Gary Busey Movies
Although American leading man Gary Busey has made distinguished appearances in many films, he has yet to attain the consistent popularity that would make him a major star. Born in Texas, Busey first few years were spent on an Oklahoma ranch where he learned to be a bull rider. He attended three different colleges before finally graduating in 1963, the year he became a professional drummer with the rock group The Rubber Band. Later, he billed himself as Teddy Jack Eddy and played percussion for Leon Russell, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson. In 1970, Busey made his acting debut in an episode of the TV western High Chaparel. This led to his feature film debut as a biker in Angels Hard as They Come the following year. After that Busey went on to play supporting roles (typically cast as renegades, daredevils, or good ol' boys with dubious morals) until 1978 when he made a major splash playing the lanky lead in The Buddy Holly Story, for which he did all the guitar and vocal work. His impersonation of Holly was remarkable and won him considerable acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Busey then went on to play leads in many films of varying quality during the early to mid-1980s. In the late '80s he returned to supporting roles and co-leads. In 1988, Busey almost died in a motorcycle accident and his near death resulted in enactment of tougher helmet laws in California. ~ All Movie GuideTwo bad cops rise from the grave in an attempt to go straight in this offbeat comedy. Mike Mattress (Tate Donovan) and Dean Crept (William Forsythe) are a pair of stone-faced FBI agents who are not above stretching the law to their advantage; their double dealings lead to their fiery death in a booby-trapped car, and the two agents find themselves descending into Hell. After a disturbing run-in with Satan (Robert Goulet), Mattress and Crept escape and find their way back to Earth, where they hope to perform some good deeds that might allow them to escape damnation. Starting over as private eyes, Mattress and Crept are hired by millionaire Greydon Lake (Barry Newman), who believes his wife Gloria (Vanessa Angel) has been unfaithful to him. Gloria soon turns the tables by hiring the two gumshoes away from her husband, but things take a sinister turn when Greydon turns up dead. While tracking down leads in Greydon's murder, Mattress and Crept discover he was financing research by the eccentric Dr. Boifford (David Huddleston), whose bizarre talents come in handy when Buster (Bobcat Goldthwait), a leg man for the detectives, is killed while doing research; Boifford is able to transplant his brain into the body of a robot. Meanwhile, Buster's accident attracts the attention of the police, as well as FBI agents Dalton (Zach Galligan) and Langdon (Gary Busey), who are hot on the heels of the formerly dead lawmen. G-Men From Hell is based on characters from the comic book Grafik Musik, created by Michael Allred. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Forsythe, Tate Donovan, (more)
Blaxploitation icon Fred Williamson produced, directed, and stars in this action thriller as Dakota Smith, a hard-nosed but scrupulously honest cop who has more than a few questions when his partner is murdered. As Smith sets out to find who killed his sidekick and bring him to justice, he discovers a trail of dirty dealings that leads from the lowest rungs of the police force to the highest pillars of city government -- and Dakota isn't about to rest until law and order once again prevails. Also starring in Down 'n Dirty are Bubba Smith, Gary Busey, David Carradine, Beverly Johnson, and Charles Napier. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Williamson, Bubba Smith, (more)
Some young people lost in the woods pick the wrong cabin while looking for help in this story of horror and suspense. Jeremiah (Rodger Hewlett) was raised by his mother (Tracy Scoggins), a woman with a paranoid fear of strangers and outsiders, in a small cabin in a remote woodland community. Mother's fears became all too real one day when an intruder broke into her home, raping and murdering her as Jeremiah looked on. Since then, Jeremiah, deeply disturbed, has never left the house and has had almost no contact with the outside world. A group of college students led by Lehman (Mario Lopez) set out on a weekend of hiking and camping when they encounter a few rather eccentric locals, and before long they find themselves lost. They discover a small cabin in the woods, and decide to take a look inside, where they discover Jeremiah -- and find he doesn't take kindly to strangers. Crack in the Floor also features Gary Busey, Rance Howard, Bo Hopkins, and David Naughton. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mario Lopez, Gary Busey, (more)
A cop used to chasing bad guys finds himself up against the ultimate villain of all time in this Christian-themed thriller. Tom Canburo (Gary Busey) is a police detective whose work doesn't leave him with much room in his life for the intangibles of faith. Tom's sister, Eileen (Margot Kidder), however, is a born-again Christian who often attempts to engage her brother in discussions of spiritual matters, while his brother-in-law, Jason (Howie Mandel), embraces a puzzling melange of New Age teachings. One night, Tom's life seems to take a left turn into the unknown; he gets a call from Eileen, saying that Jason has tried to kill her, calling her a "hater," while in the course of an investigation, Tom uncovers a bizarre underground cult with supernatural powers. As Tom tries to escape, he gets in a severe auto accident and drifts into a coma. Several years later, he comes to and finds himself in a strange new world. Franco Macalousso (Nick Mancuso), a New Age philosopher who spoke of bringing peace to the world, is now the most powerful man on Earth, and under his leadership everyone must have their right hand marked with the number "666" -- those who refuse have their hand cut off. Christians are also persecuted as "haters," and Helen Hannah (Leigh Lewis), the leader of a Christian resistance group, has become Public Enemy Number One. Also released as Apocalypse III: Tribulation, Tribulation was the third film from screenwriters Paul Lalonde and Peter Lalonde inspired by modern-day interpretations of biblical prophesy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
The family that tracks down bail-jumping bad guys together stays together, in this action-oriented drama series. Dottie Thorson (Annette O'Toole) hasn't quite gotten over the recent death of her husband when the realities of life on her own sink in -- she's deep in debt, and needs to come up with a dependable source of income -- fast. With the help of her 19-year-old daughter Brandi (Jordana Spiro), Dottie decides to reopen her late husband's business as a bounty hunter who collects rewards for capturing criminals who jumped bail rather than stand trial. With the help of Tiny Bellows (James Remar), a convicted murderer and a superb source of information on what's going on behind bars, Dottie and Brandi flag down different crooks each week, working alongside skeptical bail bondsman Ricky Guzman (Luis Antonio Ramos) and trying to avoid mean-spirited fellow bounty agent Claude St. Clair (Granville Ames). The Huntress debuted on the USA cable network on July 26, 2000; it was preceded by a two-hour pilot film, in which the role of Brandi was played by Aleska Palladino. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annette O'Toole, James Remar, (more)
E! Entertainment's debut original TV production is an over-the-top depiction of Hollywood decadence and desperation. Five down-and-out women vie for a major award. The five include a drugged-out indie queen; a plumy British actress with a womanizing director for a husband; a porn star looking for a legit turn; an African-American chanteuse whose career is on the skids; and a lipstick lesbian with a wily publicist. The plot twists when a body turns up and all five are suspects. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andrew Airlie, Maria Conchita Alonso, (more)
Rap star Master P directed and stars in this action drama. Maker (Master P), a hip-hop music mogul and crime boss, helps broker a deal between Noah (Gary Busey), a major dealer in illegal arms, and a consortium of extremist groups. However, Maker was cut out of the loop at the last minute and he's eager to get revenge -- and his piece of the action. He initially uses Davis (Jeff Fahey), an employee of a shipping company, to send his merchandise around the world, but when the company upgrades to computer-based tracking, he brings in Jason (Gary Davis), a digital-savvy workaholic trying to wipe out the memory of his first wife. Jason earns a big cut of Davis's profits, and is introduced to his world of fast times and loose women, including Laura (Jodi Bianca Wise), a sweet but streetwise hooker. Unknown to the others, FBI Agent Diane (Pam Grier) is watching Noah's deal in order to put him and his crew behind bars, but she doesn't realize that several of the players have hidden agendas. No Tomorrow also features a cameo by singer Jerry Vale. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Gary Daniels, (more)
A kid from the inner city tries to find his way through corruption, crime and injustice. ~ All Movie Guide
A con artist and his friends join an attempt to steal from the local organized crime syndicate, which they discover turns out to be a set up. The group escapes and they hide out at the thief's newly inherited dairy farm. While reconsidering their chosen profession and deciding to become law-abiding citizens, they still must elude the reach of the still-angry mobsters out for revenge. ~ All Movie Guide
Money and lust make a dangerous combination in this thriller. Jack Ramsey (Patrick Bergin) is a private detective hired by wealthy businessman Richard Whitmore (Daniel Pilon) to trail his wife Isabelle (Jayne Heitmeyer). Richard is convinced Isabelle is having an affair, and Jack is able to confirm those suspicions. When Isabelle's lover is found murdered, Jack thinks Richard is the most likely suspect, but Richard wants Jack to help refocus the investigation on another suspect, Vic Mulvey (Gary Busey), a radical who has been threatening blackmail against Richard and his firm. While Jack has misgivings about this, Richard has deep pockets and Jack is the owner of an empty wallet, so he goes along. The deeper Jack digs into the case, the more he runs into Isabelle, and soon the two are having an affair. However, when several of their friends and associates turn up dead, Jack has to start asking serious questions about the killer, and who the next victim will be. Director Alain Zaloum apparently worked with two of his favorite actors on Suspicious Minds; he previously cast Gary Busey in Canvas and Night Caller, while he worked with Patrick Bergin again on his subsequent film Taxman (1999). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patrick Bergin, Jayne Heitmeyer, (more)
In this erotic tale of suspense, Arthur (Henry Czerny) is a middle-aged doctor with a successful practice and a happy marriage. However, none of this is much comfort to him when he becomes obsessed with Fiona (Polly Shannon), the 18-year-old daughter of his next door neighbor. Fiona's parents ask Arthur to keep an eye on Fiona while they are away for a few days. While Arthur agrees with the best of intentions, his weakness for Fiona gets the better of him, and he finds himself acting on his desire for her one night. The next morning, Fiona is found dead, and Sheriff Larson (Gary Busey) starts asking some tough questions which Arthur cannot answer without incriminating himself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Czerny, Polly Shannon, (more)
In this action-adventure, a hostage situation commands the presence of an elite cadre of Navy divers. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Billy Dee Williams, (more)
After scripting Blade Runner and Twelve Monkeys, David Webb Peoples continued to traverse the science fiction landscape with this action-adventure directed by Paul Anderson. A prologue shows infants classified 1A and placed in an academy promoting violent militarism. Spawned in such an environment, Sgt. Todd (Kurt Russell) became a top-ranking interplanetary fighter. However, military upgrades in genetic engineering made Todd obsolete. Todd's commanding officer, Captain Church (Gary Busey), has a confrontation with West Point-trained Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs), who heads the new generation of genetically engineered fighters. One such warrior is Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee), who defeats Todd and others led by Church. The trio, presumed dead, is put in a garbage ship which dumps them on the distant Arcadia 234 planet. However, Todd survives and is nursed by homesteaders Sandra (Connie Nielsen) and Mace (Sean Pertwee), while their mute son Nathan (brothers Jared and Taylor Thorne) watches. Todd is regarded with suspicion by others in the colony. But when the warrior supermen, led by Caine 607, attack the settlement, Todd turns out to be their only line of defense. The one-man army springs into action to eliminate the super squadron amid leftover props from Demolition Man, Event Horizon and other sci-fi movies. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, (more)
Supermodel Rachel Hunter stars in this suspense story as Susan Price, a successful author whose latest novel has just hit #1 on the best-seller list. But Susan's celebration is short lived when her fiancée, publishing mogul Jack Reynolds (Gary Busey), is murdered, and it quickly becomes obvious that someone is trying to frame her as the killer. Susan goes underground and, using an assumed identity, she gets a job as a relay operator for the hearing impaired -- as a way of keeping tabs on District Attorney Beth McDaniels (Marlee Matlin), who is deaf. However, while she tries to find a way to clear her name and keep track of Beth's case against her, Susan finds herself taking a greater voyeuristic pleasure in "listening" in on the conversations between Beth and her boyfriend, Todd (Anthony Natale). Two Shades of Blue also features Eric Roberts, Patsy Pease, and Robert Miano. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Marlee Matlin, (more)
Literally picking up where the original Universal Soldier left off, this made-for-cable sequel (with Matt Battaglia taking over the role played by Jean Claude Van Damme in the original) concerns a soldier who has been forced to take part in a secret military operation. He schemes to expose the unethical doings of his commanding officers before they can turn more unsuspecting recruits into mindless killing machines. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

- 1998
- Add Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang to QueueAdd Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang to top of Queue
Based on noted Montreal author Mordecai Richler's classic children's adventure of the same name, the film is about a boy named Jacob (Max Morrow) who has to say everything twice to be heard, simply because he is the youngest of five children. Desperately needing to be taken seriously, he offers to go to the grocery store for his Dad, embarking on his first solo journey. The quest goes horribly wrong when he loses his nerve and runs off, only to bump into a ten-pound hanging salami. He wakes up to find himself in court charged with insulting a grown-up. The Singing Judge sentences Jacob to the children's prison on Slimer's Island. The fog-bound and crocodile infested prison is presided over by the fearsome Hooded Fang (Gary Busey). Help is supposed to be on its way in the form of the heroic Child Power Masters. When that is delayed, Jacob Two Two hatches a cunning plan to take on the Hooded Fang himself. Fraught with childhood fantasies and fears, the film encourages children to feel strong in the threatening world of adults. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Miranda Richardson, (more)

- 1998
- R
- Add Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to QueueAdd Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to top of Queue
Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Twelve Monkeys, The Fisher King) directed this colorful, stylized, pseudo-psychedelic $21-million adaptation of the 1971 Hunter S. Thompson classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey into the Heart of the American Dream, about stoned sportswriter Raoul Duke, Thompson's alter ego, on a wild drug-crazed road trip, a paranoid plummet into the belly of the beast, with his pal, lawyer Oscar Zeta Acosta. Originally serialized in Rolling Stone (November 1971), the book catapulted Thompson headfirst toward the Kerouac-Mailer-Capote pantheon and jump-started the entire movement of "gonzo journalism." Carrying a suitcase of drugs, Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp with shaved pate) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) drive a red convertible across the Mojave from L.A. to Vegas, where Duke has an assignment to cover the Mint 400 desert motorcycle race. As the drugs kick in, Duke ventures into voiceover, filling in the blank spots and narrative gaps. "This is not a good town for psychedelic drugs," says Duke, but even so, they consume vast quantities, eventually escalating to ether. Duke notes that with ether "you can actually watch yourself behaving this terrible way, but you can't control it." The two trash their hotel room, and Gonzo goes back to L.A. Thinking the hotel room holocaust will lead to an arrest, Duke begins a drive back to L.A., but after an odd encounter with a highway patrolman (Gary Busey) and a telephone conversation with Gonzo, he returns to Vegas to cover the District Attorney Convention on Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs in the glitzy Flamingo Hotel. This time the drugged-out duo trash their Flamingo room. The crazed carnival atmosphere segues into a carney casino, Bazooko's Circus, where a barker (Penn Jillette) spiels amid aerialists, clowns, and a rotating carousel bar. Gonzo worries over runaway teen Lucy (Christina Ricci), who paints portraits of Barbra Streisand. Soon the hallucinations begin: Duke sees Gonzo transmogrify into a demon with breasts on its back, and an acid vision of a Vegas bar features large legit lounge lizards (courtesy of monster makeup man Rob Bottin). Flashbacks depicting Duke's intro to the drug scene jump back to love-Haight relationships in San Francisco's Summer of Love. Cameos and guest stars include Mark Harmon, Cameron Diaz, Flea, Lyle Lovett, Harry Dean Stanton, Ellen Barkin, Tobey Maguire, and Hunter S. Thompson himself. The film features a Geffen Records soundtrack mixing rock of the period with Vegas lounge tunes. Over the years, various script adaptations came and went as did numerous talents; people connected with past efforts to film Thompson's book include Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and writer-director Alex Cox. Shown in competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, (more)
When a mad criminal and his commandos take over Chicago's water filtration plant and threaten to poison the entire city, it is up to one brave detective to stop him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Fahey, Gary Busey, (more)
This silly, over-the-top action film has a great hammy performance by Gary Busey as the insane leader of a militia group intent on revenge against the government for doing psychotropic experiments on them after Vietnam. Busey also had his privates mutilated by a Viet-Cong prostitute, so he's a vicious razor-blade rapist, too. Lorenzo Lamas and Kristen Cloke are FBI "mindhunters" trying to stop him, but they lose their badges because of evil boss Roy Scheider, who still blames Lamas for his career troubles after a botched Ruby Ridge-type standoff. There are way too many plot threads dangling everywhere -- including the hesitant romance between Lamas and Cloke -- and the screenplay seems to reference every news item concerning the FBI in the last ten years to no good end. Still, those in search of mindless shootouts and hissable villains will find enough to enjoy over beer and pork rinds. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lorenzo Lamas, Gary Busey, (more)
When a vicious arms smuggler (Roy Scheider) abducts his daughter, an ex-Navy Seal (Gary Busey) rounds up a cadre of skilled mercenaries to find and rescue her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Roy Scheider, (more)
Five years after the critical and commercial disappointment of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, director David Lynch returned to the big screen with this cryptic thriller about confused identities and erotic obsession. Fred (Bill Pullman) is an avant-garde jazz saxophonist who shares a luxurious but fashionably barren house with his wife Renee (Patricia Arquette). Fred suspects that Renee may be unfaithful to him, but realizes he has bigger things to worry about when a series of videotapes appear at his door that prove someone is watching his home from the outside and inside. When Renee is found murdered, Fred finds himself behind bars, but one morning Fred is no longer in his cell. He has seemingly been transformed into Pete Drayton (Balthazar Getty), a young auto mechanic who foolishly allowed himself to get involved with the wife of gangster Dick Laurent (Robert Loggia), a luscious blonde named Alice who looks exactly like Renee. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Pullman, Patricia Arquette, (more)
The real-life story of Teddy Roosevelt's role in the Spanish-American war is re-told in this made-for-television movie. Tom Berenger stars as Roosevelt, who in 1898 formed his own volunteer calvary to go into Cuba and fight the expansion of Spanish rule. Thousands of men from all walks of life volunteered, but Roosevelt honed the team down to over 500 fighting men. When they finally arrived in Cuba, they faced a well-equipped Spanish army and squared off in the famous Battle of San Juan Hill. Berenger is strong as the charismatic leader, and the supporting cast shines with familiar names. The film clocks in at four hours and was originally shown in two parts. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott, (more)
An investigative journalist becomes intrigued by a serial killer after looking at the criminal's latest victim. In attempting to see the world through the eyes of the maniacal murderer, the reporter becomes so like him that he finds himself falsely accused of the murders. While he attempts to prove his innocence, the real psycho continues stalking his prey. This action-drama was a direct-to-video release. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Busey, Michael Madsen, (more)
In this youthful drama, three 13 year olds come of age when they learn to stand up to a vicious local bully. Joey, Book and Mouth live for baseball. Joey is a superb pitcher and Book an excellent catcher while Mouth dreams of becoming Joey's agent. All three boys have less than perfect home lives, with their chief problem being that their parents are too often gone. Still, they have a good summer until Hayes, a nearly psycho bully begins tormenting them in increasingly violent ways. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
This action-packed crime drama features one of the more interesting motives in the genre: the crooks plan a $1million caper to pay for a another young crook's liver transplant. The mayhem begins as Dexter is yet again hauled to jail after the police catch him attempting to snatch a purse. There Dexter shares his latest scheme with his pal Colin. On New Year's Eve, he is going to rob an exclusive nightclub and steal a cool million. Unfortunately, cocky young James Little overhears the plot and tells his big brother Rupert, also a petty crook about it. Later, Collin shoots James, seriously wounding him in the liver. Rupert, figures the only way to save his little brother is to knock-off the nightclub and so begins to assemble assorted crooked characters to assist him. Unfortunately, professional crook Dexter and his boys are also going through with their original plan and when the pros meet the amateurs fists fly, guns blaze and the blood begins to flow. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Russo, Emily Lloyd, (more)



























