Tue, Jan 13, 1987
Heartburn (1986): Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson seem to be the ideal Washington couple - she's a successful cookery writer and he's a political columnist. So what goes wrong? Mike Nichols, of The Graduate (1967), directs. Peggy Sue Got Married (1986): On the brink of a divorce, Kathleen Turner attends her 25th high school reunion and finds herself, aged 43, back in her teenage life with a chance to re-shape her destiny.
Tue, Jan 20, 1987
The Name of the Rose (1986): Sean Connery dons a habit and plays the part of a clerical sleuth, in the adaptation of Umberto Eco's best-selling novel. The Golden Child (1986): an action adventure with Eddie Murphy playing a social worker whose speciality is tracking down missing children. Charles Dance is the villain of the piece.
Tue, Jan 27, 1987
Harrison Ford talks to Barry Norman about his dramatic role in the highly-acclaimed film The Mosquito Coast and about his future plans, which include another Indiana Jones adventure. The Gospel According to Vic (1986): Tom Conti and Helen Mirren star in this comedy set in a Catholic school in Glasgow.
Tue, Feb 3, 1987
The Mosquito Coast (1986): Harrison Ford, disillusioned with contemporary American life, moves his wife, Helen Mirren, and children to a remote Caribbean island. The film is directed by Peter Weir, who also directed Ford in Witness (1985). Duet for One (1986): Julie Andrews is already being tipped for an Oscar nomination for her role as a world-class violinist who contracts multiple sclerosis at the peak of her career. Alan Bates plays her husband.
Tue, Feb 10, 1987
The Fly (1986) is a remake of the 1958 classic horror story in which a scientist's experiments go badly wrong and he begins to take on the characteristics of a fly. The film is directed by horror master David Cronenberg. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) - a comedy that follows the adventures of a cunning and ingenious schoolboy who decides to play truant. It stars Matthew Broderick, who made his name in War Games.
Tue, Feb 17, 1987
Paul Newman in a rare interview talks to Russell Harty about his latest film The Color of Money - a sequel to The Hustler. He re-creates the role of Fast Eddie Felson, the sharp-shooting pool player, with Tom Cruise as his protege. Castaway - Oliver Reed and Amanda Donohoe make a marriage of convenience in order to become castaways on a desert island. Nicholas Roeg directs this adaptation of Lucy Irvine's autobiographical book.
Thu, Feb 26, 1987
Children of a Lesser God (1986): William Hurt plays a teacher in a school for deaf children and starts a relationship with Marlee Matlin, a former pupil who is profoundly deaf. He is fascinated by her reluctance to try to speak, and slowly the couple fall in love. And Gothic (1986): Ken Russell's stylised vision of the night when Lord Byron and the poet Shelley decide to create a ghost story.
Tue, Mar 3, 1987
The programme that keeps you in touch with the world of cinema. The Color of Money (1986): Paul Newman has been nominated for an Oscar as Best Actor, and re-creates the role he made famous in the 1961 film The Hustler (1961), as Fast Eddie Felson. Tom Cruise is his protégé, in the film which takes the game of pool to new limits. Duet for One (1986): Julie Andrews plays a concert violinist whose career is suddenly wrecked when she contracts multiple sclerosis, and is confined to a wheelchair. Suddenly her life and her marriage begin to fall apart. This award-winning stage play is brought to the screen by director Andrei Konchalovsky.
Tue, Mar 10, 1987
Stand by Me (1986) - a surprise hit in America last year, it tells the story of four adolescents on an adventure where they discover the meaning of friendship. Gene Wilder talks to Film 87 on the set of his new film Haunted Honeymoon (1986), which he directs and co-stars with his wife Gilda Radner.
Tue, Mar 17, 1987
The Fourth Protocol (1987) is the film version of Frederick Forsyth's bestselling thriller. Michael Caine is the spy-catcher and Pierce Brosnan the Soviet agent intent on exploding a nuclear bomb. Witness in the War Zone (1987): more political intrigue, this time played out against the war-torn background of Beirut. Christopher Walken and Hywell Bennett are the stars.
Tue, Mar 24, 1987
84 Charing Cross Road (1987): last night HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother attended this year's Royal Film - Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft star in an unusual love story between two people who never met. Prick Up Your Ears (1987): celebrated homosexual playwright Joe Orton was murdered at the height of his fame in 1967 by his lover, Kenneth Halliwell. Alan Bennett has adapted this true story for the screen. Gary Oldman stars as the author. Vanessa Redgrave plays his agent. Film 87 joined them on location.
Tue, Apr 7, 1987
Introduced by Russell Harty. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986): The Starship Enterprise is sent on a mission back to earth. Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and the rest of the regular crew feature in this new adventure, directed by Leonard Nimoy. Over the Top (1987): Sylvester Stallone stars as an estranged father trying to win back the affection of his son by impressing him with his arm-wrestling skills.
Thu, Apr 16, 1987
'Hooray for Hollywood' with Barry Norman. Hollywood is celebrating its 100th birthday - both box office and film production are booming. Barry has been in Los Angeles talking to the film-makers and stars. What are the latest trends and which names are currently in the limelight? Interviews include: Mel Gibson, Burt Reynolds, Bette Midler, Dudley Moore, Sally Field, Jane Fonda and Sidney Lumet.
Tue, Apr 21, 1987
Platoon (1986) - director Oliver Stone, who served in the Vietnam War, had an ambition to bring to the screen his own experiences. After being refused finance by all the American film companies, Hemdale, a British company, supplied him the necessary finance. The film has so far grossed over $100 million and just won the two top awards at the Oscar ceremony. Crimes of the Heart (1986) - Sissy Spacek, Diane Keaton and Jessica Lange star as three eccentric sisters who stand up for each other despite an exasperating succession of misfortunes.
Tue, Apr 28, 1987
Prick Up Your Ears (1987): Gary Oldman, acclaimed for his portrayal of Sid Vicious, stars as Joe Orton, the homosexual writer murdered by his lover in 1967. Jumpin' Jack Flash (1986): Whoopi Goldberg, in her first comedy role, plays a bank employee who livens up her job by using her computer to make international friends and links up with a British spy.
Tue, May 5, 1987
No Mercy (1986): Vengeful Chicago cop Richard Gere is drawn to the swamplands of New Orleans when his partner is killed. Mysterious blonde Kim Basinger is involved in the murder. Angel Heart (1987): Alan Parker directs this controversial thriller which stars Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro. Tom Brook visited them on location in New York.
Tue, May 12, 1987
The programme that keeps you in touch with the world of cinema. That's Life! (1986) - Jack Lemmon plays a 60-year-old going through a mid-life crisis, with Julie Andrews as the wife who tries to help him through this trying period. Blake Edwards directs. Desert Bloom (1986) - John Voight stars in this stormy family drama, set in the 1950s against the backdrop of the nuclear bomb testing in Nevada.
Wed, May 20, 1987
The Cannes Film Festival with Barry Norman. This exclusive resort in the South of France hosts the world's premier film festival, where artistry combines with commercialism and glamour. This year British interest is represented by Stephen Frears's Prick Up Your Ears (1987) and Peter Greenaway's The Belly of an Architect (1987). Other films on show will include Woody Allen's Radio Days (1987) and The Glass Menagerie (1987) with Paul Newman directing his wife Joanne Woodward. The Prince and Princess of Wales will be visiting the Festival and attending a gala tribute to Sir Alec Guinness.
Wed, May 27, 1987
The programme that keeps you in touch with the world of cinema. Cinema 87 - Brighton is host to a brand new film festival which has been taking place over the last few days. A number of major movies are being premiered including, appropriately, Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986), Steven Spielberg's An American Tail (1986) and Michael J. Fox's new film The Secret of My Success (1987). The Whistle Blower (1986) - Michael Caine, James Fox and Nigel Havers star in this thriller which is set around GCHQ, the government information-gathering service at Cheltenham.
Tue, Jun 2, 1987
The Morning After (1986) - Jane Fonda plays an alcoholic actress caught up in a murder and Jeff Bridges co-stars as an ex-policeman who befriends her. Sidney Lumet directs. Three Amigos! (1986) is a spoof Western starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin and Martin Short as singing cowboy stars of the silent screen who find themselves in Mexico to deal with banditos.
Tue, Jun 9, 1987
The programme that keeps you in touch with the world of cinema. Nobody's Fool (1986) - an odd-ball love story starring Rosanna Arquette and Eric Roberts as a couple of quirky characters with dubious pasts. This last programme of the current series looks ahead at the films opening over the summer months, both here and in America. They include Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987), Mel Gibson's Lethal Weapon (1987) and the new James Bond film, The Living Daylights (1987).
Mon, Sep 7, 1987
Barry Norman returns to cast a critical eye over the latest cinema releases. Full Metal Jacket (1987) - Stanley Kubrick takes Vietnam as the subject for his latest film. He is renowned for his eye for meticulous detail, but actually shot the entire film in London and the Norfolk countryside. Outrageous Fortune (1987) - Bette Midler and Shelley Long star as a couple of struggling actresses romantically involved with the same man. This crazy comedy involves deadly toxins, the CIA and the KGB. Hope and Glory (1987) - John Boorman wrote and directed this affectionate tale of his own childhood in London during the blitz. Plus a brief round-up of the summer's films.
Mon, Sep 14, 1987
Barry Norman presents his personal review of the week's cinema releases. The Untouchables (1987): Al Capone (Robert De Niro) reigns supreme in Chicago. The time is 1931 - one of prohibition, gang wars and crime syndicates. One man, Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner), is determined to stop Capone. Sean Connery is his first recruit, Brian De Palma directs. Angel Heart (1987): British director Alan Parker talks to Film 87 on the set during the filming of his latest controversial work, which stars Mickey Rourke and Robert De Niro.
Mon, Sep 21, 1987
Barry Norman presents his personal review of the week's cinema releases. La Bamba (1987) charts the tragically short life of rock 'n' roll legend Ritchie Valens. In eight short months he made three top ten records, including La Bamba, recently No 1 in the British charts. Extreme Prejudice (1987) - Nick Nolte portrays a Texas Ranger, and Powers Boothe plays a drug baron. Former childhood friends, they're now on opposite sides of the law. And from New York, Tom Brook reports on the phenomenal success of Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), the hit film in America this summer, and talks to its star, Eddie Murphy.
Mon, Sep 28, 1987
Barry Norman presents his personal review of the week's cinema releases. Angel Heart (1987), written and directed by Alan Parker. Mickey Rourke plays a seedy private detective in a powerful thriller set in New York and New Orleans. Controversy surrounded the film when it was X-rated in America. Parker cut ten seconds to please the American censor. John Huston, the veteran film director, famous for such films as The African Queen and The Maltese Falcon died last month. From the set of Mr. North (1988), a film in which he was to have appeared, Film 87 spoke to his daughter, Anjelica Huston, Robert Mitchum and Lauren Bacall about both the film and John Huston himself.
Mon, Oct 5, 1987
Barry Norman presents his personal review of the week's cinema releases. Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) - Eddie Murphy is back as the young Detroit policeman who has his own unique way of solving crimes. In this sequel, Murphy is back on the glamorous West Coast beat, tracking down drug-pushers and illegal arms dealers. The film has been one of the runaway successes in America this summer. River's Edge (1986) documents the feelings of today's teenagers who are at the crossroads in their lives, a time of decisions affecting their futures, and remaining loyal to old friends. Dennis Hopper portrays an ex-biker, and Crispin Glover the gang leader intent on protecting his best friend.
Mon, Oct 12, 1987
The Belly of an Architect (1987) is directed by Peter Greenaway, who has established a reputation for his unique style of film-making, paying particular attention to the composition of the image. This is his most commercial film to date and stars Brian Dennehy as the architect who travels to Italy to set up an exhibition. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), originally released in 1937, was the first animated feature ever made. Now Walt Disney's evergreen film is being reissued to mark its 50th anniversary. Beyond Therapy (1987): Glenda Jackson and Tom Conti are psychiatrists whose respective clients are Jeff Goldblum and Julie Hagerty destined to meet through an ad in a personal column. Robert Altman directs.
Mon, Oct 19, 1987
The Witches of Eastwick (1987) is a black comedy which tells of the bizarre effect one man has on three women in a small American town. Jack Nicholson is the mysterious stranger, and Cher, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer are the ladies who conjure up their ideal man. Eat the Rich (1987) comes from the Comic Strip team. Set in an imaginary London of the present, stuntman Nosher Powell is given the starring role of Home Secretary, whose debauched lifestyle and extremist views have an unnerving effect on his associates. Who's That Girl (1987) - Madonna's latest comedy. After serving a four-year prison sentence for a crime she didn't commit, Madonna is determined to find the guilty party and exact her revenge. Griffin Dunne becomes her unwitting accomplice.
Mon, Oct 26, 1987
Barry Norman presents his personal review of the week's cinema releases. Aria (1987) gives opera the pop video treatment. Ten of the most innovative directors including Jean-Luc Godard, Ken Russell and Robert Altman, illustrate their chosen arias, with some surprising results. Richard Attenborough is in the studio to discuss his latest film Cry Freedom (1987), the story of Steve Biko, the South African freedom fighter, and Donald Woods, the journalist who uncovered the truth about his death in police custody.
Mon, Nov 2, 1987
Roxanne (1987) is a comedy starring the underrated Steve Martin, who plays a fire chief with an unfortunately large nose. He expresses his love for Daryl Hannah in letters which she believes are written by a more handsome man. Maurice (1987) is the latest production from Merchant Ivory, who once again turn to E. M. Forster for inspiration. James Wilby, Hugh Grant and Rupert Graves play out the complex stages of Forster's own homosexual awakening. Speriamo che sia femmina (1986) is a charming family drama set in a large and dilapidated Italian country house. A strong cast is headed by Liv Ullmann, Philippe Noiret and Catherine Deneuve.
Mon, Nov 9, 1987
The 31st London Film Festival runs from 11-29 November. Tonight, by way of a preview to the event, Barry looks at Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987), written by Hanif Kureishi and directed by Stephen Frears; No Way Out (1987), a tense thriller, starring Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman; and Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), the 1925 version, which is to be shown complete with original tints and technicolor sequences.
Mon, Nov 16, 1987
Surrender (1987): Michael Caine is a successful author sued by a series of wives and lovers. Sally Field is the first woman he meets more interested in the man than his money. A Month in the Country (1987) follows the fortunes of two young men who have been scarred by the trenches of the First World War. Kenneth Branagh and Colin Firth travel to Yorkshire to excavate the past and reclaim their shattered personalities.
Mon, Nov 23, 1987
Presented by Barry Norman Cry Freedom (1987) - Richard Attenborough 's moving tribute to black activist Steve Biko (Denzel Washington) and reporter Donald Woods (Kevin Kline). Innerspace (1987) takes miniaturisation effects to new limits in this comedy starring Dennis Quaid and Martin Short. The Kitchen Toto (1987), a first feature by Harry Hook, is set in Kenya in 1949 at the time of the struggle for independence.
Mon, Nov 30, 1987
Barry Norman presents his personal review of the week's cinema releases. Wish You Were Here (1987) is the story of the sexual awakening of a young girl in a 1950s coastal resort. Newcomer Emily Lloyd was, at 16, the sensation of this year's Cannes Film Festival. Housekeeping (1987) - Scottish director Bill Forsyth (Gregory's Girl) makes his first Hollywood film in which two orphans are raised by an eccentric aunt, Christine Lahti; and Film 87 takes a trip with people who regularly visit cinemas but not always to see films. Plus Alec Guinness visits the studio to discuss his career and upcoming release Little Dorrit (1987).
Tue, Dec 8, 1987
Barry Norman presents his personal review of the week's cinema releases. The Dead (1987) is the last film from director John Huston, who died in August. Based on a short story by James Joyce , the film stars the director's daughter Anjelica Huston. Harry and the Hendersons (1987) is a comedy starring John Lithgow and Don Ameche, whose hunt for the bizarre 'Bigfoot' turns into a quest for its preservation. Little Dorrit (1987) is an epic adaptation of the Dickens novel, featuring the cream of British acting talent, notably Alec Guinness, Derek Jacobi and Joan Greenwood.
Mon, Dec 14, 1987
Masters of the Universe (1987) is a fantasy adventure on the classic theme of good versus evil. The film is based on a cartoon series, which in turn is based on a toy. Phil Collins deserts his drum kit to team up with Julie Walters in Buster (1988), based on the life of Great Train Robber, Buster Edwards. Film 87 spent a day on the location.
Wed, Dec 30, 1987
Barry Norman has seen almost 200 films this year for Film 87 and, amazingly, he's survived the experience. As always, the films catered for a wide taste (or lack of ...) - the comedy of Steve Martin, the violence of Lethal Weapon (1987), the romance of 84 Charing Cross Road (1987) and the nostalgia of Hope and Glory (1987). Will any of these feature in Barry's final choice? Will you agree with his selection? Watch the final take of Film 87, as the cameras prepare to roll for Film 88.