Talk Radio (1988)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers (WGA):

Stephen Singular (book)
Eric Bogosian (play) ...

Release Date:

21 December 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The last neighborhood in America.

Plot:

A rude, contemptuous talk show host becomes overwhelmed by the hatred that surrounds his program just before it goes national.

Plot Keywords:

Radio | Controversial | Hatred | Radio Talk Show | Neo Nazi

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Eric Bogosian	...	Barry
Ellen Greene	...	Ellen
Leslie Hope	...	Laura
John C. McGinley	...	Stu
Alec Baldwin	...	Dan
John Pankow	...	Dietz
Michael Wincott	...	Kent / Michael / Joe
Linda Atkinson	...	Sheila Fleming
Robert Trebor	...	Jeffrey Fisher / Francine
Zach Grenier	...	Sid Greenberg
Tony Frank	...	Dino
Harlan Jordan	...	Coach Armstrong
Bill Johnson	...	Fan #1
Kevin Howard	...	Fan #2
Anna Levine	...	Woman at Basketball Game / Denise

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating: 2005) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:18 (1989-2005) | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Building One, Studios at Las Colinas - 6301 North O'Connor Road, Irving, Texas, USA

Company:

Cineplex-Odeon Films

Trivia:

Eric Bogosian's play, on which the film is based, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: KGAB's radio tower is shown to be in Downtown Dallas. Most radio stations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are in Cedar Hill, in between Dallas and Fort Worth. While there are exceptions depending on the power of the radio station, if KGAB were as large a station as depicted, its tower would be in Cedar Hill.

Quotes:

Barry: The only thing you believe in is me! What are you if you don't have me?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Fisher King (1991)

Soundtrack:

Telephone & Rubber Band

Talked to Death

***SPOILERS*** For some strange reason Oliver Stone's "Talk Radio" based on the Stephen Singular book "Talked to Death" and the films star Eric Bogosian's play, about the 1984 murder of Denver talk show host Alan Berg, has never gotten the recognition that it so rightfully deserved. The 1988 movie was prophetic enough to recognize the underground movement that was developing in the farm and hinterland of America. A movement that spawned, some seven years later, the likes of an angry and disgruntled Gulf War veteran Timothy McVeigh who's hatred for the US governments actions in Wacco Texas lead to his and friend,Terry Nichols, detonation of the US Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995 that took the lives of 168 people, the worst act of terrorism on US soil up to that time.

The movie is, as far as I know, the first time that any major branch of the entertainment media mentioned and elaborated on the rural militia novel "The Turner Diaries" by the late William L. Pierce, that has since become a chilling underground classic. "The Turner Diaries" forecast a domestic and utterly disastrous terrorist attack, like the Oklahoma City bombing, on a US Government Federal facility which was the FBI Building in Washington D.C.

Dallas radio station KGAB talk show host Barry Champlain, Eric Bogosian, is the top rated show in the Dallas listening area and is now about to go national. Barry get's his high rating by his razor sharp wit and abusive behavior when he's on the air. Taking on all comers and ducking no issues, no matter how unpopular or taboo they are, has gotten Barry to be the most listened to as well as hated man on radio. Barry being a showman at heart and not thinking that his talk can lead to violence keeps up his abrasiveness to his call-in listeners as his rating go up to the celling. But there are those in the listening audience, mostly ultra right wing types, that don't take too kindly to his in your face attitude. One of them decides to take matters into his on hand at Barry's expense.

Powerhouse performance by Eric Bogosian as the tragic Barry Champlain who crossed the line from entertainment to hard reality in his actions on the radio. Thinking that he's not that important to be sought out and murdered for his on the air opinions which is enemies dislike he found out only too late that there are those out there who are crazy enough to do to him on the outside. Also in the movie "Talk Radio" is a very young Alic Baldwin as Barry's boss Dan who tries to have him soften his tone but in the end goes along with his talk show style since he's killing the competition not realizing that in the end it's him that he'll end up getting killed.

Both Ellen Green and Leslie Hope are the two women in Barry's life his ex-wife Ellen and now lover and talk show producer Laura whom Barry uses to his advantage and almost ends up losing both of them at the same time. The 1988 film "Talk Radio" is so far ahead of it's time that even if you watch it now in 2005 you still think that it's too disturbing to be shown to an over sensitive and delicate American public.