Richard Brandes Movies
A woman haunted by the childhood car crash that claimed the life of her mother and father finds her worst nightmares coming true when she and her therapist travel back to the scene of the accident in this tale of terror originally released as part of the After Dark Horrorfest. Penny (Rachel Miner) has never quite been able to shake off the trauma of seeing her mother and father perish when their car careened out of control on a long and lonely stretch of highway, and now her therapist (Mimi Rogers) is determined to help the fragile girl overcome her lingering fear of automobiles. But as much as Penny might hope to overcome her oppressive phobia, she is about to discover that there is indeed very much to dread on this remote mountain pass as a murderous hitchhiker emerges from the chilly, high-altitude fog to prey on the frightened girl's darkest fears. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rachel Miner, Mimi Rogers, (more)
Kevin Dillon portrays Hank Holten, a detective who has discovered why numerous people have disappeared: vampires are killing off people who frequent the town's rave scene. Holten's work brings him too close to the undead, and soon he has become one of their victims; however, he attempts to use all of his strength to bring them down before he succumbs. Directed by Richard Brandes, Vampires: Out for Blood co-stars Lance Henriksen. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin Dillon, Lance Henriksen, (more)
One of the more difficult high school students in cinematic history moves on to college in this sexy thriller. Debbie Strand (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, in the role Rose McGowan played in the first film) was sentenced to a mental institution for the criminally insane after her previous murder spree, but she manages to escape, and while making her getaway by hitchhiking, she's picked up by Sydney Hollings (Christiana Frank), a student on her way to start classes at an upscale college nearby. Debbie murders Sydney and assumes her identity in hopes of avoiding the police, but Debbie's obsession with older men starts causing problems again when she becomes interested in Sam Decker (Jsu Garcia), one of her professors. Debbie soon learns that she has a rival for Sam's affections in Carla (Katherine Kendall), Sam's girlfriend, and this proves to be bad for the long-term health of all parties concerned. Debbie also finds she doesn't get along especially well with her new roommate, Laney (Jeanette Brox). Devil in the Flesh 2 was also screened under the title Teacher's Pet. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Katherine Kendall, (more)
- 1997
- R
Teenage lust turns deadly in this slightly campy exploitation drama. Debbie Strand (Rose McGowan) is a sexy but troubled teenager with a checkered past who is sent to live with her grandmother after the death of her parents. Grandma attempts to keep Debbie on a short leash, but she's soon sneaking out for not always wholesome fun with her new friends. Debbie, who has never had trouble attracting whatever man she wants, sets her sights on Peter Rinaldi (Alex McArthur), a teacher at her high school. However, Peter has both a fiancée and strong scruples, so he repeatedly rejects Debbie's advances. But Hell hath no fury like a Debbie scorned, and before long Peter finds that his life is ruined and bodies are piling up, as an angry Ms. Strand takes her revenge on her would-be suitor. Also released under the title Dearly Devoted (and not based on the oft-filmed Raymond Radiguet novel), Devil in the Flesh was co-scripted by Kelly Carlin-McCall, daughter of noted comedian George Carlin. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rose McGowan, Alex McArthur, (more)
- 1996
- R
Anthony Michael Hall and Cynthia Geary star in this suspense drama in which a group of hikers spending a relaxing weekend in the woods happen upon a cache of stolen gold. However, the violent thugs who stole it happen upon the hikers, who must now fight for survival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Michael Hall, Cynthia Geary, (more)
- 1996
- R
The message of this direct-to-video thriller may be that it is possible for a daughter to love her father too much, especially when she will cheerfully murder anyone who threatens to come between them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Katt, Michele Greene, (more)
A weekend encounter group session goes dreadfully wrong in this campy thriller done in the tradition of an old Ed Wood movie. Richard, a disturbed, but serious student who has been having strange recurring dreams, has just received the go-ahead for his research project. With a group of subjects, he will travel to his forest cabin to hold a "fear confrontation" session. The subjects are an eclectic fear-filled group, and much of the movie focuses on their discussions as they begin to face them. The thrills begin when Morty, a mysterious old-fashioned dime store wooden Indian suddenly appears in a closet. Morty is not a friendly fellow, nor is he as inanimate as he seems. When the group goes to a local amusement park, people begin to die. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1991
- R
This martial-arts sequel follows the further adventures of LA cops Billie and Sean, two members of the department's urban-warfare martial arts unit, "Martial Law." The two team up again to look into the suspicious death of a fellow officer and discover a complex network of corruption and murder all centered around a posh nightclub. Female martial-arts champion Cynthia Rothrock plays Billie. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1990
- R
Martial Law is a no-brainer action flick starring Steven McQueen, the son of the late, great Steve McQueen. Buddy cop duo Sean Thompson and Billie Black are on the trail of a killer whose signature weapon is a punch that stops the heart. The bad guy, played by David Carradine, also runs a number of illicit businesses, including trafficking in drugs. Things get personal when Sean realizes his little brother has fallen under the killer's sway, and hot when Sean realizes the feisty Billie might be falling for him. The film runs a predictable course as the two close in on the killer, rescue the little brother, defeat the evil henchmen, and finally capture the bad guy. Its formulaic story aside, Martial Law is an interesting film for its blending of the early-'90s hysteria around serial killers with the equally prevalent hysteria around gangs and urban youth. ~ Brian Whitener, All Movie Guide
John Garfieldesque leading man Robert Forster plays a cop in The Banker. The title character is above-suspicion financier Duncan Regehr, whom Forster suspects of being a serial killer of prostitutes. Such is the banker's power that Forster is threatened with unemployment, or death, or both if he acts upon his suspicions. The detective is forced to use the "give him enough rope" ploy-and nearly ends up with his own neck in the noose. Old favorites Richard Roundtree, Leif Garrett, Jeff Conaway, and E. J. Peaker dot the supporting cast of this contemporary Jack-the-Ripper chiller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Forster, Duncan Regehr, (more)
In this slasher film, the exuberant young participants upon a party-line, a fad during the '80s in which young people called a special number and talked to many others in hopes of making a love connection, have no idea that there are two serial killers in their midst. Fortunately, a veteran police captain and the new DA have teamed up to find the killers before many more people die horrible deaths. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Hatch, Shawn Weatherly, (more)
