Main Cast: Eric Bogosian, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Greene, Leslie Hope, John C. McGinley
Release Year: 1988
Country: US
Run Time: 110 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Monologist Eric Bogosian's one-man theatre piece Talk Radio, co-written by Bogosian and Ted Savinar, is searingly brought to the screen by Oliver Stone. Bogosian plays a provocateur radio talk-show host, whose constant espousal of his inflammatory views and ceaseless hectoring of his callers and listeners reaps equal parts love and hate. As his program rolls on, Bogosian is revealed to be just as screwed up as any of his fans, if not more. And then he pushes one caller just a bit too far. In co-adapting the play for the screen, Oliver Stone interweaves elements of Steven Singular's factual book Talked to Death, the story of a liberal Denver radio personality who was murdered at the behest of a militant right-wing hate group. One word of warning: if you're not a fan of the sort of radio depicted herein, chances are you won't warm up to this film. Talk Radio was the indirect inspiration for the 1990 TV series Night Caller. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
In its original stage version, Eric Bogosian's Talk Radio seemed like a series of well-composed rants, ultimately cohering into something deeper and more telling. For the film, Bogosian and director/co-screenwriter Oliver Stone give us more background on talk radio host Barry Champlain (Bogosian) and increase the prominence of the threats on his life, inspired by the assassination of Denver radio commentator Alan Berg. With more characters upon whom to vent his spleen, notably Ellen Greene as his wife and Michael Wincott as a hapless studio visitor, Bogosian gives an engrossing, take-no-prisoners performance as a man with plenty to say, even if it's not always well-considered. Though Stone and Bogosian open up the story a bit, most of Talk Radio still occurs in one room, with Champlain doing most of the talking; but Stone's constantly moving camera and Bogosian's wit, venom, and dark charisma keep the film as interesting to look at as to listen to, even if it occasionally overplays its hand in trying to make the story "significant." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
John Pankow - Chuck Dietz; Zach Grenier - Sid Greenberg; Linda Atkinson - Sheila Fleming; Theresa Bell; Mimi Cochran - Girl #1; Alan Corduner - Vince/Morris; William de Acutis - Ralph; Tony Frank - Dino; Leigh French - Newscaster; Earl Hindman - Jerry; Kevin Howard - Fan #2; Anna Levine - Denise/Woman at Baseball Game; Park Overall - Agnes/Debbie/Theresa; David Poynter - Engineer; Rockets Redglare - Killer/Redneck Caller; Robert Trebor - Jeffrey Fisher/Voice of Francine; Jan-Michael Vincent - Michael; Michael Wincott - Kent/Voice of Joe; Bill Johnson - Fan #1; Bruno Rubeo - Terry; John Seitz - Rob; Michele Mariana - Rhonda/Elderly Woman/Julia; Pirie MacDonald - Judge Willard; Chip Moody - Announcer; Al Clark - Larry
Credit
Areni Milo - Art Director, Milo - Art Director, Billy Hopkins - Casting, Risa Bramon - Casting, A. Kitman Ho - Co-producer, Edward R. Pressman - Co-producer, Ellen Mirojnick - Costume Designer, Joseph P. Reidy - First Assistant Director, Oliver Stone - Director, David Brenner - Editor, Joe Hutshing - Editor, Stewart Copeland - Composer (Music Score), Peter Jamison - Production Designer, Bruno Rubeo - Production Designer, Milo - Production Designer, Robert Richardson - Cinematographer, Derek R. Hill - Set Designer, Tod A. Maitland - Sound/Sound Designer, Eric Bogosian - Screenwriter, Oliver Stone - Screenwriter, Stephen Singular - Book Author, Eric Bogosian - Play Author, Tad Savinar - Play Author
Talk Radio is a 1988 film, starring Eric Bogosian, Ellen Greene and Leslie Hope. Directed by Oliver Stone, the film was based on the play by Eric Bogosian and Tad Savinar and inspired by the real-life murder of radio host Alan Berg by Neo-Nazis,[1] which was chronicled in the book, Talked to Death: The Life and Murder of Alan Berg by Stephen Singular.
Barry Champlain, a Jewish radio personality in Dallas, Texas, is a host with a caustic sense of humor and a knack for cutting people down with his controversial political views.
Champlain's radio show is about to go nationwide. A former suit salesman, he achieves his rise to fame through a guest shot on the Jeff Fisher radio show. He is subsequently given his own show. Barry has a substantial number of hostile callers trying to intimidate him and sometimes receives threatening fan mail, such as when one caller makes a bomb threat. His rise to fame is accompanied not only with attention from radical elements, but also with the alienation of his wife. Barry eventually vents his emotions on the audience, telling them how much he despises them. As he leaves the studio, he is gunned down by an angry listener.
The original play takes place entirely during the on-air broadcast and there are no scenes outside the radio station. Moreover, Barry's murder is not depicted or even suggested in the original play.
