America (1986)

The zany crew of a New York cable TV station accidentally bounce a signal off the moon, bringing them worldwide attention.

Director:

Robert Downey Sr.

Writer:

Robert Downey Sr.

Stars:

Zack Norman, Tammy Grimes, Michael J. Pollard

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Zack Norman	...	Terrance Hackley
Tammy Grimes	...	Joy Hackley
Michael J. Pollard	...	Bob Jolly
Richard Belzer	...	Gypsy Beam
Monroe Arnold	...	Floyd Praeger
Liz Torres	...	Dolores Frantico
Pablo Ferro	...	Hector Frantico
David Kerman	...	Mr. Management
Howard Thomashefsky	...	Earl Justice
Michael Bahr	...	Martin Lang
Laura Ashton	...	Tina Lyle
F.D. Herrick	...	Mr. Hackley
Evelyn Zuker	...	Mrs. Hackley
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Paulie Hackley
Lori Ann Zuker	...	Tracy Hackley

Storyline

The zany crew of a New York cable TV station accidentally bounce a signal off the moon, bringing them worldwide attention.

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Plot Keywords:

independent film

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

October 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Moonbeam

Company Credits

Production Co:

ASA Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed in 1982, not released until 1986.

User Reviews

Humorous outrageousness may only confound the viewer. (spoilers)

As the third to comment on this movie, I'm am wavering between the two extremes of good and bad. This is a comedy that has an offbeat rhythm like 'Choose Me', but attempts to be outrageous without point like a spoof comedy (but more like 'Kentucky Fried Movie' than say, 'The Naked Gun'). So, you really have to be ready for such an odd, and almost illogical narrative and a seriously strange mix of characters who seem to exist in detachment from one another. But, this kind of humor seems to become so overdone to a point that it becomes, for me, not only ridiculous, but to the point that it just ends of being a terrible movie.

This is the story of Channel 92's rise to fame, thanks primarily to a scheme hatched by investing parents which leads to a misunderstanding between a wife and husband, which in turn leads to a turnaround in the news department and a failure of all other networks. The situation is far to weird and too varied to explain, really except that a wife, finding a woman's skirt in his briefcase, assumes that he is a repressed homosexual, and says he must prove his innocence by trying on the skirt. This somehow gives confidence to the new 'Action News' reporter and all of a sudden, every weirdo in New York has some problem for the guy to solve. And that's only half of it.

A very strange comedy indeed, but for those who like obscure, and outrageous, almost nonsensical humor, might give it a try.