Talk Radio (1988)

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers (WGA):

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

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 | Neo Nazi | Radio Talk Show | Controversy | Cinema Verite

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
Bruno Rubeo	...	Tony
Pirie MacDonald	...	Judge Willard
Allan Corduner	...	Vince / Morris
Mimi Cochran	...	Girl #1
Teresa Bell	...	Girl #2 / Lucy
Rockets Redglare	...	Killer / Redneck Caller
Angus G. Wynne III	...	Engineer
Chip Moody	...	Announcer
David Poynter	...	Engineer
Peter Zapp	...	Josh / Vincent (voice)
Carl Kissin	...	Glen (voice)
Park Overall	...	Debbie / Agnes / Theresa (voice)
Michele Mariana	...	Rhonda / Elderly Woman / Julia (voice)
Earl Hindman	...	Chet / Black John / Jerry (voice)
John Seitz	...	Bob (voice)
Kyle McClaran	...	Arnold (voice)
Dee Pyland	...	Nancy (voice)
Daniel Escobar	...	Frank (voice)
William De Acutis	...	John the Rapist / Ralph (voice) (as Bill DeAcutis)
Frederica Meister	...	Sexy Woman (voice)
Luis Barajas	...	Fred (voice)
Vernie Bailey	...	Jackie (voice)
Martin Rayner	...	Arnold (voice)
Alan Clark	...	Larry (voice)
Moby	...	Station Announcer / Newscaster (voice)
John B. Wells	...	V.O. (voice)
Leigh French	...	Newscaster (voice)
Walter Lynn	...	Newscaster (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Theresa Bell	...	Lucy (uncredited)

Directed by
Oliver Stone

Writing credits (WGA)
Stephen Singular		(book "Talked To Death: The Life and Murder of Alan Berg")
Eric Bogosian		(play creator) &
Tad Savinar		(play creator)
Eric Bogosian		(play)
Eric Bogosian		(screenplay) &
Oliver Stone		(screenplay)

Produced by
A. Kitman Ho	....	producer
Edward R. Pressman	....	producer
Diane Schneier	....	associate producer
Greg Strangis	....	executive producer
Sam Strangis	....	executive producer
Neal Weisman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Stewart Copeland

Cinematography by
Robert Richardson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Brenner
Joe Hutshing		(co-editor)

Casting by
Risa Bramon Garcia
Billy Hopkins

Production Design by
Bruno Rubeo

Art Direction by
Milo

Set Decoration by
Derek R. Hill

Costume Design by
Ellen Mirojnick

Makeup Department
Martha Marek Beresford	....	hair stylist
Sharon Ilson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jane Bartelme	....	unit manager
Michael Flynn	....	executive in charge of production
Clayton Townsend	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vebe Borge	....	second assistant director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	first assistant director (as Joseph Reidy)

Art Department
Don 'Tex' Clark	....	set dresser (as Don Clark)
Mike Parsons	....	property master
Barry Phillips	....	assistant art director
Craig Pittman	....	set dresser
Joe Sharber	....	stand-by props
Phil Shirey	....	set dresser
J. Grey Smith	....	lead man (as Grey Smith)
Floyd Gentry	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Terry Lynn Allen	....	dialogue editor (as Terry Allen)
Lorna Anderson	....	dialogue editor
Lon Bender	....	supervising sound editor (as Lon E. Bender)
Neal Burger	....	dialogue editor
Harry Cohen	....	digital sound effects designer
Tom Dionne	....	sound effects editor
Scott Martin Gershin	....	sound designer
Avram D. Gold	....	dialogue editor (as Avram Gold)
Lewis Goldstein	....	dialogue editor (as Lew Goldstein)
Douglas Greenfield	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Patrick M. Griffith	....	post-production sound supervisor
Victor Grodecki	....	dialogue editor
Penny Lee Hallin	....	assistant dialogue editor
Kevin Hearst	....	dialogue editor
Sherry Klein	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gerry Lentz	....	foley editor
Gerry Lentz	....	foley recordist
Kim Maitland	....	sound recordist
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound mixer
Joseph A. Mayer	....	adr supervisor (as Joseph Mayer)
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
T.J. O'Mara	....	boom operator
Kelly Oxford	....	assistant dialogue editor
Dan M. Rich	....	dialogue editor (as Dan Rich)
David M. Roberts	....	utility sound (as David Roberts)
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Ann Scibelli	....	sound effects editor
R. Russell Smith	....	sound effects editor (as Rusty Smith)
Cathie Speakman	....	sound editor
Wylie Stateman	....	supervising sound editor
Ken Teaney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephen Toback	....	sound effects editor
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Jeff Vaughn	....	foley editor
Jeff Vaughn	....	foley recordist

Special Effects by
Dyan Traynor	....	effects coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sharon Alley	....	second assistant camera
Jerry G. Callaway	....	aerial photographer
Mark Shane Davis	....	key grip (as Mark Davis)
Jonathan D. Guerra	....	electrician (as Jon Guerra)
Johnny Gutierrez	....	rigging electrician
John Johns	....	video playback operator
Steve Lang	....	grip
Fred L. McLane	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Fred McLane)
Reinhart 'Rayteam' Peschke	....	gaffer
Philip C. Pfeiffer	....	director of photography: second unit (as Phil Pfeiffer)
Toby Phillips	....	Steadicam operator
Bill Pierson	....	dolly grip
David Rudd	....	first assistant camera
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Frank Scheidbach	....	best boy
John Shoemaker	....	electrician
John Patrick Smith	....	camera trainee (as Patrick Smith)
Peter J. Verrando	....	24 frame video operator (as Pete Verrando)
Mark A. Hatley	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Matthew W. Davis	....	casting assistant
Ed Johnston	....	casting: Texas
Carl Scaglione	....	casting assistant: Texas
Katherine Venti	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara A. Baker	....	wardrobe assistant (as Barbara Baker)
Sawnie Baldridge	....	costume supervisor (as Sawnie Baldridge Smith)
Stephen M. Chudej	....	costumer (as Stephen Chudej)
Mayes C. Rubeo	....	assistant to costume designer (as Mayes Castillero de Rubeo)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	additional negative cutter
Jana Carroll	....	apprentice editor
Bob Hagans	....	color timer
Michele Perrone	....	assistant editor (as Michelle Perrone)
Melody Platt	....	apprentice editor
Marcelo Sansevieri	....	assistant editor
Pietro Scalia	....	assistant editor
Emmy Scharlatt	....	assistant editor
Amy Urema	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Budd Carr	....	music supervisor
Niki Freegard	....	music coordinator
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor (as Carl Kaller)
Jeff Seitz	....	music co-producer
Jeff Seitz	....	music engineer

Transportation Department
Alvin Milliken	....	driver (as Alvin Milliken Jr.)
Billy Milliken	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Bill Abbott	....	key technical advisor
Judith Lee Berg	....	consultant
David Bradstreet	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
David A. Brink	....	production assistant (as David Brink)
Billy Crawford	....	film courier
Elon Dershowitz	....	assistant: Edward R. Pressman
Cindy Fairfield	....	studio manager
Catherine M. Griffin	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Robert Grindrod	....	assistant auditor
Sandy Hollis	....	craft service
Andrea Jaffe	....	publicist
Myra Lebo	....	office staff executive assistant: Pressman Films, Los Angeles
Deborah Lupard	....	key production assistant
Susan Malerstein	....	script supervisor
Lisa Mashburn	....	bookkeeper: Los Angeles
Dan Perri	....	title designer: main titles
Sandra Maltz Saccio	....	production secretary: Pressman films, Los Angeles (as Sandra Maltz)
Elisabeth Seldes	....	assistant: Oliver Stone
Christina Stauffer	....	production assistant
Barbara-Ann Stein	....	auditor
Leeann Stonebreaker	....	production coordinator
Elizabeth Stone	....	spiritual advisor: Naijo No Ko
Layne Teaff	....	production assistant
Art Tizon	....	office coordinator: Los Angeles
Peter J. Verrando	....	technician: broadcast electronics (as Pete Verrando)
Anath White	....	technical advisor
Mike Childress	....	stage manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cineplex-Odeon Films
• Ten-Four Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1990) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Cineplex-Odeon Home Video (1989) (Canada) (VHS)
• Future Film (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• MCA Home Video (1989) (Canada) (video)
• MCA Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1990) (Finland) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1998) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• EFX Systems  digital sound
• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• Optical House, The  opticals
• Otto Nemenz International  camera and lenses
• R/Greenberg Associates  additional optical effects
• Soundelux  dialogue editing

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:

The radio tower seen at the end of the film is the tower for KDFW, Dallas' Fox affiliate (although at the time of the film, KDFW was the affiliate for CBS).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Barry Champlain says that he’s going to punish his listeners by playing the Bee Gee's song - Saturday Night Fever, ten times in a row. The record they actually play is Disco Inferno by The Tramps. This may be intentional due to copyright issues however the track is on the OST for Saturday Night Fever.

Quotes:

Stu: Barry and I worked together for over seven years and whenever you threatened him over the air, man he would stick it right back in your face. It was like his dick was flapping in the wind and he'd like to see if he could get an erection. The guy had a little dick but he liked to flap it out there. Then they cut it off, so now he's dead. I don't know if you understand my analogy but it's the clearest one I can make.

Movie Connections:

References The Blob (1958)

Soundtrack:

Telephone & Rubber Band

Stone's Cruelly Underrated Satire On The Media Remains Masterfully Amusing, Bold, Exhilarating, Fearless, Fascinating and Stark. Possibly Stone's Most Honest Film To Date

I have never been a great fan of Oliver Stone, often because I have found his films to be forced, preachy and generally flawed. The two Stone films I truly like are JFK and Talk Radio, yet Talk Radio takes the cake for being Stone's finest achievement. Stone is a director whereby you are either a fan or you are not, it is safe to say that before watching Talk Radio I was not fond of the guy and considered one of the most overrated directors in the film industry, though after watching Talk Radio some of my perceptions have changed. Talk Radio is an unsettling and amusing attack on what is now known as "reality TV".

Talk Radio follows a self-indulgent, dysfunctional, determined, hysterical, outrageous and perplexing radio host, named Barry Champlain who hosts a controversial late-night radio show in Dallas. Quickly becoming well known for his bold and quirky air-presence he becomes a late night sensation, whereby depraved junkies, delinquents, racists, sociopaths, sickos, perverts and morons call in to be ridiculed on air. The film shows the rise and fall of the man's career, carefully making an accurate portrayal on freedom of speech. Originally adapted from a stage-play, the film attaches itself to the theatre theme that it was originally built around, wonderfully conveying the film's fierce nature.

With the ferocious energy and non-stereotypical air, Talk Radio brings all the hilarity behind "crass media". It remains even more poignant today than it was in the late '80s. The film goes into depth studying the likes of arrogance, self-obsession, offensive behaviour, controversy, hypocrisy and ignorance. The film shows through a controlled manner how it is good to have a personal opinion and freedom of speech, yet it is something that should be used wisely rather than shamefully blunt. Stone tries to show how freedom of speech is a crucial importance in life, but is something that we should be wary and cautious about. The film asks the question of "is our main protagonist just the same as the sad people who call up the show?"

Stone fabulously creates the film's key set-piece (the radio station) with an ambition and cold atmosphere. He then succeeds in capturing the isolation, fear, ambiguity and the dangerous emotions that are built up at the radio station. Eric Bogosian is perfectly cast as the isolated, self-absorbed and complex genius, Barry Champlain. He fits the role perfectly letting off his lines with such enthusiasm, urgency, perplexity, brusqueness and ultimately the bold hilarity of his offensive nature. The performance brims with spark, which was evidently robbed of an Oscar nomination. His voice suits the character, being that a primary element of a radio host and his power of acting along with tragedy and comedy works brilliantly.

There is a strong use of editing in Stone's films and Talk Radio boasts some of his cleanest, most rhythmic editing. He uses beautifully controlled camera techniques, which differ from being calm to suddenly becoming turbulent. There is a vibrant energy behind the film, with its raw and wonderfully delightful script working as a centre-piece for the greatness of the film. The striking and virtuous cinematography stands out in the moments inside and outside the studio, most impressively capturing the city at night. Not forgetting the hauntingly heartbreaking and yet darkly funny climatic "spiral to decline" is ultimately remarkable cinema.

Talk Radio is an essential modern masterpiece, I am certain you will be surprised by just how great it really is. I highly recommend Talk Radio for anyone interested in media or film. Talk Radio is a fine example of top-notch, intellectual and insightful entertainment, which still packs a well-earned wakeup call. Finally, if it was not for Eric Bogosian the film would not be the fun, delightful and enduring masterpiece it is today.