Peter Medak Movies
Were it not for the Russian put-down of the Hungarian uprising in 1956, director Peter Medak might well have been one of the leading lights of the New Hungarian Cinema of the 1970s. As it happened, Medak was forced to flee to Britain, where after a lengthy apprenticeship he was allowed to direct TV movies and to work as second-unit director on such films as Kaleidescope (1966) and Funeral in Berlin (1967). After making his theatrical-film directorial bow in 1968, Medak garnered praise for his handling of the very black comedy A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1972). He followed this with The Ruling Class (1972) a rude, irreverent, achingly funny combination of theatrical and cinematic knowhow which skewered every traditional value held near and dear by the British aristocracy (the hero imagines he's Jesus Christ, then switches to Jack the Ripper). In between bread-and-butter assignments like Zorro the Gay Blade (1982), Medak has continued pushing the envelope of taste and style with such films as The Krays, a 1990 crime story concerning London's notorious identical-twin gang bosses (whom Medak knew personally), and Romeo Is Bleeding (1994), a horrifying and sometimes darkly hilarious study of modern-day gang activity. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2007
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A man who makes a horrifying discovery about the founding fathers of America must protect his family from the murderous loyalist determined to safeguard the volatile secret at all costs in director Peter Medak's adaptation of a short story by author Bentley Little. Soon after his grandfather's funeral, Mike (Johnathon Schaech) unearths an artifact that paints the first president of the United States in a troubling new light. According to Mike's discovery, George Washington was a ravenous cannibal, and his flesh-eating legacy lives on to this very day. Now, as a loyal band of Washingtonians is determined to ensure that they remain well fed, and their secret never gets out. Of course, the best way to do this is by consuming Mike and his family, but this is one feast that the Washingtonians are going to have to fight for. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnathon Schaech, Saul Rubinek, (more)
- 2004
Throwing himself into his work to get his mind off his birthday, House (Hugh Laurie) is intrigued when diagnosed schizophrenic Lucille Palmeiro (Stacy Edwards) has a pulmonary embolism at the unusually young age of 38. In fact, he's so intrigued that he breaks his own self-imposed rule and tries to talk to the woman at her home--where her 15-year-old son Luke (Aaron Himelstein) seems to know a lot more than he's saying. Elsewhere, Chase (Jesse Spencer) has serious issues with his past. This episode affords a rare opportunity to hear Hugh Laurie speak in his authentic British accent. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 2003
The troupe is heading south, towards Babylon, and rumors about the town's deadly reputation are flying. Everyone is getting antsy, and it doesn't help matters when Samson (Michael J. Anderson), on Management's orders, has them set up shop in the middle of nowhere. Jonesy (Tim DeKay) expresses his reservations, and offers to talk to Management himself, but Samson says no. While the crew sets up, Samson has Osgood (Blake Shields) drive him into town so he can see Miss Jolene (Judith Hoag), a prostitute with whom he has a special relationship. Sofie (Clea Duvall) goes into town herself, despite Apollonia's (Diane Salinger) protestations, and puts on an act, pretending to be a young widow, which earns her the sympathetic ear of Harlan (Gabriel Mann), the handsome proprietor of a local diner. Lodz (Patrick Bauchau) convinces Ben (Nick Stahl) to drive him out into the desert, claiming he wants to show him something that has to do with Scudder. All of them are caught in a deadly dust storm. In the ensuing chaos, Apollonia nearly chokes to death, Samson learns that his relationship with Jolene isn't all he thinks it is, and Sofie gets far more intimate with Harlan than she had intended. Lodz wanders from the safety of the car and into the desert, and when Ben follows him, Lodz demonstrates that Ben is even more powerful than he suspected and offers to help him learn how to use his power, but Ben isn't interested in using it. Meanwhile, Justin (Clancy Brown) gets a visit from Norman (Ralph Waite) who warns him that the church is upset about his continuing to build his ministry for the migrants. Justin passionately explains that he's following direct orders from God, but a deadly tragedy soon ends Justin's dreams. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- 2000
Hot on the heels of the BBC's multipart 1999 adaptation of Charles Dickens' semiautobiographical novel David Copperfield came this American-financed version, prepared for the TNT cable network as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame. Child actor Max Dolbey and adult performer Hugh Dancy share the role of David Copperfield who, after enduring a tempestuous youth at the hands of his cruel stepfather Murdstone (Anthony Andrews), manages to survive into adulthood with the help and support of such sympathetic figures as Aunt Betsy Trotwood (Sally Field), the eternally-in-debt Mr. Micawber (Michael Richards), and loyal old Dan Peggoty (Nigel Davenport). Even so, David's later years are none too serene, thanks in great part to antagonists like the wheedling, "'umble" Uriah Heep (Frank MacCusker), and to his own star-crossed romantic misadventures. At the time of its first telecast on December 10, 2000, this two-part adaptation of David Copperfield was criticized for the "stunt" casting of former Seinfeld regular Michael Richards as Micawber, who is transformed into a Kramer-esque slapstick figure; however, one must remember that not everyone was enamored of W.C. Fields' now-classic interpretation of the same character in the 1935 film version. David Copperfield was lensed on location in Ireland. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1998
The twin brother of a murder victim insists that the dead man's girlfriend is responsible, but the men and women of Homicide have their doubts. Elsewhere, several of the male detectives are moonstruck by attractive new arrival Rene Sheppard (Michael Michele); Mike Giardello (Giancarlo Esposito) has requested a transfer to the FBI's Baltimore bureau, but hasn't yet picked the right time to tell his father, Al (Yaphet Kotto); and Ballard (Callie Thorne) and Gharty (Peter Gerety) find themselves tied up in a jurisdictional boondoggle when a teenager found shot in Baltimore turns out to have been killed in Washington, D.C., following a bungled drug deal. Anthony Joseph Perry of Aerosmith guest stars as D.C. narcotics detective Joe Landrewsky. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Giancarlo Esposito, (more)
- 1997
In medieval Paris, a deformed foundling named Quasimodo grows up under the care and tutelage of Dom Claude Frollo, the archdeacon of the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Quasimodo is humpbacked, lame, and blind in a drooping eye -- a human gargoyle who keeps to the shadows of the great church as its bellringer. But the tolling bells inflict upon him another handicap: deafness. On the Festival of Fools in the cathedral square, a crowd elects Quasimodo King of Fools, and a wag quips that the hunchback's attributes qualify him to become King of France. During the festival, a Gypsy woman of transcendent beauty, Esmeralda, dances for the crowd. Watching her sultry undulations from a cathedral niche, Frollo falls in lust with her. Quasimodo, too, is captivated by her, but in a childlike, innocent way. Though Frollo is a priest committed to celibacy, he decides he must possess Esmeralda, even at the expense of his immortal soul. But after realizing she is beyond his reach, he promotes her execution for a crime she did not commit. When the noose closes around her neck, Quasimodo swoops down on a rope from the façade of the church and rescues her, then ensconces her in the bell tower. The film concludes when mobs storm the church and Quasimodo defends it, believing the attackers will harm Esmeralda. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mandy Patinkin, Salma Hayek, (more)
- 1997
When one of drug kingpin Luther Mahoney's "heroin mules" is found dead, Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Kellerman (Reed Diamond) mount an elaborate sting operation to bring down Mahoney (Erik Todd Dellums) once and for all. Elsewhere, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) finally patches up his differences with Pembleton (Andre Braugher), then braces himself for a meeting with the relative who sexually abused him as a child. And Munch (Richard Belzer) is informed that the so-called victim in an old murder case may still be alive -- little realizing that he is being set up as a pawn for a vengeful gangster. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
While traveling to Harrisburg, PN, to extradite suspected murderer Rose Halligan (Lily Tomlin), Baltimore homicide detectives Lewis (Clark Johnson) and Kellerman (Reed Diamond) bide their time and relax as much as possible. Their lethargy proves to be their undoing when Halligan slips through the cops' fingers while they make a pit stop at a popular diner. Meanwhile, an important piece of evidence turns up missing from Brodie's (Max Perlich) surveillance tapes, and Giardello (Yaphet Kotto) misses out on a major promotion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1996
In the conclusion of a two-part story, Baltimore cop Jake Rodzinski (Bruce Campbell) is the prime suspect in the murder of Kenny Damon, who had been acquitted on the charge of killing Jake's father. Kellerman (Reed Diamond) investigates the case, but withholds details of his findings from Jake's good friend Lewis (Clark Johnson). And in a less crucial development, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) and Pembleton (Andre Braugher) squabble over possession of a cold sandwich. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Belzer, Andre Braugher, (more)
- 1995
A serious rift develops between Tim Bayliss (Kyle Secor) and Frank Pembleton (Andre Braugher) when Tim's cousin Jim (David Morse) shoots a Turkish exchange student whom he thinks is breaking into his house. Upset that Bayliss is willing to accept Jim's self-defence plea, Pembleton becomes convinced that the Bayliss family is rife with inherent racism. Elsewhere, Lewis (Clark Johnson) thinks he has made a clever economic move when he hires his own grandmother as cook for the new bar -- but he's wrong. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
- 1994
Christmas is just another day on the calendar for the acerbic Munch (Richard Belzer), especially when he is handed a case involving the murder of a man in a Santa Claus suit. Elsewhere, Lt. Russert (Isabella Hoffman) decides to get back into the hands-on aspects of detective work by joining Lewis (Clark Johnson) in his latest investigation -- only to discover that she has prior knowledge of the persons involved in the case. And as Felton (Daniel Baldwin) wearily prepares to spend his first Christmas without his wife and children, Bayliss (Kyle Secor) seeks out a friendly Yuletide game of Hearts -- at five dollars a hand. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, (more)
The third entry in the popular Beverly Hills Cop series finds Detroit cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) returning yet again to Southern California, this time on the trail of two car thieves turned murderers. As he teams up again with L.A. cop Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), Foley's investigation leads him to Wonder World, a theme park that is also the front for a major counterfeiting ring. More action and less wit are the trademarks of this film, which features Murphy dishing out his usual wisecracks, but with less flair and freshness than in the original film. Alan Young plays the old man who runs the amusement park, an interesting setting that still adds little to the tired premise. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie Murphy, Judge Reinhold, (more)
- 1990
Russian-born novelist Vladimir Nabokov was considered one of the masters of 20th century prose. His novel Lolita both shocked and intrigued readers. Nabokov was also a prolific critic, having penned several lectures on literature, themselves explorations of world-famous writers. One of his subjects was Austrian author Franz Kafka. With both humor and intense scrutiny, Nabokov analyzes Kafka's absurd masterpiece in Nabokov on Kafka: Understanding The Metamorphosis. Christopher Plummer stars as Nabokov in this half-hour video re-enacting his lesson. Plummer breathes new life into the 1940s lectures, making them both real and accessible. ~ Sarah Ing, All Movie Guide
As directed by feature film stalwart Peter Medak (The Changeling, The Krays), the avant-garde stage musical La Voix Humaine unfurls in a Parisian hotel room circa 1930, where we witness a one-sided telephone conversation between an unstable young woman (American soprano Julia Migenes) and her deadbeat lover, who just recently jilted her. The actual narrative witnesses her breaking into song, then going through a number of emotional stages prior to committing suicide. Jean Cocteau authored the libretto, adapted from the tragedy by François Poulenc. This release contains a film of the original production, which was mounted in 1990. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 1989
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In this witty, dialogue-heavy piece, Christopher Plummer stars as the legendary Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov during his days lecturing at Cornell University. He proceeds to give an extremely literate and colorful interpretation of Franz Kafka's classic short story "The Metamorphosis," about a man who wakes up to discover his own transformation into a beetle. The gifted Peter Medak (The Krays, The Changeling) directs. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Plummer
- 1985
It was perhaps inevitable that, somewhere along the line in Magnum, P.I.,Higgins (John Hillerman) would end up emulating his namesake Professor Henry Higgins, the hero of Shaw's "Pygmalion"--which of course was the source material for the musical hit "My Fair Lady." In this episode, Higgins takes on the job of transforming his punk-rocker cousin Sally Ponting (played by Jillie Mack, future wife of series star Tom Selleck) into a proper lady in time for her marriage to wealthy young Timothy Finch (David Traylor). Meanwhile, Magnum (Tom Selleck) is kept busy tracking down the con artist who caused Higgins' friend Agatha (Gillian Dobb) to lose her life savings in a crooked investment scheme. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1984
Featuring an all-star cast, this episode from the cable-television series Faerie Tale Theatre tells the tale of how a vain king gets his comeuppance. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1984
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This made-for-TV children's film (from the Faerie Tale Theatre) concerns five princesses who wear out the soles of their shoes each day. The King promises a fortune to the person who can figure out the reason for the problem. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- 1983
This version of Hans Christian Andersen's story was produced for Faerie Tale Theatre. It is the story of a young maiden who bravely faces the fearsome ice-hearted Snow Queen in order to free her beloved. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Paul Reubens is the troublemaking title character in this installment of Faerie Tale Theatre. Carl Reiner stars as Gepetto, the lonely woodcarver who wishes for a son and creates a wooden marionette named Pinnochio as a substitute. One night a good fairy pays a visit and brings Pinnochio to life, but not without a catch -- he must behave himself and never lie or else his nose will grow. This charming adaptation also features James Coburn as a sly gypsy and a scene-stealing Lainie Kazan as the outrageous Blue Fairy with a hilariously exaggerated Italian accent. ~ Carrie Downes, All Movie Guide
- 1983
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The classic tale of a kind-hearted princess stalked by a jealous stepmother is brought to life in this early episode of Faerie Tale Theatre. Elizabeth McGovern is Snow White, the princess whose stepmother, the queen, banishes her because she is jealous of the girl's beauty. She takes up residence with a septet of friendly dwarfs in the woods, but eventually falls victim to a poisoned apple delivered by the queen in disguise. Only a kiss from a prince (Rex Smith) will awaken her. Veteran actress Vanessa Redgrave portrays the insanely wicked queen, and Vincent Price lends his incomparable voice and screen presence to the film as the queen's omnipresent magic mirror. ~ Carrie Downes, All Movie Guide
- 1982
In this mystery a psychiatrist and his wife are surprised to find that the quiet seaside town they just moved to is plagued by strange deaths that occur during mysterious storms. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
