Stuart Gillard Movies

The 1990s revival of the classic science fiction anthology The Outer Limits got off to a rousing start with this adaptation of George R.R. Martin's novella The Sandkings. Beau Bridges stars as obsessive scientist Simon Kress, whose top-secret government work includes the incubation of eggs found in Martian soil samples. After a near disaster compels the government to cancel the Martian egg project, Dr. Kress sneaks a few samples home and sets up his own lab, ultimately pouring all of his time and money into his experiments at the expense of his family. Things reach the crisis stage when the omnivorous Martian life forms go on a literally poisonous rampage of destruction. This episode features three generations of the acting Bridges family: Paterfamilias Lloyd Bridges; Lloyd's son, Beau; and Beau's own offspring, Dylan Bridges. Actually the fourth Outer Limits episode filmed, "The Sandkings" was the first one broadcast by the Showtime cable network, on March 26, 1995. The two-hour installment has since been syndicated as two one-hour programs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This third film in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series finds the half-shelled ninjas traveling back in time to 17th-century Japan in order to save April O'Neil (Paige Turco). Once there, they also use their skills to help a rebel army battle an evil leader. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

During World War II, a sergeant tries to lead his division against German commander Rommel in the desert of North Africa. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

This undistinguished comedy about life in prison features caricatures of inmates and law enforcement officers, as well as prison guards, in attempts at slapstick action. After Duke Jarrett (Jeff Altman) is put into prison because he had sex with the wife of a government VIP, he discovers that life in the prison is out of control -- until a disciplinarian takes charge. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

A "The Blue Lagoon" set in the Sahara Desert, this romantic adventure is set at the turn of century and chronicles the story of two beautiful teens who end up traveling alone from Bagdad to Damascus after their respective parents are killed by a the henchmen of a sheik who wants the girl for himself. During their travels the youths learn about life, love and the joys of sex. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A double disaster film with both an American and a Japanese cast, Virus presents some pretty wild probabilities to viewers. First of all, a virus has been developed that gets loose and starts to destroy humanity on a grand scale. The only people who are remotely safe are a group of eight hundred men and eight women on Antarctica. Since the President of the United States warns them by radio communications not to accept anyone into their area who has been contaminated, the men and women are somewhat prepared. That does not mean they are ready to handle the crew of a Russian submarine that seeks refuge with them. The second disaster is nuclear, and part of the suspense lies in whether or not it will be ultimately averted -- and who, if any, will survive all this. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

First released in 1981 as Sneakers, this feeble story about a young teen trying to succeed on the amateur tennis tour is heavy on tennis sequences and light on content, storyline, and character development. The heroine Karen (Carling Bassett) is an unseeded, talented player snubbed by her peers because her mother (Susan Anton) is a Las Vegas showgirl. Karen's eventual friend, the top-seeded Missy (Shawn Foltz) has a tough-as-nails mom (Jessica Walter), so both young teens have their own personal crosses to bear. The biggest test of their friendship will come when they face off in the finals, like it or not. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

The 8-hour TV miniseries Blind Ambition was originally telecast May 20 through 23, 1979. This 105-minute feature-film version, prepared in 1982, seems a bit rushed at times, but overall does a credible and coherent job of storytelling. Based on John Dean's book Blind Ambition, with elements of Maureen Dean's Mo woven in by screenwriter Stanley R. Greenberg, this is the saga of the Watergate affair, as experienced by Dean (Martin Sheen) and hia wife Maureen (Theresa Russell). As the Nixon administration goes down in flames, the Deans' marriage is sorely tested-as is Dean's success-at-any-price credo. Rip Torn plays Nixon like something out of a Greek Tragedy; some viewers accepted his interpretation, others found it jarringly inaccurate. Others in the cast of "usual suspects" include Michael Callan as Charles Colson, Lonny Chapman as L. Patrick Gray, William Daniels as G. Gordon Liddy, Fred Grandy as Donald Segretti, Christopher Guest as Jeb Magruder, Lawrence Pressman as H. R. Haldeman, William Windom as Richard Kleindienst, James Greene as E. Howard Hunt, Logan Ramsey as J. Edgar Hoover, and Al Checco as judge John Sirica. Also known as The John Dean Story, Blind Ambition earned two Emmy nominations. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The scene is Canada in the 1940s. Fledgling reporter Harry Barnes (Stuart Gillard) finds his dreams of journalistic fame dampened by the disillusioned older journalists surrounding him. Harry never does get that "big scoop," but he does excel in the romance department. After a brief assignation with the publisher's wife (Patricia Gage) he thrills coworker Julia Martin (Tiiu Leek) by becoming a firebrand leader of the newspaper union movement (never mind that he's drunk at the time). Why Rock the Boat? is a 1974 release of the National Film Board of Canada. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Sometimes it seems as though all the character roles in Canadian films have been played by Al Waxman, Chris Wiggins and Gordon Pinsent. It is Pinsent who functions as both star and coscripter of the modest character study Rowdyman. He plays a roustabout, libinous middle-ager who accidently causes the death of an old friend. At first refusing to allow this tragedy to affect him, Pinsent slowly accepts the fact that he needs to make a general housecleaning of his life. While many independent Canadian films tend to trot out the usual Ontario and Alberta locations, Rowdyman makes excellent use of the underexploited vistas of Newfoundland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide