In the dystopic near future, a crusading TV reporter investigates news stories with the help of a wisecracking computer version of himself.
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Title: Max Headroom (TV Movie 1985)
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3 wins.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Matt Frewer | ... | Edison Carter / Max Headroom | |
 |
Nickolas Grace | ... | Grossman |
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Hilary Tindall | ... | Dominique |
| William Morgan Sheppard | ... | Blank Reg (as Morgan Sheppard) | |
| Amanda Pays | ... | Theora Jones | |
| Paul Spurrier | ... | Bryce Lynch | |
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Hilton McRae | ... | Breugal |
| George Rossi | ... | Mahler | |
| Roger Sloman | ... | Murray | |
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Anthony Dutton | ... | Gorrister |
| Constantine Gregory | ... | Ben Cheviot | |
| Lloyd McGuire | ... | Edwards | |
|
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Elizabeth Richardson | ... | Ms. Formby |
| Gary Hope | ... | Ashwell | |
|
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Joane Hall | ... | Body Bank Receptionist |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
In the post-apocalyptic future where television sets are more important than food, TV ratings are the all important currency of the nation. A new technique of preventing viewers from channel surfing proves somewhat detrimental to particularly sedentary couch potatoes. The top studio becomes concerned: dead viewers make for low ratings. Edison Carter, top news reporter, is sent to find out more. After a motorcycle accident, his mind is preserved by wizz-kid Bryce and becomes his wise cracking, computer generated alter-ego: Max Headroom, who manages to boost ratings above those of any live hosts to date. This made for TV movie was later remade (sanitized version) as the first episode of the series. Written by Sven Kahrkling <sven@customized.com>
Plot Keywords:
character name as title | max headroom character | television | woman sweating | alternate reality |Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
4 April 1985 (UK) See more »Also Known As:
Max Headroom: 20 Minutes Into the Future See more »Filming Locations:
East Ham, London, England, UKCompany Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Technicolor)
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The character of "Max Headroom" was originally apparently created as a literal talking head that would host a music video show, produced by Chrysalis Visual Programming for the broadcaster Channel Four (UK). At the time the production company was a division of the record label Chrysalis Records, so presumably featured only music videos from their artists and labels. This film was actually in effect the pilot for the music video series, setting up a backstory setting up his character's stylised sassy talking head existence. The various bits of Max hosting between the music videos, such as his thoughts and monologues was not unlike the later MTV series "Beavis and Butthead". Some of his hosting sequences were later re-used in the Lorimar-Telepictures re-boot. See more »Quotes
Edison Carter: This is Edison Carter, coming to you Live and Direct, on Network 23.See more »
Crazy Credits
The credits roll over a shot of the overpass that our heroes just passed under. After a few minutes the van owned by the thugs that "killed" Edison passes under it - apparently going after our heroes. See more »Connections
Referenced in Best of the Worst: Supergirl, Captain America (1990), and Roger Corman's Fantastic Four (2014) See more »Frequently Asked Questions
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Reporter Edison Carter discovers that an advertising medium developed by the TV network he works for is killing viewers. The network attempts to 'dispose' of him and replace him with a computer generated version. And so the story goes...
This is a really good film, taking the bleak vision of Blade-Runner and injecting a little 20th century realism. Set in a world where TV networks rule and the population is made up of couch potatoes who rarely venture into the desolation outside their doors, Max Headroom is frighteningly plausible and potentially very downbeat.
However, the story has enough lighter moments to balance the overall darkness of the film and together with a likeable and talented cast, this is a thoroughly enjoyable film that - like its content - was maybe a bit too ahead of its time. 10/10.