Tuesday 6 December 2011

Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) Disney Movie













Rating: GLength: 100 mins.Year: 1980
Cast: Cloris Leachman, Charles Martin Smith, John Vernon, Stephan W. Burns


Disney Movie Rating:
59.44 out of 100. Total of 36 votes.

Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) Description:

Sure Herbie's won races and stole hearts in America, but can he do it in Mexico? After befriending a young boy named Paco and taking to the open seas, Herbie finds himself and Paco battling smugglers, drowning waters, bullfighting, and all sorts of danger. Just making it to the race will seem like a victory if they can only...survive.


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Popeye (1980) Disney Movie













Rating: PGLength: 114 mins.Year: 1980
Cast: Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall and Ray Walston


Disney Movie Rating:
77.7 out of 100. Total of 6 votes.

Popeye (1980) Movie Description:


In his first major starring role, Robin Williams portrays the title character in the 1980 Walt Disney/Paramount live-action comedy, Popeye. Hollywood icon Robert Altman directed.

Based on the ever-popular comic strip by E.C. Segar, Popeye focuses on the buffed sailor man's origins. Upon his arrival in Sweet Haven, Popeye meets the hamburger-loving Wimpy (Paul Dooley) and the eventual love of his life, Olive Oyl (Shelley Duvall). He also encounters Bluto (Paul L. Smith), soon to become his arch-enemy and rival for Olive Oyl's affection.

Between battling Bluto, clearing out a burger joint of destructive punks, setting an evil tax man straight, Popeye also manages to rescue Sweet Pea, discover his long-lost Pappy (Ray Walston), and continue to woo Olive Oyl.

It's difficult to imagine any other actor as Popeye, and Williams utilizes his frequently manic style to create a character that literally jumps off the comic page onto the big screen.

Trailer/Scene from Popeye:



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Midnight Madness (1980) Disney Movie













Rating: PGLength: 112 mins.Year: 1980
Cast: David Naughton, Debra Clinger and David Damas


Disney Movie Rating:
62.63 out of 100. Total of 3 votes.

Midnight Madness (1980) Movie Description:


Walt Disney Productions 1980 comedy, Midnight Madness, is a college-themed film revolving around an all-night "scavenger-hunt-" type game that begins at midnight and concludes at dawn.

Invented by Leon, an apparent genius student, the game, named "The Great All Nighter," initially is rejected by the fellow students recruited to participate, but as the start time approaches, they all join in. The "players" all dovetail effortlessly into the expected college stereotypes: The nerd, the stuffy sorority sister, the All-American jock, and the naive freshman.

The game takes players around Los Angeles and several recognizable landmarks, including LA International Airport, Griffith Observatory, and the final destination, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel.

David Naughton, Stephen Furst and Maggie Roswell star, while Michael J. Fox makes his film debut as one of the students. Paul Reubens, aka Pee-Wee Herman, has a cameo.

The film's "game" subsequently developed a cult following, with variations becoming annual events at several universities.

Trailer/Scene from Midnight Madness:



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The Watcher in the Woods (1980) Disney Movie













Rating: PGLength: 84 mins.Year: 1980
Cast: Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson and Kyle Richards


Disney Movie Rating:
80.13 out of 100. Total of 12 votes.

The Watcher in the Woods (1980) Movie Description:


One of Walt Disney Productions most "un-Disney-like" films is 1980's The Watcher In the Woods, a mystery-horror release directed by John Nough. The film stars screen legend Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Carroll Baker, David McCallum and Kyle Richards.

Filmed in England, which contributes effective atmosphere to the spooky tale, Watcher revolves around two sisters who find themselves almost obsessed with the story of a missing girl in the ominous-looking woods that surround their English countryside home. It turns out the missing girl bears a striking resemblance to the oldest daughter (Johnson), according to the grandmother (Davis), who coincidentally is the owner of the house.

Dark, brooding and ominous throughout, Watcher In the Woods is easily one of the "scariest" Disney films ever produced, remarkably so, since nearly all of the "violence" is implied, never seen. Kudos to Hough's direction and the cinematography for setting a foreboding tone and maintaining it.

The Trailer/Scene from Watcher in the Woods:



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Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) Disney Movie













Rating: GLength: 88 mins.Year: 1979
Cast: Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Tim Matheson, Kenneth Mars


Disney Movie Rating:
60.25 out of 100. Total of 28 votes.

Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979) Description:

When outlaws Amos and Theodore attempt to ride the straight and narrow path to happiness, they find a few bumps along the way that put them in the slammer. A haphazard encounter with Marshall Wooly Bill Hitchcock leaves the klutzy duo running for their lives on a hilarious adventure through the wild, wild West.


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The Black Hole (1979) Disney Movie













Rating: PGLength: 98 mins.Year: 1979
Cast: Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins


Disney Movie Rating:
67.21 out of 100. Total of 49 votes.

The Black Hole (1979) Description:

The loss of the U.S.S. Cygnus was an especially harsh blow to fellow astronauts because of the mystery surrounding its disappearance.  When an exploratory mission returns details of the unexplained fate of the Cygnus, the astronauts have to know more.  Will finding the truth lead them to the same tragic fate?


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The North Avenue Irregulars (1979) Disney Movie













Rating: GLength: 100 mins.Year: 1979
Cast: Edward Herrmann, Barbara Harris and Susan Clark


Disney Movie Rating:
75.6 out of 100. Total of 7 votes.

The North Avenue Irregulars (1979) Movie Description:


Edward Herrman, Barbara Harris, Susan Clark and Karen Valentine star in Disney's 1978 comedy, The North Avenue Irregulars. Bruce Bilson directed, with production duties handled by Ron W. Miller.

Herrman, newly-installed minister at North Avenue Presbyterian, implements radical changes among his congregation when he appoints several women to positions previously staffed by males. Subsequently, disaster strikes early when the lady made Director of Finances informs Herrman that her gambling husband has lost all the church's funds betting on the horses. Predictably, things only turn worse after that.

Herrman then becomes involved in a "sting" operation with federal agents attempting to expose and shut down a local bookie operation. This leads to the gamblers seeking retribution, mainly by bombing the church. The women come to the rescue however, and in the end, all is well once more.

The North Avenue Irregulars also features such familiar faces as Cloris Leachman, Alan Hale, Jr.,Michael Constantine, and, in her final film appearance, Patsy Kelly.

The Trailer/Scene from North Avenue Irregulars:



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Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979) Disney Movie













Rating: GLength: 93 mins.Year: 1979
Cast: Dennis Dugan, Jim Dale and Ron Moody


Disney Movie Rating:
48.23 out of 100. Total of 6 votes.

Unidentified Flying Oddball (1979) Movie Description:


Mark Twain's classic farce, A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court is the foundation for the 1979 Walt Disney Productions comedy, Unidentified Flying Oddball.

Astronaut Tom Trimble and his identical android, Hermes, somehow manage to travel back in time aboard a spacecraft. Their arrival in Camelot during King Arthur's reign creates (obviously) quite a stir in the time of dragons and wizards and distressed damsels. Becoming entangled in the nefarious plot by Sir Mordred and Merlin to overthrow the King, Trimble and Hermes utilize the advanced technological devices at their disposal to sabotage the attempted coup.

An international cast is featured, including Dennis Dugan, Jim Dale, Ron Moody and Kenneth More.

Later releases of the film were titled The Superman and King Arthur and A Spaceman in King Arthur's Court. Not surprisingly, the changes did little to improve upon Don Tait's adaptation of Twain's classic. Russ Mayberry, better known for television credits such as Kojak, McCloud, The Brady Bunch (to name a few), directed.

Trailer/Scene from Unidentified Flying Oddball:



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The Cat from Outer Space (1978) Disney Movie













Rating: GLength: 104 mins.Year: 1978
Cast: Ken Berry, Sandy Duncan and Harry Morgan


Disney Movie Rating:
66.97 out of 100. Total of 6 votes.

The Cat from Outer Space (1978) Movie Description:


An alien which takes the form of a cat is the "star" of the 1978 Disney comedy, The Cat From Outer Space. Produced by Ron W. Miller and directed by Norman Tokar, the majority of the cast is stocked with actors better known for their television appearances, such as Ken Berry, Sandy Duncan, Ronnie Schell, McLean Stevenson and the venerable Harry Morgan.

The cats' collar allows it to communicate telepathically with humans, and it makes known the fact that it requires "Org 12," an apparently previously unknown (on Earth, anyway) substance needed to fuel the spacecraft to allow it to return to its mothership.

Dr. Wilson (Berry) figures out that "Org 12" is actually gold, and when the cat utilizes the collar to obtain funding in order to purchase gold, the government becomes interested. The cat eventually obtains sufficient "Org 12" to leave, but surprisingly, deciding Earth isn't so bad, remains behind while sending the craft back to its "base."

The Trailer/Scene from Cat from Outer Space:



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Return from Witch Mountain (1978) Disney Movie













Rating: GLength: 95 mins.Year: 1978
Cast: Bette Davis, Christopher Lee and Kim Richards


Disney Movie Rating:
68.2 out of 100. Total of 5 votes.

Return from Witch Mountain (1978) Movie Description:


In the sequel to 1975's Escape To Witch Mountain, Walt Disney Productions 1978 action adventure, Return From Witch Mountain, ratchets up the action and adds some distinguished names to the cast. The primary players from the original return however, including the extra-terrestrial trio of Tia (Kim Richards), Tony (Ike Eisenmann) and Uncle Bené (Denver Pyle).

Taking a break from their "other-worldly" activities at Witch Mountain, Tia and Tony visit Los Angeles, only to become involved in a plot masterminded by Letha Wedge (screen legend Bette Davis) and Dr. Victor Gannon (Christopher Lee). Dr. Gannon's specialty is mind-control, and he plans to utilize Tony to do his evil bidding. The diabolical duo's plans eventually bring the entire city to the brink of a nuclear holocaust, and Tia and Tony are forced to rely on a dubious bunch of street delinquents (and their truant officer) to come to the rescue.

John Hough, who also directed the original, returns to the chair for the sequel.

Trailer/Scene from Return from Witch Mountain:



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Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978) Disney Movie













Rating: GLength: 90 mins.Year: 1978
Cast: Jim Dale, Darren McGavin and Karen Valentine


Disney Movie Rating:
50 out of 100. Total of 2 votes.

Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978) Movie Description:


The 1978 Walt Disney Productions western comedy, Hot Lead, Cold Feet features several familiar faces, including Jim Dale, Don Knotts, Darren McGavin and Karen Valentine. Robert Butler directed, a job he had performed on other Disney productions, including The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.

Jim Dale pulls triple duty as Eli Bloodshy, founder of a wild-and-wooly western town, as well as portraying his twin sons, Jasper and Wild Billy. Upon Eli's apparent death, the sons, unaware of each other's existence until they both show up to claim their inheritance. A train race is planned to determine the "winner" of Eli's legacy. The two sons are polar opposites: One is a pious city slicker, prone to Biblical quotes, while the other (Wild Billy, naturally) is a hot-tempered, gunslinging drunk.

The twins discover that family does matter and settle their differences, but now have to deal with the town's greedy, corrupt mayor (McGavin) for control of the town.

Trailer/Scene from Hot Lead and Cold Feet:



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