Sybil Danning Movies
Austrian actress Sybil Danning went straight from the girlie magazines to the exploitation-flick field. She first grabbed audience attention in the 1970 melodrama Albino. By the end of the '70s, she had chalked up a number of credits in such mainstream films as Bluebeard (1972), The Three Musketeers (1974) Crossed Swords (1978) and Concorde: Airport 79 (1979). But while she was mere decoration in mainstream movies, she was a star in the soft-core field, displaying her talents in such esoterica as Swedish Love Games and Love of a French Pussycat. No helpless victim or mere boy-toy, Danning gained her widest audience with a series of sweat-drenched action pictures in the 1980s. Danning seemed born to appear in "babes behind bars" epics like Chained Heat (1983) and Reform School Girls (1986), and was equally well-suited to portray femme fatales (They're Playing with Fire [1985]), vengeful cops (L.A. Bounty [1989]) and queens of outer space (Phantom Empire [1989]). She could always be counted upon to possess the widest bustline in any picture she appeared in, though Lou Ferrigno gave her tough competition in The Seven Magnificent Gladiators (1984). Danning was wise enough to package that image in an amusing fashion as hostess of a series of R-rated sex 'n' violence videocassettes of the mid '80s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
The 1987 portmanteau comedy feature Amazon Women on the Moon lampoons several film genres in general and the 1954 sci-fi cheapie Cat Women of the Moon in particular. Other sketches in Amazon Women include an opening bit with Arsenio Hall; a vignette titled "Son of the Invisible Man" wherein a naked Ed Begley Jr. runs around in full view of the nonplussed supporting cast; the It's Alive parody "Hospital", which offers the spectacle of Michelle Pfeiffer giving birth to Mr. Potato Head; and a Siskel & Ebert takeoff, featuring Arche Hahn as a TV viewer whose entire life is given a "thumbs down." Directed by several hands, including Joe Dante, Carl Gottleib, Peter Horton, John Landis, and Robert K. Weiss, Amazon Women on the Moon also features a satire of the Kroger G. Babb school of "sex hygiene" exploitation cheapies, with syphilis victim Carrie Fisher being counseled by unctuous doctor Paul Bartel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rosanna Arquette, Ralph Bellamy, (more)
- 1987
Intending to complete a master's thesis about the sexual relationships between men and women, sociology student Paul Barton sets off to capture examples on videotape. Paul's viewfinder takes him around campus and into rooms of a sleazified Hollywood motel to get first-hand study sessions. During his adventure, he meets and falls for fellow student Jeanne and begins a more personal exploration in the Love Zone. This comedy drama contains sex, nudity, and profanity. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Shellen, Marie Laurin, (more)
- 1987
Page Fletcher stars as the title character in this 1983-1988 made-for-cable suspense anthology. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- 1986
This low-budget, supernatural, tongue-in-cheek story is about an ancient Egyptian princess out to maintain her immortality. Nefratis (Michelle Bauer) has two problems: her tomb has been desecrated, and she needs some special amulets (now in California) that are used in the rituals of human sacrifice to keep herself alive. After she kills the professor responsible for the sacrilege committed against her tomb, the professor's son David Manners (Richard Alan Hench) and his friend Helen (Susan Stokey) set out to solve the mystery behind the murder. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cameron Mitchell, John Carradine, (more)
- 1985
With loads of super-low budget erotic (sans nudity, sex or foul language) sci-fi thrills Panther Squad is the name of a crack team of mini-skirted operatives working for the world-uniting New Organizations of Nations, an international group determined to explore outer space. The trouble begins when a radical bunch of ecology freaks, steal the organization's newest space craft and take it to a small country run by a dictator who wants to control the entire planet. Only the Panther squad can stop him before it is too late. "Exploitation-film queen" Sybil Danning leads them to victory. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sybil Danning, Karin Schubert, (more)
The initiation of young Mark (Gavin Brannan) into his first sexual encounter is the objective and focus of this run-of-the-mill teen drama by Kikuo Kawasaki. When Mark goes to visit his cousin Toni (David Siegel) in Austria for the summer, he develops a serious crush on Toni's pretty stepsister Clair (Susanne Ashley) and at the same time tries to fend off Toni's efforts to get him set up with prostitutes. As much as he likes Clair, Mark cannot bring himself to start a sexual relationship with her and ultimately goes to Clair's mother Katherine (Sybil Danning) to vent his feelings. It is that meeting that ultimately sends Mark home more experienced than when he arrived. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Susanne Ashley, Gavin Brannan, (more)
- 1984
This routine actioner is about several models caught in a South American jungle battle between drug lords and drug busters. Cesar (Paul L. Smith) and Don Vito (John Vernon) are about to conclude a cocaine deal in Peru, and a drug enforcement agent is about to bust both men by sending a secret agent, disguised as a model, into the jungle with several other models, a photographer (Nina Van Pallandt), and their manager (Marjoe Gortner). Cesar shoots down the plane carrying the models, captures them alive and unharmed, and keeps them imprisoned where they are tortured by his evil sister (Sybil Danning). Just as everything looks the darkest, the final battle arrives at last. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul L. Smith, John Vernon, (more)
Among the first original anthology series to be produced for cable television, The Hitchhiker was a collection of tales of the supernatural and bizarre. The title character, played during the first season by Nicholas Campbell and thereafter by Page Fletcher, was an unnamed drifter who wandered ubiquitously from story to story, sometimes briefly commiserated with the main characters, sometimes acting as a disinterested observer, but always ready with a few pithy and occasional chilling comments of the events which had transpired. Inasmuch as the series carried on pay cable and not "mainstream" commercial TV, the stories contained an abundance of nudity, profanity, and violence. Even so, in most of the half-hour playlets, Evil was severely punished (usually in an ironic "postman always rings twice" fashion) and Virtue more or less triumphed. After 39 episodes on HBO, the series moved to a basic-cable channel, USA, for 46 additional installments. While censorship was somewhat more stringent on USA, The Hitchhiker still managed to serve up rawer and meatier fare than was customary on over-the-air TV of the period. The series was first-run on HBO from November 23, 1983, to May 12, 1987, and on USA from January 4, 1989, to February 22, 1991. ~ All Movie Guide
Dante Matucci (Franco Nero), a counter-intelligence officer, uncovers a fascist plot to overthrow the Italian government, and as he begins to investigate, he has an ally in Bruno Manzini (Anthony Quinn), a man dedicated to hunting down war criminals. Bruno and other operatives, including the beautiful and frosty Lili Anders (Sybil Danning) report to Matucci as he coordinates their work. Most of the drama (not all) takes place off-screen, and Matucci essentially narrates the story -- making this one of the least exciting spy dramas around -- even the affair between Matucci and Anders is several degrees cooler than the norm. The inertia of the film continues through to the end, as the final denouement has all the suspects herded into one room (à la Agatha Christie or Dashiell Hammett) while Matucci and Manzini discuss the case. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Quinn, Martin Balsam, (more)
Produced by Roger Corman and scripted by John Sayles, Battle Beyond the Stars is a cheerfully blatant imitation of The Seven Samurai (or at least the American remake The Magnificent Seven). A peaceloving planet is attacked by malevolent aliens. The powers-that-be hire a group of mercenaries, headed by George Peppard, to protect the planet from harm. Peppard's contingent includes squeaky-clean Richard Thomas Jr. and statuesque Sybil Danning. John Saxon goes through his usual paces as the villain, while the supporting players include such dependables as Sam Jaffe, Jeff Corey, and, from Magnificent Seven itself, Robert Vaughn. Keep an eye out for Julia Duffy as "Mol". A deft blend of standard sci-fi action and knowing "inside" humor, Battle Beyond the Stars was one of Corman's biggest hits of the 1980s-not to mention an endless supply of stock footage for future New World Productions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Thomas, Robert Vaughn, (more)
In this well-paced crime thriller, Larry Stanciani (Franco Nero) is a hard-boiled private investigator in San Francisco, an ex-cop kicked off the police force and thrown in prison for a time because of a frame-up by a Mafioso named Kandinsky. One day, he is called to the office of Goldsmith (William Berger), a narcotics agent out to nail Kandinsky on drug charges. Goldsmith asks Stanciani to go to Genoa, Stanciani's home town, track down Kandinsky, and haul him back to the U.S. for due process. Stanciani's motivation is multiple: Goldsmith offers him his old job back if he succeeds. Soon the private eye is on his way and encountering obstacles that include Brenda (Sybil Danning) a gorgeous disc jockey, and a motley group of underworld denizens. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Franco Nero, Sybil Danning, (more)
- 1979
The fourth Airport film may be the silliest of them all, as George Kennedy returns, this time co-piloting with Alain Delon. The plane is on its way to the Moscow Olympics, has a bomb on board, and gets fired upon with missiles that necessitate flying upside-down. A look at the cast list resembles a bad episode of Fantasy Island, but it's always fun to see shameless touches like casting Mercedes McCambridge (Johnny Guitar) as the coach of the Soviet team. If you don't understand the significance of that choice, you may find this film more tedious than laughable, but fans of bad movies will have a field day, as Jimmie Walker, Charo, and -- oddly enough -- Bibi Andersson rub shoulders with high-altitude disaster. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alain Delon, Susan Blakely, (more)
A recently released mental patient may well wonder who the looney ones are in this drama that chronicles his strange homecoming. He has been gone many years and during that time, his father has married a very young woman. He then discovers that the maid is a full-blown witch, the cat has disappeared and finally the chauffeur is busily chasing after his newest mistress. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A poor commoner and a young prince each find out how the other half lives in this adventure story based on the classic tale by Mark Twain. Tom Canty (Mark Lester) is a young man from a laboring family who bears a striking resemblance to Prince Edward (also played by Lester), the son of King Henry VIII (Charlton Heston) and heir to his throne. Tom and Edward meet by chance, and they decide to exchange places briefly as a lark; Edward will get to live as an ordinary boy, and Tom will be able to enjoy the perks of royalty. But the two are separated before they can let everyone in on the joke, and Tom discovers as he pretends to be Price Edward that the castle is awash in corruption. Originally released as Crossed Swords, The Prince and the Pauper also features Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, George C. Scott, and Rex Harrison. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, (more)
This thrill-packed fact-based action-adventure from Israel chronicles the daring rescue of 104 passengers from a hijacked plane in Entebbe, Uganda, on July 4, 1976. The film is also known as Entebbe: Operation Thunderbolt. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yehoram Gaon, Ori Levy, (more)
- 1976
An albino terrorist stalks Africa in this violent action film from the director of the similar Slavers. Terrick (James Faulkner), a former cop, tries to bring the albino to justice, but not before he scalps and rapes pretty Sally (Sybil Danning), the daughter of an evil plantation owner (Trevor Howard). Christopher Lee co-stars in this British-German-Rhodesian-South African co-production with Horst Frank and Sascha Hehn. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lee, James Faulkner, (more)
- 1975
Though it is not quite a softcore pornographic film, this sex drama never quite manages to tell a story. Guests gather for the porcelain anniversary of a couple. When another woman's husband leaves her in front of everyone's eyes, the anniversary-celebrating husband gallantly makes loves to her in front of the same people. Then a sexual and confessional free-for-all erupts, until one of the wives, repulsed, runs away. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mylène Demongeot, Sybil Danning, (more)
- 1975
In this wartime comedy, Robert Lamoureux plays a General in the Resistance. With an unlikely team of French patriots, he easily outwits the buffoonish Germans and steals the master copy of their plans to invade England. By doing so, he prevents the invasion and makes it more likely that the Allies will win the war. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Lamoureux, Michel Serrault, (more)
- 1972
Gelobt Sei Was Hart Macht is a sex film which spoofs the Olympic movement and athletics. The story concerns the rivalry between the Spartans and Athenians of ancient Greece at an Olympic competition. Willing Athenian girls succeed in doing their best to diminish the athletic edge of the Spartans. This is especially important in a climactic footrace, which is won by inches. This humorous film, in which the entire cast is nude, makes satirical comparisons to the 1972 Munich Olympics. It is also noted for its imaginative camera work. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Bluebeard is the retelling of the now familiar story of a wealthy aristocrat who marries and murders and marries again. Baron Von Sepper (Richard Burton), the BlueBeard of the story, meets and marries Anne (Joey Heatherton) who becomes suspicious of Von Sepper when she finds evidence of his murders shortly after their wedding. Van Sepper then, in graphic detail, tells Anne the stories of his former wives' lives and deaths. The movie, directed with ham-handed archness by Edward Dmytryk, attempts to tell the story as a black comedy. Despite an array of beautiful women, including (Virna Lisi), (Nathalie Delon) and (Raquel Welch), nothing can distract from the abysmal performances of Burton and Heatherton. The film has some nice costumes and is beautifully photographed by cinematographer Gabor Pogany, but all the humor is unintentional and the actors, particularly Richard Burton all seem to wish they were elsewhere. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, (more)
- 1972
Emilio P. Miraglia directed and co-wrote (with Fabio Pittorru) this Italian-West German co-production, a standard giallo thriller released in the subgenre's most high-profile year. The film begins with a 1958 prologue in which two young girls, Kitty and Franziska, learn the tale of the Red Queen in an old German castle. Supposedly, she comes back every 100 years to claim seven new victims. 1972 is the year of her latest appearance, and the film flashes forward to a mysterious red-caped figure wandering the castle halls. Soon, people start dying, and the adult Kitty (Barbara Bouchet) and Franziska (Marina Malfatti) appear to be among the killer's intended victims. Kitty works for the Springe Fashion Company, whose perverse general manager, Hans, is one of the first victims, and the company's models are soon targeted as well. Alberto Spagnoli's cinematography is particularly noteworthy, and there is plenty of blood and torture for those more interested in the horror elements of gialli than their typically illogical mystery components. Ugo Pagliai co-stars with Sybil Danning, Nino Korda, and Carla Mancini. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
