Railsback, Steve

Helter Skelter

Based on the bestselling book by Vincent Bugliosi, the two-part TV movie Helter Skelter is a clinical but often chilling recount of the arrest and trial of Charles Manson and his cult for a pair of horrific murders in 1969. Character actor George DiCenzo is a bit dry as prosecutor Bugliosi, who must patch together a series of far-flung clues to incarcerate Manson for the murder spree, which claimed the life of actress Sharon Tate, among others; he and the rest of the capable cast (which includes Marilyn Burns from the '74 Texas Chainsaw Massacre) are completely overshadowed by Steve Railsback's disturbing performance as Manson. Railsback is the main reason to revisit this feature, which shocked many during its network run in 1976, but now seems methodical in its pacing and direction. Warner Bros.'s DVD is the longer 184-minute version of the film, which should please viewers accustomed to the 119-minute rebroadcast cut; otherwise, the disc is disappointingly supplement-free. --Paul Gaita

The investigation of two horrific mass murders leads to the capture and trial of the psychotic pseudo-hippie Charles Manson and his "family".

Vanishing Point

Viggo Mortensen stars as Jimmy Kowalski, a Desert Storm veteran with racing in his blood, dark secrets in his past, a pregnant wife at home, and a vintage 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger to deliver. But when his wife is suddenly hospitalized, a desperate Kowalski speeds cross-country with police from four states, a vengeful trooper [Steve Railsback of HELTER SKELTER and ED GEIN], and the FBI in hot pursuit. Now with the help of an outspoken radio DJ [Jason Priestley], the man a nation hails as `the last American hero' and the Feds label a `possible terrorist' rockets toward a final roadblock where the speed limit is the floorboard, and life, death and freedom all come together at the VANISHING POINT. Christine Elise [ER], Keith David [ARMAGEDDON] and Peta Wilson [LA FEMME NIKITA] co-star in this explosive Fox-TV remake of the legendary cult classic that fans call `the ultimate car chase movie'!

Armed and Dangerous

Perhaps Stripes and Caddyshack screenwriter Harold Ramis and Commando director Mark Lester were not an ideal collaborative team. But while this 1986 misfit comedy is something of a misfire, SCTV fans can take heart in watching John Candy and Eugene Levy triumph over weak material as mismatched security guards who stumble upon mob corruption. Candy, in particular, does wonders with a role that in lesser hands would have been a mere "fatty falls down" stereotype. He plays a cynical disgraced cop who takes Levy's cowardly former lawyer under his wing ("Stick with me, I'll keep you out of trouble," he reassures him). Like Ramis's character in Stripes, Levy rises to the occasion under fire, and even gets the girl--Meg Ryan in early ingénue mode, trying out the fetching grins and ingratiating smiles that would make her America's sweetheart three years later in When Harry Met Sally. --Donald Liebenson

Lifeforce

Director Tobe Hooper was a hot property after he scored a popular hit with Poltergeist (thanks in part to producer Steven Spielberg), so his follow-up film was the most wildly ambitious of his career to date. Armed with a big budget and a special effects crew led by Star Wars pioneer John Dykstra, Hooper and Alien cowriter Dan O'Bannon whipped up a movie that must be seen to be believed. That's not really a compliment, since Lifeforce isn't much of a movie when all the sound and fury is over. But you've got to admit there's something crazily admirable about a movie that starts out as a science fiction adventure about a mission to explore Halley's comet, turns into an alien-invasion thriller featuring a beautiful naked woman (Mathilda May) who's a vampire from space, and escalates into an end-of-the-world disaster flick! It's got everything you could want from a horror movie--from zombies running amok in London to rotting corpses and energy bolts to signal the apocalypse to come! Holding it all together is Steve Railsback as the Halley mission survivor who holds the key to mankind's salvation--but what fun is saving the world when you could be seduced by a sexy naked space vampire? Check out Lifeforce to see how it all turns out. The widescreen DVD includes 15 minutes of footage not seen in U.S. theaters, an eight-page booklet of production notes and trivia, and the original theatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon

From the director of Poltergeist and co-writer of Alien comes a thrilling sci-fi adventure of explosive action and pulse-pounding suspense. With mind-blowing special effects by OscarÂ(r) winner* John Dykstra, Lifeforce is a sci-fi extravaganza that delivers out-of-this-world excitement. A mission to investigate Halley's Comet discovers an even more fascinating phenomenon: an alien spacecraft! After a deadly confrontation, the aliens travel to Earth, where their seductive leader (Mathilda May) begins a terrifying campaign to drain the life force of everyone she encounters. Her victims, in turn, continue the cycle, and soon the entire planet is in mortal danger.And when the mission's sole survivor (Steve Railsback) sets out to destroy her, he comes face to face with the most charmingand horrifyingbeing he's ever known. Will he be able to destroy the lovely vampiress...or will he become yet another victim of her fatal charm? *1977: Visual Effects, Star Wars

Disturbing Behavior

This paranoia-fueled thriller, more intelligent and imaginative than you would have reason to believe, owes a huge debt to The Stepford Wives with its premise of a goody-good high school clique programmed by an evil doctor to be wholesome, academically driven, and shining examples of clean living. Unlike its predecessor, though, David Nutter's film opts to open up its premise for everyone to see, diluting the scares but amplifying the creepy atmosphere. There's never any question of what's happening to the students of Cradle Bay High, who go from being druggies and sex fiends to the academically excellent Blue Ribbons, but it's a lot of fun to see these programmed teens run amok--and start killing people--when their hormones kick in. And considering they're all horny teenagers, this happens, oh, at least a few times a day. Model-perfect James Marsden, with stunning cheekbones and piercing blue eyes, is the new kid in town who stumbles on the plot with a little help from metalhead Nick Stahl. Moody Marsden stirs up trouble when he refuses to join up with the Blue Ribbons, prompting his concerned parents to consider signing him up for the program, especially after it turns Stahl into a vest-wearing, pep-rallying brainiac. The satire isn't entirely fulfilled (the evil kids hang out at the yogurt shop and spout inspirational platitudes), but once the action kicks in it's quite an enjoyable ride, thanks primarily to Bruce Greenwood (of The Sweet Hereafter) as the mad scientist behind it all and Katie Holmes (Go) as Marsden's love interest. Refusing the advances of the star football player and fighting gamely alongside Marsden, Holmes manages to deck a few bad guys with a fervor that squarely puts her in Linda Hamilton and Jamie Lee Curtis territory. With Steve Railsback as the colluding chief of police and Dan Zudovic as a janitor with a penchant for getting rid of "rats," rodent and otherwise. --Mark Englehart

Hot stars James Marsden ("Bella Mafia"), Katie Holmes ("Dawson's Creek") and Nick Stahl (The Thin Red Line) set the screen ablaze in this breathlessly fast-paced jolt-fest from veteran "X-Files" director David Nutter. Written by Scott Rosenburg (Con-Air) and featuring a hip soundtrackfrom the hottest bands around, this "clutch-your-armrest thriller" (Teen People) will pull you into the undercurrent of a deranged high school cliqueand drag you away screaming! Achieve, be excellent...and be afraid. For when the esteemed Blue Ribbon club of Cradle Bay High take their slogans too far, things in the small coastal town begin to go wrong. Dead wrong. And when a "dark sinister force" begins turning the school's curricularly challenged into the soulless, academic elitethree "outsiders" join in a desperate race to avoid becoming insidersand losing their individuality forever!

The Stunt Man

The "lost" sleeper hit of 1980 has since become one of the most revered cult movies of all time, largely due to its bawdy, irreverent story about the art and artifice of filmmaking and an outrageously clever performance by Peter O'Toole. As megalomaniacal film director Eli Cross, O'Toole plays a larger-than-life figure whose ability to manipulate reality is like a power-trip narcotic. The focus of his latest mind game is a fugitive (Steve Railsback) recruited to replace a stuntman killed during a recent on-set accident. In return for protective sanctuary, the fugitive takes a crash course in stunt work but soon discovers that he's the paranoid player in a game he can't control, with the dictatorial director making up the rules. Or is he? The Stunt Man is a game of its own, played through the fantasy of filmmaking, and half the fun of watching the movie comes from sharing the stuntman's paranoid confusion. Barbara Hershey has a smart, sexy supporting role as a lead actress who won't submit to her director's seemingly devious behavior; but it's clearly O'Toole who steals the show. Director Richard Rush adds to the movie's maverick appeal--in a career plagued by struggles against the mainstream studio system, Rush hasn't made a better movie before or since. The Stunt Man clearly represents the potential of his neglected talent. --Jeff Shannon

Barb Wire

Remember the old days, when Pamela Anderson Lee was still just a Playboy Playmate turned Baywatch babe? You know--back before the bootleg release of her infamous home video with then-husband and ne'er-do-well rocker Tommy Lee, at which time the whole world got to compare Pam's barely adequate acting chops with her formidable skill at fellatio? Yes, those were the days (1996, to be exact), when a movie like Barb Wire represented dubious progress for the busty blonde, who was determined to make as big a splash on the big-screen as she did in the world's most popular syndicated TV series. Set in the year 2017 when the Second Civil War is in full force, this sci-fi action thriller stars Pam in the title role--a leather-clad biker babe ("don't call me babe," she warns) who runs a nightclub in the last free city in America. The rest of country is controlled by the "Congressional Directorate," a dictatorial superpower which suspects Barb of trafficking in black-market contraband. That gets her into plenty of trouble (and a lot of cleavage-revealing costumes), and ... well, if any of this sounds even vaguely familiar, it's because this comic book-inspired movie is really just a shamelessly breast-enhanced variation on Casablanca, with Pam Anderson in the Bogart role. Taken for what it is, it's a brazen folly with action to spare, and as guilty pleasures go it's surprisingly enjoyable. What--you were expecting Oscar material? --Jeff Shannon

Ed Gein

This is the true story of America's first famous serial killer. Everyone in small Plainfield, Wisconsin thought Ed was just a little different, a local oddity. But Ed was tormented and haunted by years of family abuse and repression which led him to the brutal murders and mutilations of countless victims and corpses. In a remote farmhouse filled with the stench of death, Ed is driven to do unspeakable acts to his victims, acts that have become legend and the basis for future films like "Psycho" and the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." This film will shock you with its unflinching horror and unforgettable performances from Steve Railsback and Carrie Snodgrass. No one will ever forget the true story of "Ed Gein."

The Hitcher 2 - I've Been Waiting

Jake Busey steps into Rutger Hauer's cowboy boots to remind viewers about the dangers of picking up hitchhikers in this sequel to the 1986 thriller. Though suggested, it's unclear whether Busey's black-clad hitcher is actually supposed to be Hauer, who blackmailed teen driver Jim (C. Thomas Howell) for a series of killing 17 years earlier, but he makes life miserable all the same for the grown Jim (Howell again), now an trauma-plagued cop, and his girlfriend (Kari Wuhrer) as they drive through Texas (played here by Canada, and well photographed by George Mooradian). But where the original Hitcher was a taut exercise in suspense, executive producer Charles Meeker's script is simply a retread of its predecessor's highlights, including the infamous "drawn and quartered" scene, and gives the three leads little to do. Busey tries hard, but lacks Hauer's formidable presence, which may disappoint fans of the original; undemanding frightfest aficionados might enjoy this best. --Paul Gaita

Ed Gein