Chris Isaak Movies
In another era, Chris Isaak's steely good looks and affable, unaffected screen presence would have made him an overnight leading man. Whether by choice or fate, however, Isaak seems to be content with his status as a part-time character actor and full-time rockabilly-influenced crooner. Born in Stockton, CA, in 1956, Isaak dabbled in surfing and competitive boxing as a teenager -- leaving him with his trademark bent nose -- before enrolling in an exchange student program in Japan. Upon his return to the U.S., Isaak completed college and endured a series of odd jobs as he led the life of the Northern California beach bum.In the mid-'80s, Isaak and his friends secured a record deal and began recording their unique brand of Southwestern retro-pop under the moniker Silvertone. It was director Jonathan Demme -- already a fan of Isaak's music -- who gave him bit parts in 1988's Married to the Mob and Demme's 1991 breakthrough, The Silence of the Lambs. Though Isaak's acting career was slowly gaining momentum, his Roy Orbison-influenced ballads still weren't catching on with the general public. When David Lynch featured the jilted-lover anthem "Wicked Game" in his road movie Wild at Heart, however, radio requests for the song quickly grew, and Isaak found himself with a Top Ten hit by the end of 1990 -- well over a year since the track was originally released. Thanks to Herb Ritts' sultry video for the song, Isaak had become a reluctant sex symbol as well. Lynch would be the first to capitalize on Isaak's heightened public profile, casting him as Special Agent Chester Desmond in 1992's baffling, elliptical Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
Despite the film's lackluster box-office performance, director Bernardo Bertolucci took notice and gave Isaak a lead role in his fantasy-biopic Little Buddha. Though convincing as the stoic family man whose son is mysteriously believed to be the latest reincarnation of Buddha, the neophyte actor couldn't withstand the wellspring of negative critical response to the film, causing some wags to slight his work in it. Perhaps as a response, Isaak has usually maintained a low profile in features since Buddha, choosing instead to take distinctive supporting roles in period films such as That Thing You Do! and Grace of My Heart, both in 1996.
Though his feature-film aspirations hadn't panned out, Isaak did find some success acting on the small-screen in 2001, when he was given his own television show on Showtime. The Chris Isaak Show attracted a cult following with its witty semi-fictional portrayal of musician Chris Isaak. In 2004, Isaak took to the big-screen again, starring in the NC-17-rated John Waters sex comedy A Dirty Shame amidst an eclectic cast that included British comedian Tracey Ullman, Jackass co-creator Johnny Knoxville, indie-film actress Selma Blair, and such Waters regulars as Patricia Hearst and Mink Stole. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
- 2009
Singer-songwriter Chris Isaac hosts this one-hour, in-depth interview program, talking one-on-one with a variety of musicians about their art, inspiration, and careers. Digging for answers with inside knowledge of what it's like to be a musical artist, Isaac offers funny, irreverent perspective, and occasionally breaks out into an impromptu duet with his guest. ~ Cammila Collar, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chris Isaak
A collection of Bret Easton Ellis' short stories are adapted for the screen by Ellis and Nicholas Jarecki and helmed by Gregor Jordan in The Informers, a Senator Entertainment ensemble film featuring Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, and Winona Ryder. The film observes the goings-on during a week in Los Angeles in 1983, with many intersecting characters including a kidnapper, movie executives, rock stars, and other freewheeling, morally loose individuals. Austin Nichols, Jon Foster, and Amber Heard co-star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
- Starring:
- Billy Bob Thornton, Kim Basinger, (more)
- 2007
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On the heels of his 2006 release Last Man Standing, seventy-something rock-and-roll piano man Jerry Lee Lewis stages a rollicking series of concerts featuring special guest appearances by such musical superstars as Tom Jones, Merle Haggard, Kid Rock, John Fogerty, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Isaac, and Norah Jones. Recorded live in New York and Los Angeles, this intimate collection of concert clips proves that while rock-and-roll may age, it truly never dies. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jerry Lee Lewis
America's leading titan of bad taste, John Waters, returns to X-rated territory (well, actually NC-17-rated territory, but you get the idea) for this wildly over-the-top comedy. Sylvia Stickles (Tracey Ullman) is a wife and mother living in Baltimore who, along with her husband Vaughn (Chris Isaak) and mother Big Ethel (Suzanne Shepherd), operates a local convenience store. One day, Sylvia receives a sharp blow to the head, which leaves her with a concussion. However, the concussion comes with an unexpected side effect -- Sylvia has suddenly become a sex addict, and is soon attended to by the perverse and lascivious sexual evangelist Ray-Ray (Johnny Knoxville). When it becomes evident that Vaughn can't keep up with her sensual appetites, Sylvia throws herself into the strange netherworld of Baltimore's community of erotic overachievers, which includes her daughter Caprice (Selma Blair), who is living a double life as über-buxom exotic entertainer Ursula Udders. A Dirty Shame also features supporting performances from Waters regulars Patricia Hearst, Mink Stole, Mary Vivian Pearce, Channing Wilroy, and Jean Hill. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tracey Ullman, Johnny Knoxville, (more)
- 2004
The weather outside is delightful, and as the sun blazes down on California, Chris Isaac ducks in to his air-conditioned studio to record the Christmas album he's always wanted to make. Captured live at the Soundstage studios in Chicago, this collection of holiday standards features such jovial favorites as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", "White Christmas", "Chestnuts", and "Mele Kalikimaka". But that's not all, because Isaac and the band also take the time to craft such original holiday gems as "Washington Square" and "Hey Santa". In addition to being backed up by his long-time band, Isaac is also joined in the studio by such special guests as Brian McKnight, Michael Buble, and Stevie Nicks. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chris Isaak
- 2003
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The PBS music series Soundstage has featured a variety of musical artists. This edition of the show offers Chris Isaak and Raul Malo performing various selections. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
A teenager finds himself torn between his loyalty to his friends and possibly destroying his own future in this drama. Danny (Peter Facinelli) is a high school senior who has been offered a chance to play football for a college scholarship; while the offer is tempting, at the same time he doesn't want to leave his girlfriend behind. However, all the bets in his life are off when one of his best friends shoots his father, who had a history of violence. Danny and his friends know their buddy would not survive in prison, so they steal the body and try to hide all the evidence before the police get wise. Their plan proves to be neither as simple or as effective as they hoped. End of Innocence features a strong supporting cast, including Amy Irving, Chris Isaak, and Tom Arnold. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Peter Facinelli, Rodney Eastman, (more)
- 1999
The premise of MTV's popular Unplugged series is to strip away the layering of high-end quality production of a popular song, pare it down to its essential elements, and present an acoustical of that song performed by the artist. On this video some of MTV's finest memories are collected for this video album, including Eric Clapton's "Before You Accuse Me," "When the Night Comes" by Joe Cocker, Sheryl Crow's "Leaving Las Vegas," "Pride and Joy" and "Life Without You" performed by the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughan, "Midnight Rider" by the Allman Brothers Band, John Mellencamp's "Small Town," Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game," "Closer to Fine" by Indigo Girls, and Seal's performance of "Prayer for the Dying." ~ Forrest Spencer, Rovi
- 1999
The premise of MTV's Unplugged series is to strip away the layering of high-end quality production of a popular song, pare it down to its essential elements, and present an acoustical version of that song. On this video the theme of romanticism defines each video of some of the best love ballads of a generation, including "I'm Ready" by Bryan Adams, "Still Crazy After All These Years" by Paul Simon, "Let Her Cry" by Hootie & the Blowfish, Duran Duran's "Ordinary World," "Please Don't Go" by Boyz II Men, Tony Bennett's "It Had to Be You," "Strong Enough" performed by Sheryl Crow, crooner Chris Isaak's "Somebody's Crying," and "Old Love" by the venerable Eric Clapton. ~ Forrest Spencer, Rovi
Originally aired on HBO and directed by Apollo 13 star and space enthusiast Tom Hanks, among others, From the Earth to the Moon explores the ups and downs of space travel, beginning with President Kennedy's famous speech before Congress on May 25, 1961, and chronicling the journey to putting the first man on the moon. This highly acclaimed, Emmy-nominated, 12-episode series is available in a six-tape VHS set and a four-disc DVD set. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi
- Starring:
- David Andrews, Bryan Cranston, (more)
- 1996
Ross (David Schwimmer) discovers that Marcel the Monkey has become a popular TV commercial star (next step to superstardom: "Virus II"). Fortune also smiles upon Joey (Matt LeBlanc) during his tenure on Days of Our Lives -- or at least he thinks so until meeting his unbalanced "number one fan." And Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) finds that her songs may not be suitable for all ages when she plays for a group of library kids. Michael Lembeck won an Emmy award for his direction of this episode. Part one of "The One After the Super Bowl" originally aired in a 60-minute slot with part two, but was rebroadcast and syndicated as a separate entity. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Tom Hanks made his directorial debut in this bright comedy set in the mid-1960's about a rock group and their brief fling with fame. Guy Patterson (Tom Everett Scott) works as a salesman at his father's appliance store and plays the drums in his spare time, fancying himself a jazz musician. One day, a buddy of Guy's tells him a local rock band, The One-Ders (it's pronounced "wonders"), are in need of a drummer -- they have Battle of the Bands coming up and their usual timekeeper has broken his arm. Guy agrees to sit in, but when it's time to play their best original, a love ballad called "That Thing You Do," Guy lays in a sharp, driving beat that turns the tune into an uptempo pop-rocker. Lead singer Jimmy (Johnathon Schaech) isn't happy at first, but guitarist Lenny (Steve Zahn) and the nameless Bass Player (Ethan Embry) think the song sounds better that way -- and they notice the girls like it just fine. Soon people are actually requesting the song at their shows, and the One-Ders scrape together some money to press a single of "That Thing You Do" to sell between sets. A DJ puts the song on the radio, and opportunity knocks in the form of Mr. White (Tom Hanks), who works for the very major Play-Tone Records label. Play-Tone buys the rights to "That Thing You Do" and puts the band on the road as their song makes it way to the top of the national charts. But what can The Wonders (as Play-Tone have re-named them) do for an encore? And what should Guy do about his infatuation with Jimmy's girlfriend, Faye (Liv Tyler)? Real-life 60's obsessed rocker Chris Isaak has a small part as a recording engineer, and fans of real 60's garage bands will appreciate the wealth of small, accurately observed details (for example, halfway through the film, when a few "That Thing You Do" royalty checks have presumably kicked in, the band's inexpensive Danelectro guitars disappear and the Wonders are suddenly playing on brand new Fender gear -- the height of rock style in 1965). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Everett Scott, Liv Tyler, (more)
Illeana Douglas delivers a superb performance as Denise Waverly, a fictional singer and songwriter whose life bears more than a passing resemblance to that of real-life pop star Carole King. Edna Buxton, the daughter of a Philadelphia steel tycoon, aspires to a career as a singer, and when against her mother's bidding she sings a sultry version of "Hey There (You With the Stars in Your Eyes)" (instead of Mom's choice, "You'll Never Walk Alone") at a talent contest, she wins a recording contact and moves to New York City. She cuts a record and gains a new stage name, Denise Waverly; however, she soon finds that girl singers are a dime a dozen in the Big Apple and her career as a vocalist goes nowhere. But she has a knack for writing songs, and eccentric producer Joel Milner (John Turturro) asks her to pen some songs for his upcoming projects. Teamed with Howard Caszatt (Eric Stoltz), a hipster songwriter who wants to express his political and social ideals through pop tunes, she finds both a successful collaborator and husband. While her work with Howard gains Denise writing credits on a string of hit records and respect within the industry, their marriage falls apart, and she becomes involved with Jay Phillips (Matt Dillon), the gifted but unstable leader of a popular West Coast surf music combo. Students of pop music history will have a ball with the various characters modeled after real-life rock legends, and the 1960s-style song score includes numbers written by Joni Mitchell and J. Mascis (of the band Dinosaur Jr.), as well as one-time King collaborator Gerry Goffin; a collaboration between Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach, "God Give Me Strength," led to a full album written by the two great tunesmiths. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Illeana Douglas, Matt Dillon, (more)
- 1995
It's a father and child reunion, albeit one with a distinctive showbiz twist, in this episode of HBO's popular late-night talk show satire. Though Artie (Rip Torn) hasn't seen his son Cully (Colin Quinn) for many years, the fatherly producer hires him as a production assistant when he hears that Cully has fallen on hard times. Despite some questionable behavior, Larry (Garry Shandling) is willing to give Cully a shot until the unstable P.A.'s rude behavior becomes too much to handle. Aside from being rude to Larry, Cully further isolates himself from the crew when he totals Hank's (Jeffrey Tambor) car and dates both Paula (Janeane Garofalo) and Betsy the Page. Despite Artie's continued efforts to help his son fit in, the hapless producer finds himself in the position of firing his son after Cully punches Phil (Wallace Langham). ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Bernardo Bertolucci attempts to mix Buddhist spirituality with childhood fantasy in Little Buddha. When Dean Conrad (Chris Isaak), a Seattle architect, comes home from work one day, he finds two robed Buddhist monks sitting in his living room talking with his wife Lisa (Bridget Fonda). Guided by a series of disturbing dreams, the monks have traveled from Nepal to Seattle because they believe that the Conrad's ten-year-old son, Jesse (Alex Wiesendanger) may be the reincarnation of a legendary Buddhist mystic. The Conrads are initially skeptical, particularly when the monks want to take their son back to Bhutan with them. But after Dean's partner commits suicide, Dean has a religious awakening ("I've been doin' some thinkin'," he says) and permits Jesse to go away with the monks. Then the Lama Norbu (Ruocheng Ying) gives Jesse a children's book about the Buddha Siddhartha (Keanu Reeves). Siddhartha leads a sheltered life until he comes upon a couple of all-knowing beggars who introduce him to poverty and hunger. After this revelation, Siddhartha decides that it is his destiny to relieve all human beings from pain and suffering. Back in present day, Jesse is now knowledgeable about the basis of Buddhism. Much to Jesse's and his father's surprise, however, they find that there are two other children at Bhutan who show signs of being the reincarnated Buddhist mystic. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Keanu Reeves, Chris Isaak, (more)
David Lynch's prequel to his cult television series "Twin Peaks" concerns the last seven days in the life of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), whose plastic-wrapped corpse, found floating in a river, was the fulcrum for the television series. During the day in the town of Twin Peaks, Laura is a top honors student at the local high school. By night, she is a sex-crazed cokehead, prostituting herself at a sleazy sex club to get money to feed her drug habit. Her race to oblivion is fueled by her father, Leland (Ray Wise), who, as his alter ego Bob (Frank Silva), has been sexually abusing Laura since she was a child. But Laura has an attack of conscience when she realizes that she is leading her best friend Donna (Moira Kelly) down the same rocky road. Leland, however, discovers Laura's nocturnal debauchery when, during a business trip out-of-town, his mistress for a sexual tryst sets him up with his own daughter. In a fit of jealous rage, Leland follows Laura as she travels to a sex party in an abandoned railroad car. Consumed by insatiable longing, Leland transforms himself into Bob, with tragic results for Laura and her friends. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi
- Starring:
- Sheryl Lee, Chris Isaak, (more)
- 1991
This 1991 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by Delta Burke and features musical guest Chris Isaak. ~ Skyler Miller, Rovi
- Starring:
- Delta Burke, Chris Isaak, (more)
- 1991
Blending movie-star good looks, a moody Roy Orbison-esque vocal style, and a musical approach that mixes a number of vintage rock styles into a refreshing new sound, Chris Isaak became one of the most interesting pop stars to emerge in the late '80s, and this home video release brings together five of his stylish music videos (including a different version of "Wicked Game" which was previously shown only in Europe). Other tracks include "Dancin'," "Don't Make Me Dream About You," "Blue Hotel," and "You Owe Me Some Kind of Love." ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
In this multiple Oscar-winning thriller, Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy whose shrewd analyses of serial killers lands her a special assignment: the FBI is investigating a vicious murderer nicknamed Buffalo Bill, who kills young women and then removes the skin from their bodies. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into this case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out. Lecter does indeed know something of Buffalo Bill, but his information comes with a price: in exchange for telling what he knows, he wants to be housed in a more comfortable facility. More important, he wants to speak with Clarice about her past. He skillfully digs into her psyche, forcing her to reveal her innermost traumas and putting her in a position of vulnerability when she can least afford to be weak. The film mingles the horrors of criminal acts with the psychological horrors of Lecter's slow-motion interrogation of Clarice and of her memories that emerge from it. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, (more)
Michelle Pfeiffer is Married to the Mob in this comedy. The wife of Mafia hitman Alec Baldwin, Pfeiffer regularly chastizes her husband for his underhanded line of work. Baldwin refuses to entertain any thoughts of quitting the mob-and besides, he's got a good thing going with Nancy Travis, the promiscuous girl friend of gang boss Dean Stockwell. When Stockwell catches on to Travis' peccadilloes, he murders both his mistress and the unlucky Baldwin. At Baldwin's funeral, Stockwell is overwhelmed by Pfeiffer's beauty, and immediately begins plying her with expensive gifts. But Pfeiffer is through with this sort of thing, and with her young son in tow, she leaves town, hoping to start life anew. Upon making the acquaintance of bumbling, seemingly sincere Matthew Modine, Pfeiffer is convinced that Modine is just another mob flunkey. But it's even worse: Modine is an FBI agent, ordered to get to Stockwell by using Pfeiffer as bait. Reluctantly (he's grown quite fond of her himself), Modine blackmails Pfeiffer into setting up a rendezvous with Stockwell. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Modine, (more)
- 1988
Let's Get Lost is a penetrating Oscar-nominated documentary on the life of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker (1929-1988). After a generous amount of screen time devoted to Baker's American career, from his days with Charlie "Bird" Parker and Gerry Mulligan to the formation of his own combo, the film dwells upon Baker's lengthy tenure in Europe. Of particular interest are the clips culled from Baker's appearances in Italian films of the 1960s. In-depth interviews with Baker's friends and co-workers paint a portrait of a troubled genius, whose drug addiction and womanizing gradually eroded his talent. Much of the terminal footage is literally that, showing in harsh detail what Chet Baker had become in his last year on earth. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- 1987
- PG13
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An ambitious father thinks nothing of using his own son to achieve his political goals in this adolescent comedy. The lonely boy has spent the last seven years tucked away and ignored by his parents, Senator Tom Morgan and his social-climbing wife Nancy, in a distant boarding school. As the story begins, he receives the depressing news that once again they will be too busy to have him home for the holidays. But then, out of the blue, they change their minds and invite him home to stay there for good. The boy is elated, but soon after his arrival, he learns the bitter truth: his father only brought him back because it is an election year and his campaign manager thought he might do better if the public saw him as more of a family man. The boy then decides that it is high time some changes were made around the house and mayhem ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jon Cryer, Lynn Redgrave, (more)
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