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A man with no recollection of his identity whatsoever learns that he may be a deep-undercover special agent.
Documentary chronicling the impact of Hollywood on the fashion world. Or is it; Documentary chronicling the impact of the fashion world on Hollywood?
The ABC perspective of how went the 80s. Told through smug narrative combined with the vast archives of the ABC news machine.
After the suicide of a snowboarder friend, his brother, Brandon, takes the depressed Nelson Nagarauk home to their tradition-conscious Inuit family at 69 degrees north.
The
made-for-TV "Freedom Fighter" is set in the divided Berlin of 1961.
Tony Danza plays an idealistic American GI whose sweetheart is among
those stranded in East Berlin by the erection of the Wall; he vows to
help as many Easterners as possible escape to the freedom of the West.
Other cast members include Sid Caesar as a philosophical holocaust
survivor and David McCallum as a martinet Communist military officer.
The film was lensed in West Berlin, one year before the Wall was
bulldozed into oblivion. The script for "Freedom Fighter" was loosely
based on "The Berlin Wall", a book by Pierre Galante. ~ Hal Erickson,
All Movie Guide
NBC correspondent Betty Rollin's book about her own mastectomy was adapted for television by Carmen Culver. Mary Tyler Moore plays Ms. Rollins, who discovers after her breast surgery that her "loving" husband (Anthony Perkins) is a cad who can't withstand the pressure of living with a woman in dire need of emotional support. Thankfully, Ms. Rollins is able to begin a new life with the tender, compassionate man (Richard Crenna) who's loved her all along. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is just as simplistic as its romantic angle. Despite Mary Tyler Moore's consummate performance, First You Cry (originally telecast November 8, 1978) is better read than seen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The TV-movie thriller Face of Fear is a real cliffhanger--or rather, skyscraper-hanger. Lee Horsely plays a psychic mountaineer who's been afraid of heights ever since stumbling off Mt. Everest. Pam Dawber costars as Horsely's patient fiancee. Less patient is neo-Nazi leader Kevin Conroy, who for reasons dictated by the plot chases Horsely and Dawber around and up a 40-story building. The climax finds hero and heroine dangling by their fingertips, and Conroy all prepared to do a little prying loose. The only people watching Face of Fear upon its September 30, 1990 airing were those who'd had their fill of David Lynch's Twin Peaks--which was resolving a cliffhanger of its own for its second-season opener on a rival network. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
This updating of the screwball classic about two brand new angels, a carefree rich couple on earth who have a devil of a time getting into heaven stars Kate Jackson and her then-husband Andrew Stevens (who also were the film's executive producers) in the roles played in the 1937 original by Constance Bennett and Cary Grant. It also served as a pilot to a prospective new "Topper" series (the earlier one with Anne Jeffreys and husband Robert Sterling as the invisible twosome ran from 1953 to 1956).
Laura Carlson is a well-to-do matron whose oldest daughter dies. The girl was always Laura's favorite; the remaining children, though not unaffected by the loss, hope that now their mother will pay some attention to them. Instead, Laura's grief threatens to shatter her already shaky relationship with her younger offspring. She virtually shuts the kids out of her life in order to finish her older daughter's uncompleted book. To My Daughter was unofficially based on the career of real-life writer Nancy Lynn Schwartz, who did indeed die before completing her history of the Screen Actors' Guild, obliging her mother to finish the job.
Brian and Bryan are strangers who hook up for an evening of uninhibited and unsafe sex. Afterward, the two spend the entire evening talking, arguing about everything from sexual identity to gay life to bisexuality to philosophy. Ultimately, AIDS becomes the prime topic of the evening. Though all of the sex occurs off screen, the sex-oriented discussions between the two are quite explicit.
TV REVIEWS : 'To My Daughter' Is Rigorously Candid
Remake of the 1945 classic starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain and Vincent Price. Unfortunately, taking a black & white classic feature film and converting into a TV movie will leave results that some fans of the original will not appreciate. Taken as a stand-alone contemporary product, it's not that bad. I have to admit laughing out loud when Doogie pulls out his crutches in an obvious and heavy-handed attempt to gain sympathy from the audience. If you're a fan of the great Loni Anderson this will hit the spot.
Historically, most multiple-personality cases have been women. Based on the autobiographical book by Henry Hawksworth, "The Five of Me" centers on a rare male victim of this bizarre syndrome. David Birney plays Hawksworth, who for his first 36 years lived with four separate personalities. When a fifth manifested itself, the other four displayed reactions ranging from petulant to sadistic. Dee Wallace co-stars as Hawksworth's wife Ann ("Ann is married to five men!" screamed the insensitive ad copy for this film). Made for television, "The Five of Me" was first broadcast on May 12, 1981. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
William Devane stars as John Henry Faulk, a popular radio and TV entertainer of the 1950s. In 1956, Faulk is blacklisted on the basis of an attack from the self-appointed anticommunist group AWARE. Fired by CBS, Faulk decides to sue AWARE for libel. His attorney Louis Nizer (George C. Scott) warns him that such a case will take several years to get to court, thus Faulk reluctantly takes a series of low-paying jobs to sustain himself during his "down period". In 1962, the case is finally brought before a judge, with several witnesses pointing out the idiotic iniquities of the Blacklist mentality (one child actor was prohibited from working because he had a name that sounded like that of an adult blacklistee). Appearing as themselves during the courtroom scenes are actress Kim Hunter, herself a blacklist victim, and producers David Susskind and Mark Goodson. Faulk wins his case, though his original award of $3.5 million in damages is later reduced to $550,000, and he is never able to completely return to his pre-blacklist prominence. Like several other filmic recreations of the "witch-hunt" era, Fear on Trial was first presented in the mid-1970s (October 2, 1975, to be exact), long after the most zealous of the 1950s anti-Red groups had fallen by the wayside. The film earned an Emmy award for screenwriter David Rintels. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
TV REVIEWS; 'FIGHT FOR LIFE,' ON ABC
Live performances from many great Country & Western stars. Hosted by Roy Clark. With
Bill Anderson, Chet Atkins, Clint Black, Holly Dunn, Larry Gatlin,
Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Patty Loveless, Loretta Lynn, Reba McEntire,
Bill Monroe, Lorrie Morgan, Minnie Pearl, Carl Perkins, Eddie Rabbitt,
Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Billy Walker.
Thriller in Milan, Italy, where a serial killer uses scissors to assassinate top-models.
In
this thriller a married woman in an unhappy marriage takes off to get
some time alone and finds herself entangled with professional killers. ~
Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
"Her
fantasy is to possess him. But now, it had become an obsession." The ad
copy for the TV movie "Obsessive Love" said it all. Yvette Mimieux
stars as the "number one fan" of soap-opera actor Simon McCorkindale.
Not content with an autographed 8X10 glossy, Mimieux plots and plans to
seduce McCorkindale and ruin his marriage to Constance McCashin. It
could be worse: Yvette Mimieux could have been Kathy Bates. The best
scenes go to Lainie Kazan as the Agnes Nixon-ish soap opera creator.
Co-produced and co-written by Ms. Mimieux, "Obsessive Love" made its TV
debut on October 2, 1984 ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
While researching a new book a dedicated investigative reporter slash author (Raquel Welch) comes across the story of a surprising double murder-suicide involving the teenaged twin of a homicidal maniac, leading her into a dark world of insanity and danger.
Kirk Douglas has the starring role in this made-for-television drama which is based on the novel The Lies Boys Tell by Lamar Herrin. Douglas stars as Ed Reece, an elderly man who decides that he wants to spend his final days back in the town where he was born. He persuades his grown son to make the journey with him for a long goodbye. ~ Bernadette McCallion, Rovi 
An ex-Miami cop just back from prison for corruption gets caught up in the Florida drug trade.
Nick Matthews and his wife and business
partner, Jennifer, are in Paris to close a deal when he is falsely
accused of rape and murder. With the help of an Interpol agent, he finds
that his wife and new French partner are behind the false charges.
Ann-Margret
stars in the made-for-cable movie "Nobody's Children", filmed
on-location in Bucharest, Romania, and based on a true story.
Ann-Margret and Jay O. Sanders star as the real-life Carol and Joe
Stevens, a married couple from Detroit who are unable to conceive a
child of their own. They travel to Bucharest in 1990, just following the
end of Ceausescu's regime, where a secret police controls the populace
and state institutions are filled with abandoned children. The Stevenses
bear witness to the deplorable conditions under which the unwanted
babies must live as well as the extreme poverty and illness of the other
Romanian children. French doctor Stephanie Vaugier (Dominique Sanda)
helps Carol wade through the bureaucracy so she is able to adopt two
children and return to the States. Originally aired on the USA
television network in March of 1994. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
The four-part British miniseries
Pursuit, based upon Robert L. Fish's novel of the same name, was first
telecast in the United States as the two-part "movie special" Twist of
Fate. Bruce Greenwood essayed the leading role of Helmut Von Schraeder,
an ex-S.S. officer on the run after conspiring to assassinate Adolf
Hitler in 1944. Undergoing plastic surgery, Von Schraeder assumed the
new identity of Jewish concentration camp survivor Daniel Grossman. And
as if that wasn't unbelievable enough, "Grossman" went on to a colorful
career as an Israeli freedom fighter. The huge multinational cast
included British film and TV stalwart Ben Cross and American leading
lady Sarah Jessica Parker. Though made for British television, Pursuit
did not air in that country until 1990, a full year after its American
debut. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Hosted jointly by Christina Applegate and French Stewart with some able assists from a lofty group of presenters including (but weirdly absent from the imdb cast listing) the enigmatic Lisa Nicole Carson.
From the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, California and hosted by Bill Maher. Attended by a large room full of left leaning black-tie wearers, this was LiberalFest '98. Politics aside the late Mr. Gelbart was responsible for a decade of laughs during my most formative years. This is an excellent document on the professional life of one of Hollywood's most prolific players. He should have lived forever. RIP
This is a piece of a "Variety" magazine review from the day. "If CBS hopes to lose their image as an elder-skewing net, then the Eye is stuck in reverse in the demo derby. "The Last Dance," a warmhearted tale of a Latin teacher who grows old and reconnects with one of her students to teach him life's most valuable lessons, would be fine fodder from the Hallmark folks but even sedentary auds can only take so much schmaltz in primetime." With that said, this is a pleasant little TV movie that tugs at the tear glands. Especially if you're one who is susceptible to tales of time travel and lost loves.
She was a phenomenon, she was unshakable and she was the best. The unrivaled Queen of Comedy and as someone who was raised and has lived my entire life in Southern California, she was pretty much always there. Even today in the 20-twelve, channel 11 plays at least an hour every weekday and 2 hours EVERY Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Lucy and Los Angeles are forever, which reminds me of a funny story. I once had to visit a local emergency room back in May of 1994. Nothing serious, I survived but being broke and insurance-free it was necessary to go to a county hospital and I chose Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, a hospital funded by Los Angeles County, located in the Sylmar neighborhood of northern Los Angeles. Now let me set the scene; a large ER waiting room, roughly split in two with about 40 seats in each section. The chairs are arranged in rows but the two sections are facing each other and there is a single large TV over each section facing inward. In other words, each section watched the TV over the heads of the people they were facing. It's a weekday around 9 or 10ish and the place is PACKED. It's Los Angeles and a county hospital, it can be assumed it's never not packed. So anyway, as my wife and I sat patiently waiting and watching TV (both TVs were on different channels) it turns 10AM and the all too familiar "I Love Lucy" theme starts on our TV and almost the entire other side simultaneously stood up as if choreographed and turned around to watch the other TV with the Lucy. It was an amazing Lemming moment and living testimony to not only her greatness but also the undeniable impact Desi had on the rising tide of Latin immigrants whom had even then in the early 1950s brought their huddled masses to our shores. Long live Lucy & Desi!
Lots of faces, lots of fun. Now that George Carlin has passed I love seeing him anytime and he has a nice run here. Another favorite, is the late Richard Jeni. This was the year he won, "Funniest Male - Stand-Up Comedy" and his acceptance words are now precious.
Broadcast during the 9-11PM time slot on the same evening (December 30, 1998), as the previous listing, "Life Remembers 1998".
This is a quality production from the good people of Life Magazine that plays more obituary than retrospective. If they died during 1998, for example; Shari Lewis, Alan Shepard, Florence Griffith-Joyner, Jerome Robbins, Benjamin Spock, Roddy McDowell, Akira Kurosawa, Eldridge Cleaver, Tammy Wynette, Carl Wilson, Carl Perkins, Betty Carter, Sonny Bono, Roy Rogers, Phil Hartman, Flip Wilson, Henny Youngman, Alice Faye, Maureen O'Sullivan, E. G. Marshall, J. T. Walsh, Esther Rolle, Lloyd Bridges, "Buffalo" Bob Smith, Harry Caray, Archie Moore, Ray Nitsche, George Wallace, Michael J. Blassie, James Byrd, Jr., Matthew Shepard, Flight 111, and Barbara Jordan (plus some lesser knowns) here you will see them remembered. Expect longer profiles on some of the more sentimental favorites.
A spoof TV documentary film charting the life and career of the fictitious British actor Sir Norbert Smith with Harry Enfield in the title role. It was written by Harry Enfield and Geoffrey Perkins and directed by Geoff Posner and made by Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4.
An American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States. The show helped Austin to become widely known as "Live Music Capital of the World," and is the only television show to receive the National Medal of Arts, which it was awarded in 2003.
'Revolution' a Fab Look at Impact of Beatles
When a biologist discovers a large, lethal amphibian on a Polynesian island the military intervenes. Goofy, good fun. Sci-fi nuttiness.
It went round and round and back again, watched every episode first-run and still can't remember how it ended. Nice ensemble cast, glib writing and committed acting made for a believable group of eccentrics who could very easily exist.
Snarky lies and backstabbing is to be expected when too many fight for what is most times a single spotlight. Might actually be interesting if we cared about any of these people. Of the three, George and Wheezy are the only to hold my interest. Decent production with many insights. Featured in this episode are "One Day at a Time", "The Jeffersons" and "Happy Days".
Premiering in 1968 and centering on the lives of the citizens of the fictional town of Llanview, PA. Concentrating on the wealthy Lord family, and the middle-class Woleks and Rileys, the show was one of the first daytime dramas to depict people from different backgrounds. The show was the first to depict an interracial relationship, and among the first to explore drug addiction. It has also depicted dissociative identity disorder, cultism, out-of-body experiences, international espionage, time travel, and even underground cities!
Short-lived visit by something familiar but almost unrecognizable. Flat and visibly lacking energy, even during the supposedly festive holiday episode.
If you're a non-Trekkie, "Star Trek: A Captain's Log" is no place to start learning about this cherished science-fiction show's lasting appeal. Host William Shatner — Trek's Captain James T. Kirk — presents a batch of clips from the original Star Trek's three seasons. If you're a Trek devotee, chances are good you've seen these scenes many times over; if you're not, it's a baffling jumble, so what's the point? A Captain's Log seems to exist primarily as a commercial for the feature film Star Trek Generations, plus the recent autobiographies of no fewer than three of the series' cast members: Shatner, Nichelle Nichols (Lt. Uhura), and George Takei (Mr. Sulu). - Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly December 2, 1994
This is one of the best if not THE BEST of the many, many Christmas offerings. Mr. Foster is still one of Hollywood's most prolific music men today and twenty years ago his muscle was just as apparent as can be discerned by this gathering of heavyweights. Of the ten guests there isn't a slack among them although there is a flack, Roberta Flack singing a fantastic version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" with Peabo Bryson. But not before Tom Jones comes out and sings a traditional selection that will remind you of his greatness, what a voice. When you see the opening, a single ballerina against a full orchestra with DF front and center at the piano you gotta know something good is coming. It just rolls like that, Johnny Mathis is next with his standard, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" sung against a very frenetic background. A very, very beautiful Vanessa Williams steps up to show her many talents with an "old negro spiritual" performed with a ballet dancing accompaniment. Next we lament along with Wynonna as she laments not being available for those whom she is close with a lovely "Blue Christmas". One of my favorites follows, "The First Noel" sung by Peabo and Ms. Flack, whom is by the way, just absolutely beautiful on this formal evening. After a break, Michael Crawford performs a very traditional "O Holy Night" very traditionally, complete with a mob of altarboys. The television evening culminates with the standard group-sing of one of the most standard of all Christmas standards, "White Christmas" with each handpicked guest taking a turn. I think I've mentioned in other reviews something about "celebrity-driven glomfests" but that doesn't always have to be bad as this is evidence. A beautiful production, two thumbs up. Merry Christmas.
This CBS Holiday Special starts with Kathie Lee singing "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" as we watch the whole family take a sleigh ride home from the airport. Once there we're treated to some light homey banter as the whole family makes holiday plans and chooses (from what can only be a humangus rolodex) their holiday guests. Even Cody makes it known that he too wants to make some additions to the guest list, a list that will include as Kathie Lee's first choice, Kathy Mattea and as Frank's, Aaron Neville. Collectively they think Andy Williams would be a nice third choice and who disagrees? Andy Williams and Christmas go together like two great things that go great together.
It starts a little slow (and cheesy) with a signature "Neil" version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" that gave me cause for pause. Continuing on to "Little Drummer Boy", Mr. Diamond settles in for a very pleasant, noticably diverse holiday evening of song. Next, "The Christmas Song" and then an unexpected Cat Stevens favorite, "Morning Has Broken", which segues nicely into a very solemn "Silent Night". Overall the performances may lack the energy of Neil's live shows but the compositions and arrangements and the very wide array of supporting acts, choirs and ensembles are excellent. Sometime before the hour is over you WILL see a barbershop quartet, for example. Next was the only song I could not identify (maybe you can) but "White Christmas" needs no introduction, although sadly this is the worst (IMHO) selection of the night. One of everyone's favorites but they cheese it up real good to nobody's benefit. From there another surprise, "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" one of John Lennon's many gifts, this one is sweet. The second half is better than the first and brings the production to a very satisfying finish. "God Rest Ye Merry Men", "Jingle Bell Rock", "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing", "You Make It Feel Like Christmas" (a forgettable ND original), "O Holy Night" and wrapping with a reprise of "Silent Night". Other than the big man there is no other star power. Personally, I think it's great that a guy who's gotta know everybody (we're talking Neil Diamond!) doesn't go out of his way to make this a celebrity driven glomfest. Lots of great faces and voices, big and small. Merry Christmas.
Christmas special featuring country music stars of the day celebrating Nashville's holiday traditions in an eclectic blend of Christmas songs performed in a variety of styles including country, blues, folk, pop, bluegrass, rock and gospel. Don't look for the classics, this is full of traditional and original with a definite focus on faith and family. It must be said that it is refreshing to hear a holiday themed show and not be burdened with amateurish arrangements of tired "classics" or insultingly childish retellings of that same tiredness. This is very satisfying as standard fare or holiday listening, it excels both ways.
The only thing to not like about this is the one hour runtime. This could easily have been twice as long. Greatly appreciated effort from all the participants but with a little somethin' somethin' via the great Neil Diamond and his background singers, The Soul Children of Chicago.
Standard story of a mom who goes back to work and the turmoil she leaves at home. Lisa Ann Walter was in the past an on-air personality for KFI-640 and now she's all personality for Abbott Elementary.
