CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990)

CAPTAIN AMERICA is a 1990 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name. It is directed by Albert Pyun and written by Stephen Tolkin, from a story by Tolkin and Larry Block. It stars Matt Salinger in the title role and Scott Paulin as his nemesis the Red Skull, with Ronny Cox, Ned Beatty, Darren McGavin, Francesca Neri, Michael Nouri and Melinda Dillon. The film produced by Menahem Golan for the now-defunct 21st Century Film Corporation.

While the film takes several liberties with the comic's storyline, it features Steve Rogers becoming Captain America during World War II to battle the Red Skull, being frozen in ice, and subsequently being revived to save the President of the United States from a crime family that dislikes his environmentalist policies.[7]

While the film received a theatrical release internationally, it was released direct-to-video in the United States. It received generally unfavorable reviews from critics, though it has since developed a cult following.[8]

Plot
In 1936, in Italy, the Fascist government kidnaps child prodigy Tadzio De Santis and uses him in a project to create a supersoldier. The procedure's inventor, Dr. Maria Vaselli, objects and defects to the United States.

Seven years later, the American government finds volunteer Steve Rogers, a frail polio survivor. The formula cures Rogers' ailments and gives him superior strength and endurance, but before more supersoldiers can be created, Vaselli is murdered by a Nazi spy working with Lieutenant Fleming. The now adult de Santis, with red-scarred skin from Vaselli's earlier procedure, has now become the Red Skull, with physical prowess equal to Rogers, and plans an intercontinental ballistic missile strike at the White House. Rogers, code-named Captain America, is sent to neutralize the threat. He penetrates the Nazi launch compound, but the Red Skull ties him to the missile. Captain America grabs the Red Skull's arm, forcing him to cut off his own hand to escape being taken along. A young boy, Tom Kimball, photographs Captain America over Washington, D.C. kicking the missile off course to crash in Alaska, burying itself and Rogers under the ice.

In 1992, Tom Kimball is elected President of the United States. He pushes environmentalist legislation that angers the military-industrial complex headed by now-general Fleming. Fleming meets with the Red Skull and leaders of a global shadow organization. Since the war the Red Skull has raised a daughter, Valentina, and become the head of a powerful crime family who murdered Americans who were against militarism and fascism, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., President John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy. The Red Skull notes the assassinations caused the public to posthumously venerate those people and instead orders Kimball's kidnapping and brainwashing.

Rogers' body is found frozen in ice. He revives and escapes, making international headlines and alerting both Kimball and the Red Skull. After escaping Red Skull's thugs, Rogers brushes off reporter and Kimball's childhood friend Sam Kolawetz, who has long hounded the Skull, and hitchhikes to his wartime girlfriend, Bernice, in California. She has long since married and has a daughter, Sharon, who helps Rogers catch up. Valentina and her thugs kill Bernice while looking for Rogers. Learning that Kimball has been kidnapped, Rogers and Sharon recover Vaselli's diary and learn Red Skull's original name. In the Red Skull's childhood home they find a tape recording of the murder of his family. Sharon gets herself kidnapped as a distraction to allow Rogers, who dons his costume, to enter the Red Skull's castle.

Kimball is rescued by Captain America, and they lay siege to the castle. Red Skull pulls out a remote trigger for a nuclear bomb, but Rogers distracts him with the recording of the De Santis family's murder. Before the Skull recovers, Rogers uses his shield to send him off a cliff, killing him, and as Valentina prepares to kill Rogers, she is hit by his returning shield. United States Marines arrive, save the President and arrest the kidnappers. Rogers and Sharon embrace, and a news voiceover announces Kimball's environmental pact as agreed upon by countries around the world.

Cast
Matt Salinger as Steve Rogers / Captain America[4]
Ronny Cox as President Tom Kimball
Garrette Ratliffe as young Tom
Scott Paulin as Tadzio De Santis / Red Skull
Massimilio Massimi as young Tadzio
Ned Beatty as Sam Kolawetz
Thomas Beatty as young Sam
Darren McGavin as General Fleming
Bill Mumy as young Lieutenant Fleming
Francesca Neri as Valentina De Santis
Michael Nouri as Lieutenant Colonel Louis
Kim Gillingham as Bernice Stewart / Sharon
Sven Medvešek as Pietro
Melinda Dillon as Mrs. Rogers
Carla Cassola as Dr. Maria Vaselli
Wayde Preston as Jack Cooperman
Mustafa Nadarević as Tadzio's Father