Willie Nelson Movies

In 1996, the Beach Boys took a new approach to their music with the album Stars and Stripes, in which the great harmony group (with founder Brian Wilson once again in the lineup) went to Nashville to re-record some of their best-known songs with some of the biggest names in country music, including Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, Tammy Wynette, Lorrie Morgan, and Ricky Van Shelton. Nashville Sounds: The Making of Stars and Stripes takes a look at the studio sessions for this historic album, and also offers footage of the Beach Boys performing with several of their new Nashville friends in concert. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Arianna (Rae Dawn Chong), a beautiful, decidedly "New Agey" alien in a stylish spacecraft comes in search of the half-human half-alien being her people created as an experiment to see if her kind could live successfully on the Earth. She and her people feel no qualms about taking over the blue planet because its current residents care so little for its delicate ecological balances. No sooner does she land than she is out saving the hide of the handsome Kieran, who just happens to be the man she's seeking. A real back-to-nature-boy, Kieran (Billy Wirth) sports silky long hair, rippling muscles and carries with him a Chinese flute, something he prefers to play with his shirt off. Having found him, it seems that Arianna can simply take him back home, and this low-budget, unintentionally awful sci-fi outing would end, but alas, there is more trouble afoot when Kieran's evil bio-dad shows up to steal his genes for his own nefarious ends. Fortunately, while evading the nefarious Pallas, Kieran and Arianna have time to romance and make ultra-cosmic love. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When a power struggle between a greedy Texas mayor and a sympathetic lawyer threatens to render a band of desperate orphans homeless, a notorious gunslinger is called in to resolve the matter in this Western starring Robert Vaughn and Willie Nelson. As a powerful railroad company sets its sights on the small community of Brambles, the pressure on Mayor Sampson Moses (Robert Vaughn) to acquire the prosperous land of orphan Billy (Shaw Jones) threatens to bring the situation to a head. Though lawyer Neil Morris (Nelson) does his best to negotiate a peaceful solution to the stand-off, the desperate mayor soon calls in a fearsome gunslinger to rid Brambles of its stubborn residents and clear the path for western expansion by deadly force. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

For his 60th birthday, country legend Willie Nelson decided to throw a party and invite a few of his closest friends to help him celebrate. Among others appearing are Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Neil Young, B.B. King, Paul Simon, and Waylon Jennings -- most joining Nelson on stage for a series of inspired duets. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

The four legends who make up the Highwaymen appear in this performance video of a 1992 European tour. Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson pool their considerable talents and showmanship in The Highwaymen: On the Road Again, performing some of their greatest hits. In the hour-long show, Cash sings the classic "Folsom Prison Blues," Nelson sings "Always on My Mind," Jennings offers "Luckenbach, Texas," and Kristofferson does a rendition of his "Help Me Make It Through the Night." ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide

This compilation of old and new footage includes Willie Nelson singing classic tunes such as "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain," "Whisky River," "Yesterday's Wine," and "Crazy."
~ All Movie Guide

Dolly Parton goes dramatic in Wild Texas Wind--with plenty or songs in her repertoire to gloss over the script's shortcomings. This made-for-TV movie costars a curiously hammy Gary Busey as the manager of a country western band fronted by Parton. Through his business acumen, Parton's aggregation goes to the top. But the price of fame is Parton's peace of mind; she enters into a love affair with Busey, who proves to be psychotically abusive. Despite constant beatings, Parton stands by Busey until she gains the gumption to stand alone. C & W fans may not cotton to the storyline of Wild Texas Wind, though they'll probably be appeased by the musical performances of Dolly Parton, Ray Benton and (in a cameo) Willie Nelson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This country music industry tribute to Willie Nelson for his record-setting album Stardust features performances of "Some Enchanted Evening," "Spanish Eyes," "To Each His Own," and more. Also included are debuts of some songs from his subsequent album What a Wonderful World. ~ All Movie Guide

This program features performances by the Highwaymen, a country supergroup composed of Johnny Cash, aylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson. Filmed in 1990, together the group tears through 26 songs. Sprinkled among the performances are several segments in which the men discuss their careers and what it's like to finally have the opportunity to play with each other. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide

Two 19th Century outlaws attempt to outrun a variety of pursuers after stealing a large cache of gold in this high-energy caper starring Willie Nelson, Delta Burke, Alfonso Arau, and Jack Elam. It's not easy to outrun pursuing Indians, bandits, and Federal Agents when you're being weighed down by a substantial stash of precious ore, and after being taken into custody by Mexican authorities the quick thinking thieves enlist the aid of a scheming madam and her loyal band of prostitutes in reclaiming their treasure and eluding the long arm of the law. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Several music and film celebrities recall their former lives in this reincarnation-oriented feature with musical accompaniment. K.D. Lang considers herself the reincarnation of the late country singer Patsy Cline, Martin Sheen gives a rambling monologue about his near-death experience while filming Apocalypse Now, and Willie Nelson sings songs about cowboys who come back to live another life. Also included are Rae Dawn Chong, Catherine Oxenberg, Donovan, The Dalai Lama, Ringo Starr, and James Coburn. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

The made-for-TV Once Upon a Texas Train offers us the once-in-a-lifetime teaming of Richard Widmark, Willie Nelson and Angie Dickinson. Nelson plays a veteran outlaw who robs a bank less than 6 hours after being paroled from jail. He uses the money to reunite his old gang, then sets about to repeat the train robbery that had gotten him arrested 20 years earlier. This time, however, Nelson is himself targetted for theft by a young, hungrier band of desperadoes. Widmark plays the lawman who caught Nelson before and intends to do so again. Written and directed by the reliable Burt Kennedy, Once Upon a Texas Train premiered January 3, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide