Joseph Stefano Movies

This documentary is a loving look at the cinematic genius of Alfred Hitchcock. Speeding through much of his early British works, the film focuses on his American classics, such as Marnie, Vertigo, and particularly Psycho. The movie also neatly examines Hitchcock's signature touches, from his inevitable brief cameo to his famous MacGuffin. Kevin Spacey narrates, and there are interviews with such film figures as Jonathan Demme, Peter Bogdanovich, and Janet Leigh. Dial H for Hitchcock was screened at the 1999 Denver Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Another in a handful of remade episodes from the original Outer Limits series of the 1960s, Nightmare was based on a program which originally aired on December 2, 1963. The elite multicultural crew of the military space cruiser Tango Bravo is captured by Ebonite aliens. One by one, the crew members are forced to endure a hellish interrogation, conducted by an unseen voice. Curiously, the Ebonites seem to know the unique psychological weaknesses of each crewperson -- but no one knows where the interrogation will lead, nor what will ultimately happen to the captives. Dedicated to the late Outer Limits creator Leslie Stevens, the "new" version of "Nightmare" was first shown on August 14, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This nostalgic drama is based upon the childhood memories of screenwriter Joseph Stefano. Set in South Philadelphia in 1933 it centers on both a wise grandfather, and his single-minded grandson. The film opens in a garden on a beautiful day. In the garden is the Italian grandpa telling anyone who will listen that this is his final day of life. No one really believes that, especially not 12-year-old Gennaro who is more interested in finding a quarter so he can go to the grand opening of the brand new La Paloma theater. The grandfather promises the boy that he will receive the money after he dies. The child doesn't believe this and so begins his own search for two bits. Along the way he has many adventures. Towards the end, the grandfather asks the boy to deliver a message to a woman he wronged many years before. He wants her forgiveness before he dies. In the end, Gennaro learns a valuable lesson about life. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

While piloting the Enterprise's shuttlecraft, Deanna Troi crash lands on Vagra 2. She is promptly taken captive by Armus (Mark McChesney), a sadistic creature capable of altering its shape at will. Taking great delight in tormenting the rescue team, Armus causes the death of Lt. Tasha Yar. The anger and outrage engendered by this tragedy ends up hoisting Armus on his own petard. A truly pivotal episode, "Skin of Evil" was written by old Outer Limits hand Joseph Stefano and Hannah Louise Shearer and was first telecast on April 30, 1988. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A scientist discovers that he isn't an only child in this effects-laden creature feature whose cast includes screen veterans Kim Hunter and Rod Steiger among a host of other, less well-known performers. John Hollins (David Allen Brooks) is delighted to learn that his geneticist mother, Amanda (Hunter), has awoken from her coma years after she suffered a horrible car crash. During their reunion, he learns that she was trying to put an end to a misguided experiment at her home on the night of the accident. Before losing consciousness, Amanda reveals that John has a brother named Anthony. Later, she's murdered by Dr. Phillip Lloyd (Rod Steiger), an old colleague who wants to uncover the secrets of her research. John travels to his large, run-down boyhood home with his girlfriend, a group of pals, and a mysterious acolyte of his mother's named Melissa (Amanda Pays); the group plans to search for clues about Amanda's research and John's supposed sibling. The young scientist soon ascertains that his mother had created some sort of human/aquatic hybrid, but he doesn't realize that the creature was assembled from his own genetic material -- or that it's still alive in the bowels of the house and picking off his friends one at a time. Meanwhile, something's fishy with Melissa, who skulks around, doesn't sleep, tries to seduce John, covers up details of the attacks on his friends, and seems to have some sort of connection to Dr. Lloyd. Co-directors Jeffrey Obrow and Stephen W. Carpenter previously collaborated on the slasher quickie The Dorm That Dripped Blood and on The Power, a made-for-TV horror film. Pays would go on to co-star in the similarly aquatic sci-fi film Leviathan. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

The science of "cryogenics" forms the basis of the made-for-TV Live Again, Die Again. Donna Mills plays a young woman who dies of rheumatic fever. At her deathbed request, Mills' body is frozen, in hopes of reviving her in the future. Thirty years later, Mills awakens, returning to the not-so-open arms of her doddering husband (Walter Pidgeon), her spiteful daughter (Vera Miles) and her mixed-up son (Mike Farrell). No, this was not produced by Walt Disney Studios. Adapted by Joseph Stefano from a novel by David Sale, Live Again, Die Again first aired February 16, 1974. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This TV movie stars Bill Bixby as a professional magician who is wrongly accused of a crime and sent to prison. Upon his release, Bixby swears to fight criminals and wrongdoers and to champion the underdog, using his prestidigitory skills to accomplish this. The film proudly states in its prologue that all the illusions seen during the story are actual magic tricks, minus special camera effects--though it strains credibility to assume that Bixby carries a prop for every occasion to confound the crooks at a moment's notice. The Magician was transformed into a weekly 60-minute series in the fall of 1973. The series lasted only one season, the victim of executive indecision over whether to play the series straight or with tongue in cheek. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Shelley Winters convincingly plays a vengeful mom who imprisons the man she believes is responsible for abducting and murdering her daughter. She tortures him mercilessly in her hostile revenge. ~ Rovi

Futz is the tender story of a man and his pig. Seth Allen plays a young farmer whose luck with women ranges from lousy to hopeless. Unable to relate to human females, the poor farmer concentrates all his love and affection upon his prize sow Amanda. The ensuing public uproar is but one of many ingredients to this pure-sixties stew. Director Tom O'Horgan (Hair, Lenny), who managed to turn Futz into a success as a Broadway play, was carried over to the film version - as were many members of the LaMaMa stage troupe responsible for the original play. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this sci-fi thriller, a man finds himself beleagured by jewel thieves after they hide their loot in his pick-up truck. Unfortunately, when they finally go to get it, the jewels are gone. To get their revenge they send a homicidal Vietnam veteran to get the truck owner. Apparently the vet is being controlled by a scientist who has implanted an electronic device in his brain. When the vet kidnaps the man's wife and child, the man takes off after them. Later it is discovered that the child had hidden the jewels, which she had found, in the head of her dolly. Other than the story, this film is interesting in that it continued to grow and change over a six-year period. The year after its release, additional footage with the mad scientist was added and the film was released as The Fiend with the Electronic Brain (1966); five years after that, they added even more footage and a couple more characters and called it Blood of Ghastly Horror (1971). ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

In Volume 18 of a collection culled from the 1963-1965 science fiction anthology television series, an entomologist hires a new lab assistant, never guessing that she is actually the agent of an alien culture of bee-like creatures. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Luis Spain (Don Gordon), Genaro Planetta (Tony Mordente), and Henry Castle (Chris Warfield) are three seeming social misfits who are recruited into the ranks of the Invisibles, a subversive underground organization run by an alien race. The Invisibles, small creatures with hard shell-covered bodies and sharp claws, have the ability to invade and merge with any human being, taking over control of their minds and bodies; they have already done this with several high-ranking politicians and other prominent personalities, and are planning on doing it with more, with help from Spain, Planetta, and recruits like them. Spain turns out to be an agent of the GIA (Government Intelligence Agency), sent to infiltrate the ranks of the Invisibles' followers. Cut off from his agency by the murder of his partner (William O. Douglas, Jr.), he is sent on his first mission, the takeover of a top defense department advisor (Neil Hamilton), only to learn that the Invisibles have suspected him from the beginning, and that he is the target, their goal to get one of their own into the ranks of the GIA. Seriously injured and desperately seeking help, Spain turns to his fellow recruit Planetta, with whom he developed a tenuous bond during their indoctrination. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi