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:

Continuity: When Barry puts his finger on the glass in the studio and Laura stands up to place her finger against his, the placement of Barry's hand changes dramatically between shots.

Quotes:

Ellen: What do want me to do, Barry? You want me to fall in love with you again?

Movie Connections:

References Easy Rider (1969)

Soundtrack:

Disco Inferno

Underrated masterpiece

"Talk Radio" is my favorite Oliver Stone movie, though he has made many great ones including "Salvador", "JFK", "Natural Born Killers" and "Platoon". But I like the intimacy of "Talk Radio", a cinematic expansion of Eric Bogosian's searing stage play that was based on a real life account of a Dallas talk show host. Working with ace cinematographer Robert Richardson, Stone turns what could have been a very set-bound exercise into a visually arresting ideological battle that presents a radio station as an arena of war. Bogosian is devastating as tortured on-air spouter of abuse Barry Champlain and conveys the conflicted, destructive nature of his character with conviction and a generous dose of self-loathing. Alec Baldwin, as his Alpha male boss, strikes the perfect note as a man driven nuts by a guy whose monstrousness he helped nurture. Ellen Greene is fantastic as Barry's sweet ex-wife who ends up becoming another target of his vicious personal vitriol. Stone and Bogosian fill every frame with interest and every line of dialog with sweet poison and cutting ambiguity. John C. McGinley, as Barry's long-suffering screener/technical producer Stu, turns in a hilarious, sharp performance, as does the great Michael Wincott. The film is a flawless, underrated masterpiece of superb writing, awesome acting and brutal, uncompromising direction. The Stewart Copeland score is brilliant, too.