The Gong Show Movie (1980)

A week in the life of "The Gong Show" host and creator Chuck Barris who lives through a series of outrageous competitors, stressful situations, a nervous breakdown and other comical ... See full summary »

Director:

Chuck Barris

Writers:

Chuck Barris, Robert Downey Sr. (as Robert Downey)

Stars:

Chuck Barris, Robin Altman, Brian O'Mullin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Altman	...	Red
Chuck Barris	...	Himself
Brian O'Mullin	...	Bum
Jack Bernardi	...	Violin Player (Elderly Man)
Satisfaction	...	Singing Group
William Tregoe	...	Winking Man
Harvey Alpert	...	Trumpet Man
Mabel King	...	Mabel
Lillie Shelton	...	Mabel's Mama
James B. Douglas	...	Buddy Didlo
Harvey Lembeck	...	Man in Steam Room
Ed Marinaro	...	Man in Locker Room
Murray Langston	...	The Unknown Comic
Melvin Presar	...	Himself
Steve Garvey	...	Himself

Storyline

A week in the life of "The Gong Show" host and creator Chuck Barris who lives through a series of outrageous competitors, stressful situations, a nervous breakdown and other comical characters involved in his life and work on the TV show.

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Plot Keywords:

braless | psychotronic film | the gong show | gong | desert | 

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Taglines:

The Gong Show that was gonged by the censor.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 May 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

El espectáculo más loco loco del mundo

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,476,425, 26 May 1980

Gross USA:

$6,621,520

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,621,520

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chuck Barris Productions, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the breakup scene there is a blurry newspaper on the wall that says, "GONG MOVIE SMASH HIT, BARRIS NEXT FELLINI."

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Quotes

Father Ed: Today I'd like to pose a Biblical question. Is there reincarnation after death, and if there is, does the individual return in a higher or lower state than he or she held in his or her mortal life?
Chuck Barris: Ooh, that's an interesting question, Father Ed. What is, uh, what is the answer to that question?
Father Ed: Beats the shit out of me.

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Connections

Referenced in In Search of...: Moon Madness (1980)

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Soundtracks

Why Me Oh Lord
Words & Music by Chuck Barris

User Reviews

The Gong Show Movie

The Gong Show Movie, is about The Gong Show's creator Chuck Barris (who also co-wrote and directed this film) who after several auditions for the show and taping it is getting exhausted. For those who have never seen The Gong Show, it was a game show hosted by Chuck Barris, where they would get people to perform on stage showcasing a talent of theirs and they are judged my several celebrity judges and if they are not liked then a huge gong would be banged. Several of the people on the show had some very unusual and unique talents which would make the television show funny. In the movie Chuck, is getting fed up with the show and trying to keep the ratings for the show up as well as making sure the show isn't offensive and doesn't offend the audience. Everywhere he goes people seem to recognize Chuck and show him their own talents which they hope can be showcased on the television show and eventually Chuck as a breakdown and it is up to the staff and crew of The Gong Show to bring him back. I have never actually seen an episode of The Gong Show, but I have read about it and seen clips of it and it looks like it was a fun show. The show was a hit for several years but when this movie came out to theaters it did very poorly and it currently isn't available on video or DVD. The film isn't very well made and at times it looks like a made for TV movie. The acting also isn't that great and the film tries to make us laugh with several different jokes and sketches but the jokes and sketches just did not work and they did not work and they did not make me laugh. There also really isn't much of a story to this film either other than showing different people auditioning for the show and Chuck's run ins with bizarre fans of the show and spending time with his girlfriend Red. Despite these flaws there was still something I liked about this movie. It was entertaining enough and in some ways the film was so flawed that it almost gave it a campy charm making it fun to watch. The film is entertaining and there are some catchy musical numbers so I'm recommending it for those who will appreciate this film more for it's camp value then anything else because the sheer fact that this film doesn't work on a lot of levels coincidentally does make it work as a B film.