The Apple (1980)

Musical set in the 'future', e.g. 1994. A young couple enters the world of the music industry, but also the world of drugs.

Director:

Menahem Golan

Writers:

Menahem Golan (screenplay), Coby Recht (story),

Stars:

Catherine Mary Stewart, George Gilmour, Grace Kennedy

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Catherine Mary Stewart	...	Bibi
George Gilmour	...	Alphie
Grace Kennedy	...	Pandi
Allan Love	...	Dandi (as Alan Love)
Joss Ackland	...	Hippie Leader / Mr. Topps
Vladek Sheybal	...	Mr. Boogalow
Ray Shell	...	Shake
Miriam Margolyes	...	Landlady
Derek Deadman	...	Bulldog
Michael Logan	...	James
George S. Clinton	...	Joe Pittman, reporter
Francesca Poston	...	Vampire / Star Rock / Mr. Boogalow's Receptionist / Keyboard Player in 'BIM' Band / One of Ashley's 'Lap-mates' at Mr. Boogalow's Penthouse Party
Leslie Meadows	...	Ashley / Dancer
Günther Notthoff	...	Fatdog
Clem Davies	...	Clark James

Storyline

Alphie and Bibi, two sweet, naive youths from Moose Jaw, Canada, have come to America to compete in the 1994 Worldvision Song Festival. Although the pair have talent, they are beaten out by the underhanded tactics of the festival favorites, another duo with the backing of BIM: Boogalow International Music, and its leader, Mr. Boogalow. Though crestfallen by their loss, Bibi and Alphie are soon delighted to hear that Mr. Boogalow has taken an interest in their music and wants to sign them to his label. All is looking up for the two until they begin to discover the dark underside of the rock and roll world.

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Plot Keywords:

song | music industry | future | drugs | devil | 

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Taglines:

The power of rock ... in 1994.

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Genres:

Music | Musical | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA West Germany

Language:

English French German Italian

Release Date:

21 November 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Star Rock

Filming Locations:

Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

NF Geria II Filmgesellschaft m.b.H.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Finola Hughes'. She would soon go on to star in a more famous movie related to disco, Staying Alive.

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Quotes

Shake: First you sell it. Then you make it. That's marketing.

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Connections

Referenced in Ghost Shark 2: Urban Jaws (2013)

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Soundtracks

"How to Be a Master"
Music by Coby Recht
Lyrics by Iris Recht & George S. Clinton
Performed by Vladek Sheybal, Ray Shell, Allan Love, & Grace Kennedy

User Reviews

The Apple BITES! Watch it anyway, though....

Proudly taking its place next to "Can't Stop the Music", "Xanadu", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and other breathtakingly bad musicals is this rapturously awful piece of celluloid punishment. This one tops all of the aforementioned flicks in the heinousness department because the others, at least, contain some modicum of memorable and, even good, music! Released in 1980, this film is set in the far-flung future of 1994. Music (and apparently most everything!) is controlled by a huge conglomerate called BIM. During a World Music Festival, Stewart and Gilmour, two young, folksy types, pit their sappy love ballad against the over-the-top, synthetic music of Kennedy and Love. They come close to winning the competition, but the evil head of BIM (Sheybal) rigs it so that they lose. Realizing their potential, however, he attempts to sign them to a record deal. Stewart foolishly gives in while Gilmour stands his ground. Once he sees what the money, drugs and sexual excesses are doing to her, he attempts to break her away from BIM. The rather basic plot line takes its cues from The Bible, but is souped up with Rocky Horror Show-style hair, make-up and costuming topped off with ludicrous production design and some of the most dreadful, ear-assaulting production numbers ever to be captured on film. The story is slight to begin with, but is barely allowed to play out in between the endless, increasingly-bad songs. The numbers include a trip into hell, a plethora of couples writhing and posing on beds, a thoroughly zany enforced-exercise sequence and several tacky onstage concert sequences. Fans seem to be split on which songs they like or hate more...the disco-esquire BIM songs or the love ballads cranked out by Gilmour. None of the songs in the film are particularly memorable though, even if one can't get the imagery that goes with them out of one's head! It is astonishing that Stewart could actually carve out some type of career after this. Her fresh face and amiable persona somehow won out. She actually enjoyed a fairly healthy TV and movie resume in the wake of this film. Gilmour dropped off the face of the earth entirely, apparently. His singing isn't all that bad and he had a sexy body (shown off to good advantage at several stages of the movie) but he could not act at all and occasionally resembles Will Farrell! Kennedy and Love were also virtually obliterated by this turkey. Love was quite awful, but Kennedy actually appeared to have a certain amount of talent and presence and it's a shame she was sunk before she even got started. Sheybal had a long career as a character actor and he always strikes a distinctive note, but his singing here is disastrous. Ackland pops up briefly near the end and also can't sing, but manages to provide a little presence in a dual role. The film makers believed that 1994 would bring huge gas-guzzling cars with pointy ends and lots of paraphernalia attached, but aerodynamics actually won the day. However, their insight into the way the music business has evolved isn't all that far off the mark! Useful as a party-enhancing laugh machine. Look high and low, far and wide, but it is unlikely that a more splendiferously hideous film will be found.