Sean Connery, Michelle Pfeiffer, Roy Scheider, James Fox, John Mahoney, and J.T. Walsh star in the cinematic adaptation of John Le Carre’s novel, The Russia House. Written for the screen by Tom Stoppard, the film was the first, big Western film to be shot on location in the Soviet Union. Featuring a gorgeous score by…
Tag: spycraft
The Equalizer (1987) – Mission: McCall: Part 2, and Shadow Play
Edward Woodward’s recovery from his heart attack between seasons necessitated the creation of a story that would cover his absence while he recovered. Mission: McCall: Part 2, is the second half of the storyline to explain his absence. Written by Ed Waters, Scott Shepherd and Robert Eisele from a story by Waters and Coleman Luck,…
The Equalizer (1987) – Beyond Control, and Carnal Persuasion
McCall (Edward Woodward) and Mickey (Keith Szarabajka) find themselves back in the spy game in Beyond Control. Written by Coleman Luck it first aired on 14 January, 1987. Control (Robert Lansing) comes to McCall when a KGB mole is killed. To protect names, sources, and plans within plans Control has to work outside the Company…
TIFF ’22: Hunt
South Korean action star Lee Jung-jae makes his directorial debut with the brilliant action thriller, Hunt. Set in the 1980s when tensions were heightened between North and South Korea, the film is a white knuckle ride that sees two government rivals, KCIA Foreign Unit chief Park (Lee) and Domestic Unit head Kim (Jung Woo-sung) working…
Mission: Impossible (1970) – The Amateur, and Hunted
Hey look! Sam Elliott is back as Doug (yay!). And Anthony Zerbe returns as a guest star (yet again) in The Amateur. Written by Ed Adamson, this episode first aired on 14 November, 1970. Working undercover in an East European country, the IMF team have unexpected trouble when a bar owner, Eric Schilling (Zerbe) with…
The Prisoner (1967) – Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling, and Living in Harmony
We’re giving a teaser before the opening credits, which are shortened, and doesn’t introduce us to Number Two (Clifford Evans), instead we’re launched into a very bizarre, story involving mind-swapping in Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling. Written by Vincent Tilsley, this episode first went out on the Beeb on 22 December, 1967. Number…
Mission: Impossible (1970) – Flight, and My Friend, My Enemy
Hey look! Sam Elliott is in the title credits, Willy (Peter Lupus) is nowhere to be seen, and John Colicos is back as a guest star in Flight. Written by Harold Livingston from a story by Leigh Vance, this episode first premiered on 17 October, 1970. A coup is going to be attempted on a…
Mission: Impossible (1970) – Lover’s Knot, and Orpheus
Paris (Leonard Nimoy) finds that more than his life is in jeopardy this week, but also his heart, in Lover’s Knot. Written by Laurence Heath, this story first debuted on 22 February, 1970. The story finds Paris, Phelps (Peter Graves) and Barney (Greg Morris) on assignment in London (which looks a lot like Southern California),…
Mission: Impossible (1969) – The Code, and The Numbers Game
Season Four of Mission: Impossible got underway on 28 September, 1969 with The Code, written by Ken Pettus. Right away, there are changes going on with the series, and the IMF team, there’s a more swinging score, and a new member has joined the team, master of disguise, Paris (Leonard Nimoy, fresh off his three…
Mission: Impossible (1968) – The Diplomat, and The Play
Cinnamon (Barbara Bain) is missing from the first assignment this week as Phelps (Peter Graves) takes his IMF team back undercover to run a mission to make genuine U.S. defense information is actual erronous and fake. The Diplomat was penned by Jerrold L. Ludwig, and had an original airdate of 1 December, 1968. To make…
The Mind Reels 