Angela Bruce Movies

In the conclusion of the four-part story "Battlefield," the ages-old battle for possession of the Sword Excalibur continues to rage on -- this time with dangerously high-tech weapons -- in the England of the 1990s. According to the scenario at hand, the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) is Merlin and Ace (Sophie Aldred) is the Lady of the Lake -- but who, pray tell, has been "cast" as King Arthur? This question must be answered before the sorceress Morgaine (Jean Marsh) is able to lay claim to Excalibur by unleashing the dreaded Destroyer of Worlds. Originally telecast on September 27, 1989, "Battlefield, Episode 4" was written by Ben Aaronovitch. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the third episode of the four-part story "Battlefield," the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy), armed with the powers of Merlin, squares off against the minions of Mordred (Christopher Bowen) on the same battlefield where the battle for possession of the sword Excalibur was fought centuries before. Meanwhile, the Doctor's friend, Ace (Sophie Aldred), and extra-dimensional warrior Shou Yuing (Ling Tai) are trapped in a hotel room, faced with dangers ranging from the rampaging sorceress Morgaine (Jean Marsh) to an all-out nuclear holocaust. Originally telecast on September 20, 1989, "Battlefield, Episode 3" was written by Ben Aaronovitch. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Another episode of the short-lived but wonderfully creepy "Hammer House of Horror" TV series, this supernatural thriller is spiced with some darkly comic touches. The title refers to a nickname given to a weird-looking little African fetish doll, from which emanates a curse that claims the lives of a small circle of friends -- specifically, all of those pictured in a single group photograph -- who took part in its theft under the misguided belief that it would bring them luck. The deaths are cleverly staged, and mostly involve some particularly nasty stab wounds (though Charlie doesn't actually spring to hideous life like his fetish compatriot in Trilogy of Terror). This and other installments of Hammer's well-made BBC series were introduced to the U.S. through pay-TV, then appeared on the now-defunct Thrillervideo label, hosted (and endlessly heckled) by slinky horror-hostess Elvira. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi