Stanford Sherman Movies
In this undistinguished parody of the sci fi genre, Robert Urich is Jason who leads a band of pirates in redistributing the wealth of the few to the coffers of the needy. He also joins up with Princess Karina Mary Crosby in searching for her father and a possible source of water in the next galaxy. Meant to be a campy romp through the sci fi genre, the film stops short of achieving a goal that should have been effortless. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Urich, Mary Crosby, (more)
(Burt Reynolds) as J.J. McClure takes off across the country again in this rickety sequel to Cannonball Run. A sheik has offered $1,000,000 to the first driver to reach a destination in Connecticut from Redondo Beach, California, inspiring J.J. and others to go for the gold. With cameos from more name performers than any dozen films together, (Frank Sinatra and the rat pack, Telly Savalas, Susan Anton, Shirley MacLaine, Jackie Chan, Sid Caesar, Marilu Henner, Catherine Bach, etc., etc., etc.), the movie becomes a pastiche and is executed as though no rehearsals were required, or ever happened. A disparate group of people racing to get a lot of money was first successfully exploited in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, a much better film, and with just as many cameos, in fact. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, (more)
- 1983
- R
Sam Cooper (Steve Gutenberg) is an attaché in the U.S. State Department when, on the day before his wedding, a dying scientist hands him a formula that induces invisibility, and Sam finds himself fleeing with the maid of honor to escape both Russian and U.S. agents. Hotly pursued by everyone, Sam has to use the formula on himself, inviting a series of minor disasters. Critics have been unanimous in agreeing that this secret formula worked on the plot, the continuity, the pacing, and the acting -- making just about everything invisible and doing it in 3-D. The very decision to make a movie about an invisible man in 3-D should have warned of trouble ahead. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Guttenberg, Jeffrey Tambor, (more)
Meant to be a whimsical sword-and-sorcery film about a prince out to save his princess from the jaws of the Beast, Krull has enough scenes borrowed from blockbuster predecessors (Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Robin Hood, Star Wars) and is gentle enough to be rather derivative, ordinary fare. Prince Colwyn (Ken Marshall) has inherited a kingdom under siege by the evil Beast, and not only has to rid the land of the monster, but he has to rescue his bride Lyssa (Lysette Anthony) from the Beast's clutches as well. In his magical land, horses can sometimes fly, medieval castles can harbor weapons that light up, and before he can defeat the Beast, the prince has to get his hands on the glaive (French for "double-edged sword"), a razor-sharp, magical weapon capable of killing the monster. One of the more notable aspects of Krull is that a 30-year old Liam Neeson plays the bit part of Kegan, in only his third full-length feature film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, (more)
This sequel to Every Which Way But Loose finds Philo Beddoe (Clint Eastwood) on the road, orangutan companion Clyde in tow, as he makes his way as a bare-knuckle fighter. The action begins with Philo punching out a new victim while Clyde relieves himself on the seat of a police car, setting the tone for the rest of the story. From there, Philo and Clyde return home, where Philo, who still lives with Ma (Ruth Gordon), is offered a contest with Jack Wilson (William Smith), the Mafia-sponsored East Coast bare-knuckle champ. Philo inadvertently saves Wilson's life, but then the Mafia kidnaps his girlfriend (Sondra Locke) to force him to go ahead with the match. Philo and Wilson team up to battle the Mob, but somehow they end up fighting anyway in a grueling climactic sequence. Country music, bikers, the Mafia, an orangutan, pick-up trucks, defecation jokes, fighting, drinking, and swearing -- it's all here in this lowbrow comic stew. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, (more)
- 1967
A booby-trapped toy, set to explode when the outside temperature reaches a certain level, falls into the witting hands of rival T.H.R.U.S.H. leaders Simon and Peter Sweet (Jan Murray and Pat Harrington Jr.). It is no exaggeration to say that the heat is on when Solo, Illya, and Wendy Thyme (Grace Gaynor) join forces to retrieve the toy before it is too late. An added complication arises in the form of the Sweet brothers' gorgon-like mother -- and T.H.R.U.S.H. kingpin -- Mama Sweet (an atypically cast Patsy Kelly). Perennial starlet Edy Williams shows up in a small but decorative role. Written by Stanford Sherman, "The Hula Doll Affair" was originally telecast on February 17, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Mr. Waverly goes to his alma mater to accept an honorary degree, with U.N.C.L.E. agents Solo and Illya providing security. Meanwhile, T.H.R.U.S.H. is fomenting a student riot on campus, spearheaded by hired agitator Gregory Haymish (Zalman King). Things reach the crisis stage when T.H.R.U.S.H. operative Trumble (Larry D. Mann) substitutes a lookalike for Dean Swight (Henry Jones)-a lookalike programmed to kill Waverly. Essential ingredients to the action include a demonic teaching machine which doles out death as a failing grade. Also appearing is Carole Shelyne as the dean's daughter, Minerva. Written by Stanford Sherman, "The Cap and Gown Affair" originally aired on April 14, 1967, as the final episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'s third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1967
Comic musician Victor Borge plays it straight as Dr. Rutter, a Danish physicist posing as a music teacher. Not wanting his antimatter formula to fall into the wrong hands, Rutter hides out in a tranquil suburban community. Inevitably, however, the minions of T.H.R.U.S.H. invade the neighborhood with various and sundry weapons of destruction -- including booby-trapped ice cream bars -- followed in close order by the good guys from U.N.C.L.E. The supporting cast includes Beth Brickell, as innocent housewife Betsy, and familiar comedy foils Herbert Anderson and Reta Shaw in uncharacteristically villainous roles. Scripted by Sheridan Gibney and Stanford Sherman from a story by Gibney, "The Suburbia Affair" originally aired on January 6, 1967. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1966
To get his syndicate-boss uncle Giulano (J. Carroll Naish) off his back, mobster Frank Cariago (Bernard Fein) concocts a scheme to wipe out all his Las Vegas competitors. To do this, he finances a "disaster" film concocted by fly-by-night movie producer Sheldon Veblan (Shelley Berman) as a star-making vehicle for Sheldon's dizzy girlfriend Ginger Laveer (Carol Wayne). UNCLE agents Solo and Illya must prevent Veblan from unwittingly devastating Vegas with an atomic stink bomb. The preponderance of comic talent in this episode all but confirms the fact that Stanford Sherman's teleplay was never meant to be taken seriously. "The Super-Colossal Affair" first aired on October 7, 1966. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- PG
An ailing millionaire and master jewel thief invites the best rival jewel thieves in the world to his island estate to compete for the ultimate prize in a suspenseful tale of action and intrigue starring John Saxon and Rex Harrison, and directed by Krishna Shah. Sir John Locksley is going to die. Before he does so, however, the wealthy former criminal mastermind wants to have a bit of fun with his prized possession - the Shalimar Ruby. Convinced that the gem should reside with a worthy successor upon his passing, Sir Locksley extends an invitation to the most skillful thieves on the planet to come to his island to compete for the priceless gem. Though the sole winner will walk away the proud owner of the world's most luminous jewel, the losers, in turn, will pay the ultimate price for their shortcomings in the competition. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
