horror spoof from former NBC scriptwriter Larry Cohen. When a new product called "The Stuff" begins eating into the market share of traditional frozen desserts, the dairy industry hires former FBI agent Moe Rutherford (Michael Moriarty) to investigate the competition. With the assistance of deposed ice-cream magnate Chocolate Chip Charlie (Garrett Morris), Rutherford discovers that the substance is actually a sentient entity that takes over its victims' minds while eating away at their bodies from the inside. Meanwhile, young Jason (Scott Bloom) realizes that his family's strange behavior has something to do with the dessert product in their refrigerator that refuses to stay in its carton, and he launches a campaign to destroy the threatening confection. Soon Rutherford and Jason must team up with Nicole Kendall (Andrea Marcovicci), The Stuff's unwitting advertising mastermind, and Vietnam vet-turned-militia leader Colonel Spears (Paul Sorvino) to save America from its own sweet tooth. Sorvino and Moriarty would go on to co-star in NBC's hit police procedural, Law & Order. Icy-eyed As the World Turns hunk Brian Bloom appears alongside his brother, Scott Bloom. The Stuff's television connections also extend to cameos from Clara Peller, pitchwoman for the Wendy's "Where's the beef?" campaign, and Abe Vigoda of Barney Miller fame. Actresses Brooke Adams, Tammy Grimes, and Laurene Landon also appear in parodic commercials for the titular dessert. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Moriarty, Andrea Marcovicci, (more)
The title of the 1983 James Bond adventure Never Say Never Again is a self-mocking reference to star Sean Connery's insistence back in 1971 that he would never play Bond again. Reportedly, the huge salary offered Connery was but one consideration that brought him back to the 007 fold; the other was the producers' assurance that Connery would have full control over all aspects of production, a promise that was not kept often enough to the star's liking. Essentially, this film is a remake of the 1965 Bond flick Thunderball (the producers were able to get away with this due to a legal tangle involving the original 1961 Ian Fleming novel). Bond emerges from cozy retirement to cross swords with Largo (Klaus Maria Brandauer), a megalomaniacal business exec who steals several nuclear missiles, intending to bring the World Powers to their knees. Kim Basinger plays Domino, Largo's mistress, whose loyalty Bond secures when she learns that Largo was responsible for the death of her brother. In addition to Basinger, the film boasts a toothsome villainess by the name of Fatima Blush (played by Barbara Carrera). After wrapping Never Say Never Again, Sean Connery swore that this was his absolutely final performance as James Bond; thus far, he's kept his word. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sean Connery, Klaus Maria Brandauer, (more)
Based on the popular television series created by Rod Serling, this film of horror and the supernatural tells four separate stories--each by a different director: John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante and George Miller. In one, a bigot is taught a lesson when he is transported to experience the lives of three different victims of prejudice and intolerance. Another takes a trip to an old-age home where the arrival of a special man turns some of the residents into youthful people once again. In the third, a woman befriends a timid young child who turns out to be a maniacal brat with bizarre powers. The final segment shows how a man with an aversion to flying has a rough time when he panics and then sees a strange creature on the wing outside his window seat. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Aykroyd, Jeff Bannister, (more)
Genre pioneer Larry Cohen, who broke new horror ground with the killer-baby hit It's Alive!, takes a stab at the giant-monster scenario with this enjoyable low-budget exercise. The title refers to the winged Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, represented here as a dragon-like flying lizard (thanks to some quaint but amusing stop-motion animation from David Allen), who decides to take up residence in the art-deco spire of the Chrysler Building, taking frequent jaunts in the midday sun to nip the heads off various hapless New Yorkers. The resulting bloody mess confounds detectives Shepard (David Carradine) and Powell (Richard Roundtree), who are already scratching their heads over a series of bizarre ritual murders linked to a secret Aztec cult. Into the picture comes the film's protagonist -- neurotic, sweaty, paranoid crook Jimmy Quinn (Michael Moriarty, in a tour-de-force performance), a two-bit wheel-man with aspirations of becoming a jazz pianist. After a botched diamond heist leads Quinn to Q's lair, his attempts to go straight take a side-turn as he decides to extort from the city an enormous sum in exchange for directions to the monster's nest. A few sneaky deals later, the location falls into Shepard's hands, and he leads a paramilitary assault on the Chrysler Building, where the creature's humongous egg is about to hatch. Rude, edgy, fast-paced, and peppered with witty dialogue (most of which can't be repeated here), Cohen's script retains the spirit of classic monster movies like The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, injecting it with tough, gangster-movie moxie. Moriarty's unbelievable performance -- one of three collaborations with Cohen -- finds him chewing acres of scenery as a contemptible, loud-mouthed goon who's too funny to hate; Moriarty also composed and performed two schizophrenic piano numbers for the film. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Moriarty, David Carradine, (more)
This groundbreaking, darkly-comic horror film from director Joe Dante changed the look and feel of werewolf movies in ways light-years distant from Universal's horror classic The Wolf Man. The story begins with television reporter/anchor Karen White (Dee Wallace) taking part in a dangerous police operation intended to trap psychopath Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo). When confronted by Eddie face-to-face, she witnesses something horrifying enough to trigger selective amnesia. Plagued by a series of violent nightmares, Karen decides to admit herself to a posh recovery resort known only as "The Colony," run by her eccentric New Age therapist Dr. Wagner (Patrick MacNee), and brings along her husband Bill (Christopher Stone) for support. The night after they arrive, Karen and Bill are unnerved by eerie howling in the woods. Back in the city, Karen's coworkers Chris (Dennis Dugan) and Terry (Belinda Balaski) have been investigating Eddie's background after discovering that his body has disappeared from the morgue. Sifting through Eddie's possessions, they find a strange collection of artwork depicting wolf-like creatures, and decide to consult with Walter Paisley (Dick Miller, of course), the owner of an occult bookshop, on werewolf lore. Though he claims not to believe in the stuff he's selling, Paisley nevertheless convinces Chris to purchase a handful of silver bullets... just in case. Back at the colony, Dr. Wagner has organized a hunting party after hearing Karen's account of the nocturnal howling, but the men find nothing but a rabbit, which Bill is told to bring to the cabin of the sultry Marsha (Elisabeth Brooks) to prepare for dinner. After resisting Marsha's less-than-subtle sexual overtures, Bill is attacked by a wolf while returning to his cabin. The following moonlit night, the sleepless Bill wanders outside to find Marsha waiting and the two make love by the campfire, their bodies undergoing a frightening transformation. Just as Karen is beginning to suspect that her husband is hiding a secret far more threatening than marital infidelity, Chris and Terry have come to realize -- too late, in Terry's case -- that Eddie Quist is not only still alive, but not quite human... and he knows he's being followed. Chris arrives at the colony too late to save Terry, but manages to find Karen just as the colony's residents -- all of whom are werewolves, including Dr. Wagner -- are assembling to decide her fate. Dante fills his film with heartfelt homages to The Wolf Man and other classic horror movies, as well as a few clever visual puns and in-jokes from his tenure with Roger Corman, but never strays from the path to genuine horror, particularly when Rob Bottin's chilling monsters are onscreen. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, (more)
Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr plays a prehistoric, social outcast who, along with other misfits, forms his own tribe and finds various comic adventures. This spoof is mostly without dialogue besides the expected neanthropic grunt. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ringo Starr, Dennis Quaid, (more)
In this bargain basement sci-fi film Time Warp-The Day Time Ended, a family moves into their state-of-the-art solar-powered home in an isolated part of the desert to start a new peaceful life. Meanwhile, far away in deep space, three stars simultaneously explode, sending disruptive, time-bending shock waves through the cosmic void. These waves hit the house and soon some mighty bizarre things begin to happen, including a sudden resurgence of dinosaurs in their backyard, visitations from diminutive aliens, and a robot from outer space. The film is also titled Time Warp. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jim Davis, Christopher Mitchum, (more)
Billy (Kim Milford) has the same problems that many teens have to endure. His mother is inattentive, local cops target him for speeding tickets, his girlfriend's grandfather hates him, and teenaged bullies make fun of his van. Billy finds the keys to his emancipation in the desert, when he stumbles across a laser gun left behind by a pair of aliens. As he exacts revenge upon his unsuspecting tormentors, he becomes overwhelmed by the power of the gun and turns into a crazed, green-faced monster. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kim Milford, Gianni Russo, (more)
