Film

Critic Ken Tucker recommends home video releases of the the director's films The Palm Beach Story and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, which he says have a quick wit not often found in contemporary comedies.

Film critic Stephen Schiff says that Full Metal Jacket, about Marines training for and serving in the Vietnam War, is bleak and stylized, but suffers from a lack of developed characters -- a Kubrick trademark better deployed in 2001 and Dr. Strangelove.

Critic-at-large Laurie Stone reviews a new play and movie about the African American experience, both written by African American artists. She says the works should be celebrated for their refusal to pander to white audiences.

Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews Roxanne, Steve Martin's new romantic comedy. Schiff says the movie is evidence that Martin in the finest comic actor working in film today.

Character actor Robert Loggia is best known for his roles as cops in major motion pictures, including his Academy Award-nominated performance of Sam Ransom in Jagged Edge. He also played a Cuban drug dealer in Scarface.

Von Brandenstein began her career painting theater sets before moving on to motion pictures. She is known for her focus on authenticity, particularly in historical films like The Untouchables and Amadeus.

John Schlesinger's new movie The Believers leans on racist ideas of African religion to create an uncomfortable cinematic experience based on human sacrifice.

Composer John Morris is film director Mel Brooks' longtime collaborator. In addition to writing the music for comedies, Morris also scored David Lynch's The Elephant Man.

After working as prostitute in England, Cynthia Payne started her own brothel which featured parties and other social gatherings in addition to sex. The new film Personal Services tells her story.

Film critic Stephen Schiff thinks Brian de Palma's gangster movie showcases both the director's technical prowess and weak character development. Despite its flaws, the film is still enjoyable.

Film actor, writer, and director Robert Townsend satirizes his experiences as an African American in Hollywood in the new film, Hollywood Shuffle. He says that television commercials have given him more opportunities than movies to play diverse roles.

Film director David Lynch has collaborated with Alan Splet on all of his movies. Splet joins Fresh Air to discuss how he helped Lynch create an unsettling atmosphere in movies like Eraserhead and Blue Velvet.

Michael Crichton gave up a medical career to become a science fiction author and film director. His newest book, Sphere, deals with an alien encounter and a growing fear of computers.

While some reviewers think River's Edge could become the Blue Valentine of 1987, film critic Stephen Schiff says the film suffers from a weak message and poor casting.

Allan Arkush is part of a new breed of directors who switches back and forth between film and television. A veteran of B-movies and cult films, he says TV offers more room for experimentation and narrative innovation.

Director Tim Hunter's new movie is about a teenage murderer and the impact his actions have on his friends. The movie stars Dennis Hopper, Keanu Reeves, and Crispin Glover.

James Lardner's new book examines how videocassette recorders have changed the motion picture industry and viewers' movie and television watching habits. The author also considers how nearly all VHS players are manufactured in Japan, though the technology was developed in the U.S.

Film critic Stephen Schiff credits the success of Beverly Hills Cop II more to its star, Eddie Murphy, than the movie itself -- which doesn't share any of the virtues of its predecessor.

For those who missed the theatrical release, critic Ken Tucker recommends watching the suspense film on home video.

Stephen Schiff thinks everyone involved in the new film Ishtar was going through the motions, including stars Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty.