Robert T. Megginson Movies
- 1999
Based on the first of Dorothy Gilman's popular novels about a senior citizen who joins the CIA, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax stars Angela Lansbury as Emily Polifax, an elderly woman who feels out of sorts and unsure of what to do with herself after the death of her husband. Her doctor tries to cheer her up by telling her this is a perfect time to try new things and fulfill ambitions set aside earlier in life. Emily decides this is fine advice and takes a shot at the career of her dreams -- she writes a letter to her congressman asking how one goes about becoming a CIA agent. The letter is passed along and the CIA agrees to an interview. However, Emily is mistakenly sent on a mission to Morocco before anyone realizes she isn't actually an agent, and operative Jack Farrell (Thomas Ian Griffith) is sent out to keep an eye on her. When Emily and Jack are unexpectedly taken hostage, Jack discovers Mrs. Pollifax is far more clever and resourceful than anyone expected. The first in a proposed series of TV movies aimed to appeal to the large and loyal audience Lansbury attracted with the show Murder, She Wrote, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax was produced for CBS television, who first aired it in May 1999. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Angela Lansbury, Thomas Ian Griffith, (more)
A man who simulates death for a living finds himself unwittingly tied into the real thing in this New York-based suspense drama. Special effects man Rollie Tyler (Bryan Brown) makes his living simulating gory mayhem and photogenic violence for movies such as "I Dismember Mama." Tyler is given a chance to expand his professional horizons when he's approached by Lipton (Cliff DeYoung), who introduces himself as an FBI agent and makes an unusual proposal. Mob kingpin Nicholas DeFranco (Jerry Orbach) is willing to testify against his fellow gangsters, but the investigators are worried about his safety. Lipton wants Tyler to help him and his staff fake DeFranco's assassination; if everyone is convinced DeFranco is dead, people will be a lot less likely to look for him. Tyler grudgingly takes the assignment, and while he's able to realistically simulate DeFranco being shot in a crowded restaurant, after the "gag," he discovers that he's been double crossed, and he's wanted for the murder of the man he just "shot." Tyler hides out with his girlfriend Ellen (Diane Venora), but he realizes that whoever set him up wants him dead after she's killed by a bullet meant for him. With the help of fellow effects artist Andy (Martha Gehman), Tyler goes underground and tries to unravel the truth behind the Lipton murder. Meanwhile, police detective Leo McCarthy (Brian Dennehy) is convinced that something is not right when he's called to the scene of DeFranco's murder and is certain that the dead body is not the gangster. F/X was followed by a sequel, and later a short-lived TV series. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, (more)
- 1983
This is a weak attempt by director and co-writer Romano Vanderbes to satirize middle America's standard news broadcasts with as many jokes about sex as possible. The featured station is KSEX and Doug Ballard and Lydia Mahan play the anchors in a broadcast where blue does not mean melancholy. Aside from parodies of overplayed TV commercials and stereotyped co-anchor dialogue, Vanderbes has also excerpted segments from newsreels and other real footage that take on unintended meanings when seen out of context. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doug Ballard, Lydia Mahan, (more)
- 1981
- R
In this graphic and gory slice-n-dicer, a young boy goes Lizzy Borden when he sees his daddy making love to his mistress, and he chops them to bits. Though he goes through years of treatment, nothing can heal his shattered mind and he grows up to be a homicidal maniac. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Baird Stafford, Sharon Smith, (more)
- 1980
Manifestations of Shiva was created to celebrate the exhibition on depictions of the Hindu god Shiva in painting and sculpture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the film carries the same title as the book by Stella Kramrisch on that exhibition. Rather than focus on the static images in the museum, the film takes up the performance aspects of Shiva-worship: dance and music. That is particularly appropriate because Shiva is venerated as the "Lord of the Dance" (Shiva Nataraja) whose 108 sacred dances are used as the source for the art of dancing in India. Director, writer, and cinematographer Malcolm Leigh has allowed the music, the performances, and the scenery to speak for themselves, but does provide some explanatory narration at the beginning of the 50-minute documentary. The result is a cinematic sense of the cyclical nature of existence, as nature and life seems to come around full circle, over and over again. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- 1979
- R
A rowdy frat follows in the tradition of the Greek-oriented theme of college parties where there's plenty of beer and playful students clad in scant sheet-wrap. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1977
In this rock music parody of the life of Elvis, Pelvis (Luther "Bud" Whaney), a young country-music singer, is taken on a roller-coaster ride of popularity, is made into a star "glitter-rock" performer, and becomes disillusioned with the whole music business. Most of the movie's satire is to be found in the music itself, and in the song lyrics. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary Mitchell
- 1972
- R
The Broad Coalition is about a coalition of broads. In this broad satire, they are members of the women's liberation movement. One of the movement stalwarts is a mad-scientist type, and she has developed a way to make men pregnant. Among those in her group is a woman with a policeman boyfriend who is chosen as the test subject. When he gives birth to a baby boy, the other men on the force decide that they want babies too, and the women begin to feel neglected by their baby-mad men. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Leading man John Rose finds himself faced with a difficult moral decision when he must choose between following his draft-dodging friends to Canada and living under the stigma of cowardice or doing his patriotic duty and risking his life. Look closely and you'll spot Spalding Gray as one of the radicals. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
