Bill Reid Movies
- 1992
Overkill: The Aileen Wuornos Story stars Jean Smart as the title character. One of the rare female serial killers on record, Wuornos was eventually charged with murdering seven men on lonely Florida roads. The killing spree took place between 1990 and 1991, thus this 1992 TV movie could pat itself on the back for its timeliness. At the time Overkill was made, there was some public doubt concerning Wuornos' guilt (she was then on death row). The script suggests that her crimes were a by-product of childhood sexual abuse. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jean Smart, Park Overall, (more)
In this wilderness adventure a cartographer and his son head into the wilds to make some maps. They are accompanied by the father's pet eagle. The trouble begins when his son is kidnapped by the villainous One-Eye Hatchett who sells the lad to an Indian village. With the help of his eagle, the father manages to retrieve his son. He and the boy are also befriended by a young Indian girl who ends up following them when a dream tells the father to head West. The film was shot on location in the Oregon wilderness. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- 1990
- PG
The Second City comedy ensemble reunites for this camp story of a motorcycle gang trying to take home the body of a dead member (James Belushi). Problem is, they must also outrun a pesky lawyer (Ray Baker) who is trying to bring the group to justice for breaking their probation. John Candy, Dan Aykroyd and George Wendt make small appearances. ~ John Bush, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Rasche, Catherine Bach, (more)
- 1988
Little Dorrit was intended as the cinematic equivalent to the mammoth, eight-hour Royal Shakespeare Company's staging of Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickelby. The film was released to theaters in two parts, each running approximately three hours. The first part, subtitled "Nobody's Fault," introduced us to the seamstress title character (Sarah Pickering), who chooses to live in debtor's prison with her father (Alec Guinness). Good Samaritan Arthur Clennam (Derek Jacobi) endeavors to help both father and daughter. The second part, also known as "Little Dorrit's Story," details Dorrit's escape from penury to lasting happiness. Eschewing the usual 19th century-style British music often heard in Dickensian adaptations, director Christine Edzard creatively -- and effectively -- opts for the strains of Giuseppe Verdi. Edzard's eye for period detail is also deserving of unbounded praise. Unfortunately, part two of Little Dorrit spends nearly half of its running time recapping part one, utilizing much of the same footage. For those familiar with "Nobody's Fault," "Little Dorrit's Story" is more a redundancy than a continuation. Still, taken together, parts one and two all fully deserving of the enthusiastic critical commentary that greeted them upon their original release -- not to mention the multiple Academy Award nominations bestowed upon the project and its participants. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
