Vic Morrow Movies

One of many post-apocalyptic science-fiction films which poured out of Europe in the wake of George Miller's Mad Max, this film stars Stefania Girolami as Anna, who runs away from her wealthy but obnoxious family into the surrealistic biker gangland of the Bronx. There, she meets Trash (Marco de Gregorio), part of a gang called The Riders, and soon falls in love with him. Problems arise when Anna's father (Enio Girolami), president of the evil Manhattan Corporation, sends in a psychopath named Hammer (Vic Morrow) to stir up trouble among the rival gangs, including a black club led by Ogre (Fred Williamson) and a rollerskating group led by Golem (Luigi Montefiori). Castellari's direction is surprisingly stylish and exciting, but all of the hyper-macho posturing eventually grows tiresome for anyone over fifteen. Still, undemanding viewers will have a good time, as the action keeps coming fast and furious, laced with suitably hardbitten dialogue by director Enzo G. Castellari, Elisa Livia Briganti and Dardano Sacchetti. A minor classic of testosterone cinema, followed by several sequels starting with Fuga dal Bronx (1983). ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

B.A.D. Cats was a 1980 TV adventure series, all about a special division of the LA police department. Comprised of ex-racing drivers, the B.A.D. C.A.T. squad (Burglary Auto Detail, Commercial Auto Thefts) went after the bad guys with a vengeance-and with all cylinders running. Premiering January 4, 1980, the series was cancelled after five episodes, at which point its producers issued what amounted to a public apology. The only logical reason that two episodes of B.A.D. Cats have been released on video is that one of its stars was Michelle Pfeiffer, playing curvaceous lady-cop Samantha "Sam" Jensen. Usually clad in skimpy halter tops and cutoffs, her main purpose was to impersonate hookers and biker chicks, and get kidnapped. Funny how the B.A.D. Cats video showed up on rental shelves shortly after Michelle Pfeiffer's star-making turn in 1988's Married to the Mob; we wonder if she puts the 1980 series on her current resume. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Seekers was the third and last TV movie based on John Jakes' Kent Family Chronicles (the others were The Bastard and The Rebels). Heading the huge all-star cast is Randolph Mantooth as Abraham Kent, son of elderly Revolutionary War vet Andrew Kent (played by Martin Milner, replacing the first two films' Andrew Stevens), who has resettled in the treacherous Northwest Territory. Part One of this two-part, four-hour production finds young Abraham trying out a series of occupations, while his brother Gilbert (George Deloy) goes into his father's publishing business. Part Two takes us up to the War of 1812, as seen through the eyes of Jarod and Amanda Kent (Timothy P. Murphy and Sarah Rush), who shortly thereafter head westward. Originally syndicated as part of the Operation Prime Time package, The Seekers made its debut during the week of December 2, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A nuclear-powered transcontinental train provides the setting for this television pilot from the mystery series Supertrain. The story concerns a shady agent who becomes the prime target for murder. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this western adventure set in 1903, four imprisoned cowgirls bust out and begin trailing a famed Irish killer who is planning to assassinate President Teddy Roosevelt. Along the way, the foursome encounter many exciting adventures. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This wonderfully cheesy TV movie-of-the-week stars Tony Franciosa as a detective hot on the trail of a murderer whose mutilated and predominantly male victims are found encased in silken cocoons. He eventually tracks the killer's path to Los Angeles, where he discovers her true identity -- a woman who was bitten by black widow spiders as a child, who has developed the ability to transform herself into a gigantic spider-monster (as portrayed by a not-too-convincing rubber puppet). An odd diversion for director Dan Curtis, with a 1950's monster-movie mentality incongruous with his earlier TV features. The cast -- comprised of many familiar TV faces -- try to play their roles straight, despite the overall impression that the whole thing is a silly put-on. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

When a billionaire checks into the hospital for a heart operation, he becomes the object of a massive terrorist attack, as they hold him for $10 million ransom. Complicating the problem is his absolute obsession with his privacy, a la Howard Hughes. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide

One of four dramatic miniseries carried by NBC under the blanket title Best Sellers, Captains and the Kings was adapted from a novel by Taylor Caldwell. Covering a time span from 1857 to 1912, this was the saga of the Irish-immigrant Armagh clan, with emphasis on the rags-to-riches career of Joseph Armagh (Richard Jordan). Achieving fame and prominence (if not full-fledged social acceptance) through a Byzantine series of investments in the oil industry, the elder Armagh was obsessed with the notion of having one of his sons become the first Irish-Catholic President of the United States (does this story sound vaguely familiar?). Along the way, Joseph and his offspring indulged in innumerable romantic liaisons, extramarital and otherwise. Featured in the all-star cast is Patty Duke Astin, who won an Emmy award for her portrayal of Bernadette Hennessey Armagh. Captains and the Kings was broadcast from September 30 to November 18, 1976 in seven installments, two of which ran 120 minutes, and the other six lasting 60 minutes -- a total of nine hours' air time in all. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Maria Schneider is Michele, a young student sculptress assigned to look after the kidnapped baby of her ex-lover. She and the kid hit it off but are unable to escape until the kidnappers begin to kill one another off. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this thriller, a man, who witnessed his neighbor's murder, tries to no avail, to convince the cops that he is going to be the next victim. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A genuine DC-9 was used in this episode to simulate a wrecked aircraft. The purpose for this crash is to set up a tense situation, wherein convicted murderer John Stahl (Vic Morrow) is set loose in the Lake Tahoe area. Meanwhile, Stahl's captors Erskine (Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) and Colby (William Reynolds), seriously injured in the plane crash, must fend for themselves in the treacherous wilderness--and also avoid being picked off like sitting ducks by the deranged Stahl. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally networkcast on March 20, 1973, Police Story was the 2-hour pilot for the long running anthology weekly which officially debuted seven months later. Created by novelist (and ex-police officer) Joseph Wambaugh, Police Story was set in Los Angeles, and each week detailed a different aspect of law enforcement work. In the pilot, Vic Morrow stars as a hard-nosed cop assigned to a unit devoted to stopping felonies in progress. Morrow's principal reason for being is to bring to justice an elusive veteran criminal named "Slow Boy," portrayed by Chuck Connors. This initial Police Story entry was rerun September 26, 1973, one week before the premiere of the series proper. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Weekend Nun was an unsold TV pilot film based on the life and career of Louisiana nun Sister Fabian (real name: Joyce Duco). Joanna Pettet stars as Sister Mary Damien (aka: Marjorie Walker), who on weekdays holds down a job as a probation officer (she even packs a gun). The schism between the outside world and Sister Fabian's religious calling is brought sharply into focus when tragedy strikes. Vic Morrow costars as the sister's probation department associate, while Ann Sothern appears as the head nun. The real Sister Fabian/Joyce Duco, who had left the Order long before this film was made, acted as technical adviser on Weekend Nun. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide