Richard Donner Movies

A hero finds himself fighting a new enemy in a world he hardly recognizes in this tongue-in-cheek sci-fi thriller. Matthew Blackheart (Rob Bogue) was a man-made superhero created by Allied scientists during World War II to help in the fight against the Nazi menace. However, Blackheart was put into cryonic suspension during the war and stayed frozen until the 21st century, when America has to deal with a new source of villainy -- Dr. Mortas (Christopher Heyerdahl), who has unleashed a plague of monsters upon the world who could destroy civilization if they're not stopped. Matthew Blackheart: Monster Smasher was intended to be the pilot for a television series; however, while the film was completed, financing for the series was pulled after only a few episodes were shot. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

It isn't often that a popular TV series is inspired by a literary property that all but destroyed a particular industry, but such was the case with the weekly, half-hour horror anthology Tales From the Crypt. Most of the episodes depicted herein were based on stories originally published in the EC comic book series Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror, and Shock Superstories in the 1950s. In these grim little morality plays, a number of nasty characters deservedly met grisly fates appropriate to their misdeeds. Examples included the compulsive neat freak who is cut up into little pieces and then tidily repackaged into carefully labeled mason jars, or the homicidal baseball player whose bloody body parts are used as bats, balls, and bases in a grim nocturnal ball game played by the vengeful teammates of his last victim. It was this sort of merry mayhem that brought down the wrath of professional do-gooders (such as the infamous Dr. Frederick Wertham) and their political co-conspirators, who demanded that the comic book industry immediately purge itself of all horror magazines -- and never mind these were among the best written and illustrated comics in the business.
At any rate, the old EC comics had become classics by the time Tales From the Crypt made its HBO debut on June 10, 1989. The series, like the comic books that inspired it, was hosted by the ghoulish "Cryptkeeper," seen here as a skeletal animatronic puppet whose voice was provided by actor John Kassir. Cracking delightfully gruesome jokes all the while, The Cryptkeeper introduced each episode, and showed up at the denouement to make a few additional creepy comments. In keeping with the standards set by the comics, the individual episodes dealt primarily with unpleasant people who were given their just desserts in an even more unpleasant fashion, usually with supernatural assistance. Several top filmmakers contributed their directorial talents to Tales from the Crypt, among them Robert Zemeckis, Walter Hill, Steven E. de Souza, John Frankenheimer, Elliot Silverstein, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Hanks. The casts were equally impressive, boasting the likes of Joe Pantoliano, Amanda Plummer, Kirk Douglas, Miguel Ferrer, Teri Hatcher, Harry Anderson, Teri Garr, Beau Bridges, Christopher Reeve, Mimi Rogers, Martin Sheen, Shelley Hack, Natasha Richardson, and Ewan McGregor. The seven seasons of Tales from the Crypt, totalling 93 episodes, aired first in uncut, uncensored form on HBO, then were rebroadcast with a few judicious trims and expurgations here and there by the Fox Network. The last first-run episode was telecast July 19, 1996. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Robert Zemeckis' "And All Through the House" is about a psychotic Santa Claus (Larry Drake) who has just escaped from an insane asylum and comes knocking at the door of a woman (Mary Ellen Trainor), who's fresh from killing her husband for greedy reasons. The episode is a remake of one of the segments of the 1972 Tales from the Crypt feature directed by Freddie Francis and starring Joan Collins. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Fresh from her success in The Exorcist (and several years away from her tenure as queen of the women in prison flicks), Linda Blair stars in this searing TV movie. Sarah (Blair), a normal teenaged girl, begins drinking socially at high school parties. She soon finds that she can't stop--and even worse, she can't keep her boozing a secret. After a near-tragic baby-sitting episode, Sarah decides to attend Alcoholics Anonymous, but soon she's back on the hard stuff. Only when Sarah causes the death of a horse does she strengthen her resolve to remain "clean and sober." Sarah T: Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic tempers the more sensational aspects of the subject matter with some unforgettably poignant vignettes--including the A.A. testimony of a boy who's even younger than Sarah. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Just one year before directing his breakthrough film, 1976's The Omen, filmmaker Richard Donner helmed this made-for-television drama about an ex-con, played by Tony Lo Bianco. After his release from prison, parolee Pete Mackey (Lo Bianco) is faced with a number of obstacles in his attempts to go straight and readjust to the outside world. But when a new reabilitation program lands him in a job as a parole agent himself, things become more complicated than he expected. Also starring Ed Lauter and Tim Thomerson, Shadow in the Streets first aired on NBC on January 28, 1975. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

A robbery gang comes to the attention of homicide detectives Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) when the crooks murder a fellow gang member. Going undercover, Keller tries to determine if there is a link between the criminals' activities and a sultry nightclub singer. Lola Falana makes a rare dramatic appearance as the songbird in question, who happens to have been the murdered man's sweetheart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama a young couple suffer a terrible tragedy that forces them to begin acting like mature adults. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Future Barnaby Jones costar Mark Shera) is cast as Ralph Warren, a rookie cop who stumbles upon a mob hit in progress. Rescuing the would-be victim from being strangled by a trio of thugs, Warren is unaware that his good deed will soon spark an all-out gangland war. It is up to Kojak (Telly Savalas) to put a lid on the violence and mollify the disillusioned Warren. Also seen in the cast is David Doyle, aka "Bosley" on Charlie's Angels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sam Cade was the first feature-length "movie" put together from episodes of Cade's County, the early '70s series starring Glenn Ford as a modern-day sheriff in Madrid County, CA. In the first half, directed by Marvin Chomsky, Cade finds himself targeted for assassination when he's scheduled to testify in the trial of a mob kingpin -- what he doesn't know is that the assassin is one of his oldest friends (Darren McGavin), who is romancing another old friend (Loretta Swit) with a troubled past and using Cade's determination and his investigative skills to set him up for a hit. In the second half, directed by Richard Donner, Cade gets a tip that the mob has planned an assassination on a retired crime boss (Edward Asner) living in the county, who is so bull-headed and distrustful of the law that he won't accept any help or provide any information on who the killers might be, even though he's putting his own daughter (Shelley Fabares) at risk. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

Two steadfast members of Frank Sinatra's self-styled "clan," Peter Lawford and Sammy Davis Jr., are the stars of Salt and Pepper. The boys run a swinging nightclub in London's Soho district (which explains their awful "mod" wardrobe) and also reluctantly double as secret agents. Their current assignment is to put the kibosh on a half-baked military officer (John LeMesurier), who plans to hijack a nuclear sub and hold England captive. The film is securely locked into the 1960s, with weird camera angles and out-of-focus optical effects, plenty of compliant young miniskirted damsels, and Bondlike action highlights. Salt and Pepper was followed two years later by a sequel, imaginatively titled One More Time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As "Bob Stoddard", Kimble (David Janssen) works as a bartender at the same restaurant where Susan Cartwright (Lois Nettelton) is a waitress. Recognizing Kimble from a police description, Susan's nephew Gary (Pat Cardi) and his pals decide to capture the fugitive and claim the reward, using a mail-order rifle for this purpose. Things become even stickier when a social worker arrives to determine if Susan is a fit guardina for the orphaned Gary--and likewise recognizes Kimble for who he really is. Featured in the cast are 16-year-old Kurt Russell and his actor father Bing Russell). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) is in Reno, helping Pete Warren (Peter Breck) finalize his divorce from his wife Myrna. When an incriminating photo reveals that Myrna (Myrna Fahey) is mixed up in a counterfeit gambling-chip scam at a local gambling casino, Pete tells a pack of lies to the authorities to save his soon-to-be "ex" from prosectuion. Before long, Pete is facing a far more serious charge than counterfeiting: Myrna has been murdered, and all the evidence points to him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide