David Carson Movies
- 1985
An author attempts to relax at a spa but finds danger in the form of a masseuse in this British television mystery movie. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
Presented by Britain's Granada Television, the weekly anthology Time for Murder consisted of six hour-long dramas with the emphasis on mystery and mayhem. Among the authors represented herein were such literary heavyweights as Fay Weldon and Antonia Fraser. Individual episode titles include "The Murders at Lynch Cross", "This Lightening Always Strikes Twice", "The Thirteenth Day of Christmas," and more. Time for Murder originally aired in 1985. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1985
In "The Resident Patient," an episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (an excellent adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and produced in Britain for Granada TV), Sherlock Holmes (Jeremy Brett), aided by his companion Dr. Watson (David Burke), investigates the suspicious disappearance of a father and son. This exciting series, which is impeccably faithful to the original stories, will please even the most critical of Holmes fans because of its accurate dramatization of Victorian England. This series was followed by The Return, The Casebook, and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, as well as several feature-length TV movie adaptations. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett, David Burke, (more)
- 1985
"The Final Problem" is the last episode of the television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, an excellent adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories produced in Britain for Granada TV. In this episode directed by Alan Grint, Jeremy Brett portrays the famed detective aided by his companion Dr. Watson (David Burke) as they fight to the finish with Holmes' nemesis Professor James Moriarity (Eric Porter). This episode was written by John Hawkesworth and is one of the most famous of the Holmes stories; it was intended by Doyle to be his final Holmes publication. It is an excellent adaptation of the original story first printed in the Strand Magazine during the late 19th century. This series was followed by several sequels, as well as four feature-length TV movie adaptations. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett, David Burke, (more)
- 1985
"The Dancing Men" is an episode of the television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, an excellent adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories, produced in Britain for Granada TV. In this episode directed by John Bruce, Jeremy Brett portrays the famed detective aided by his companion Dr. Watson (David Burke) as they investigate the source of a series of curious drawings that are being seen by Elise Cubitt (Betsy Brantley). The drawings are extremely disturbing to the young woman, and her husband is concerned for her well-being. Written by Anthony Skene, this episode is one of the more famous of the Holmes' stories; the faithfulness to the original story first published in the Strand Magazine during the late 19th century is exceptional. This series was followed by related sequels, as well as four TV movie adaptations. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett, David Burke, (more)
- 1985
"The Blue Carbuncle" is an episode of the television series The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It's an excellent adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes mystery stories, produced in Britain for Granada TV. In this episode, Jeremy Brett portrays the famed detective aided by his companion Dr. Watson (David Burke) as the two help find the thieves of a famous blue gemstone stolen from the Countess of Morcar (Rosalind Knight). This series re-creates the adventures of Conan Doyle's Victorian detective with impeccable faithfulness to the original story first published in the Strand Magazine during the late 19th century. 13 of the Holmes short stories were adapted in this series, which was followed by two sequels, The Return of Sherlock Holmes and The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes as well as several TV movie adaptations. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett, David Burke, (more)
- 1984
Jeremy Brett stars as Conan Doyle's immortal consulting detective Sherlock Holmes in this television mystery series. Originally telecast on the BBC, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes made its American premiere in 1984 as part of PBS' Mystery anthology series. David Burke costars as Dr. Watson, while Rosalie Williams occasionally pops in as Holmes' housekeeper Mrs. Hudson. Series one and two ran in 1984 and 1985 as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, series three and four in 1986 and 1987 as The Return of Sherlock Holmes, series five and six in 1991 and 1992 as The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, and the seventh series in 1994 as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeremy Brett
- 1984
- PG
- Add Star Trek III: The Search for Spock to QueueAdd Star Trek III: The Search for Spock to top of Queue
When last we left the crew of the star ship Enterprise, they were heading home following a skirmish with the despotic Khan. The unpleasant incident had cost the life of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy)--or so it seemed. Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) is informed by Spock's father Sarek (Mark Lenard) that his son is being kept alive in the thoughts of one of the crew members. It now becomes necessary to search for Spock's body, so that flesh and soul can be rejoined on Vulcan. It turns out that Spock's spirit is residing within the mind of the Vulcan's longtime shipmate, "Bones" McCoy (DeForrest Kelley). Finding the body is another matter, since the Enterprise has been consigned to the trash heap and thus is out of Kirk's jurisdiction. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, (more)
- 1983
Surprisingly little known today, the seven-hour British miniseries Studio was written by Anthony Minghella of The English Patient fame. The story took place in a lavish country estate, where an enterprising music producer set up a recording studio. Shakespearean favorite Robert Stephens headed a stellar cast. Studio was shipped out by Granada Television in 1983. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
This low-budget horror film about teenagers trapped in a carnival funhouse with a freakish monster is pretty standard stuff. Director Tobe Hooper manages a few shocks and includes some typically peculiar supporting characters, but this film is less entertaining than either of his previous excursions into such territory. Not as scary as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) nor as bizarre as Eaten Alive (1976), The Funhouse may as well have been directed by an anonymous hack as one of the foremost names in the genre. The movie tie-in novel, penned by Dean R. Koontz under the pseudonym "Owen West," is actually far more frightening than the film on which it was based. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, (more)
Director Tobe Hooper's follow-up to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre presents yet another Southern-fried psycho (this time in Louisiana) in the form of a scripture-mumbling, one-legged cracker named Judd (Neville Brand). The proprietor of a seedy bayou inn, Judd keeps a pet gator in the nearby swamp, to which he frequently tosses the remains of his unfortunate victims -- including anyone who offends his delicate sensibilities. One such casualty is Harvey Wood (Mel Ferrer), arriving at Judd's hotel in search of his missing daughter... who, unbeknownst to her old man, has already met her own doom courtesy of the scythe-wielding madman. Other patrons include one of the most annoying families on record -- with Chainsaw veteran Marilyn Burns as the strangely-bewigged mom, William Finley as the browbeaten husband and future Halloween tyke Kyle Richards as the endlessly-shrieking daughter (whose adorable puppy becomes a light gator-snack). Nightmare on Elm Street fans can spot a young, pre-Freddy Robert Englund in a small role as a lecherous cracker. Originally titled Death Trap and known by many aliases, including Starlight Slaughter, Horror Hotel Massacre and Legend of the Bayou. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Neville Brand, Mel Ferrer, (more)
