TALK RADIO

US, 1988, 110 minutes, Colour.
Eric Bogosian, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Greene, Leslie Hope, Michael Wincott.
Directed by Oliver Stone.

Talk Radio is a brilliant look at the personality of a radio guru, his own character, ability to cope with his image and his performance, his collapse, as well as the workings of radio, the motivations and responses of listeners.

The film is based on a one-man play by its star, Eric Bogosian. He gives a striking performance, fluent as well as intense. The director is Oliver Stone, who co-wrote the screenplay, opening out the one-act play as well as integrating material from other sources, especially a novel about the assassination of a radio talkback host.

Stone’s films are very strong, brilliantly directed, full of strong impact, fluid. This film is no exception, even though it is probably the least known of his films from the latter part of the ‘80s, which include Salvador, Platoon, Wall Street, Born on the Fourth of July, The Doors and JFK.

The film is set, significantly, in Dallas. The people who ring in offer the range of Americans and their prejudices, especially those of Texas. Right-Wing? rednecks ring up, lonely elderly women ring up, bewildered young women, stoned young men. There is a great deal of venom in the dialogue of the callers to the station. It is matched in the outbursts of the radio host. In the supporting cast are Alec Baldwin as the producer, John Pankow as a sponsor from New York, Lesley Hope as the host’s producer girlfriend, Ellen Greene as his ex-wife, John C. McGinley? as his panel technician. The film works particularly well as drama and as a sometimes scathing comment on the United States – and a great insight into radio.

1.A film about the media, the United States – scathing comment, aspects of human nature?

2.The writing and performance of Eric Bogosian? The collaboration with Oliver Stone, writing and direction? The strong cast?

3.The significance of setting the film in Dallas? Texas? The confining of most of the action to the studios – but fluidly presented? Angle shots, close-ups, through windows and panels? Life and movement within the station and the studio? The flashbacks and the outside sequences: the shop, the highway, the basketball stadium? The musical score? The range of music used, especially the inserts by the talkback host?

4.The significance of words, the articulate screenplay? Radio as a word medium, the personal impact of host to individual listener? The contents of the calls to the radio station, the loneliness, ignorance, foolishness, hoaxes? The significance of the bigotry? The treatment by the host of the guests, fluent, abusive?

5.The role of radio, the Dallas experience, the range of audience, characters ringing in, the men, the women? Thoughtless, prejudice? Inviting guests in – and the stoned young man? The dependence of the listeners, filling a space in their life, not turning off despite their hostility?

6.Eric Bogosian’s screen presence and style, appearance, fluency in talk? The initial impact of the opening of the film and seeing him perform, his reactions to Dan and to the sponsor, to Stu and to Laura? The contact with Ellen, the flashbacks? The young Barry, Jewish background, working in the rag trade, selling suits? His persuasive patter, the judge? His hair, clothes? His relationship with Ellen? Too busy to go out for meals? The radio host coming to the shop, the flip invitation to the studio? Barry and his responses, taking over, abusive, sending up the audience and the caller? The anger of the host? The offer of the audition, his clever patter, his success – and Ellen ringing up and communicating with him as Cheryl-Anne?

7.The night of the talkback, the pressure, Dan and his presence, smooth, taking responsibility for the show? The plan for the Chicago sponsor? His presence, watching, supporting, his comments? Barry and his reaction to the sponsor, hostile – yet announcing on air that he would go national? His later abuse of the sponsor for delaying the going nationwide? Stu, the interactions, the notices, the names on the monitor? Stu and his anger with Barry? Putting on difficult cases – especially the rapist? Laura and her work, support? The personal relationship? The difficulty in sorting out her role as producer and as girlfriend – and not as wife?

8.The importance of the content of the callers talking: the range of US concerns? Racism, Barry as a Jew, the black callers, Barry and his reaction about hostility between black and white? Blacks kow-towing to Jews? The use of homosexuals as a focus of abuse? Government and its pandering to the population and to elections? The sadistic parent ringing in about beating his children? The old man and the exchange of proverbs and cliches? The stoned young man and his party? The lonely girl and her long hair? The women ringing up just to talk, saying that they loved Barry, not knowing why they listened? The rapist and his anguish and Barry trying to hold him on air? The neo-Nazi prejudice? The sending of Nazi flags – and the dead rat in the parcel? The death threats?

9.The fluency of words, Barry’s abusing his audience and their taking it? Why? His long speech in the latter part of the film about Chicago, going nationwide, his audience? His admitting the thrill of the program, the support, his ego, ratings? His inviting the stoned young man into the studio despite Dan’s criticisms? The interviews and his obvious spurning of the young man?

10.The response to the show: Barry going out, autographs, the basketball match, his welcome – and then his being booed? The girl taunting him and throwing the drink over him?

11.Laura, listening to Barry as a girl, admiring him, his producer, girlfriend, her confusion? At home with him? In on the deals? Barry’s abuse of her? Her encounters with Ellen?

12.Ellen, the phone call, ringing him from the airport, their talk in the car-ride, the bond between them? Her new life, health, recovering from Barry? The flashbacks, in the shop, her love for him, support, the meals? The audition and her being Cheryl-Anne? and supporting him? Her absence, coming home to the sex party, her walking out, sense of betrayal? Her coming to support Barry and the nationwide show? In the studio, supporting him, compassion? Seeing him collapse, ringing up as Cheryl-Anne? Her declaration of love? His listening, going into his radio persona and abusing her? Her hurt and her leaving?

13.Barry, his background, Jewish consciousness? Working in the shop? Enthusiasm for radio, his talent for it? The years and the program, public celebrity, the man you love to love – or hate? His confusion, his personal life, antagonism towards people, exploiting them? Stu and his anger with him? Dan and his exasperation? The doubts of the sponsor? His long speech about himself – the possibility of self-revelation and understanding? People reacting as if it was just a great show?

14.The sponsor, the business world, using radio, interference? The interest of the sponsor – and his sinister presence?

15.Stu, old friendship with Barry, at the sex party, sympathy with Ellen? Antagonism towards Barry, yet friendship? Arguments about vetting the callers? Letting the rapist go on?

16.Dan, business, the smooth-talking producer, concerned about deals?

17.Barry and the end of the evening, going downstairs, out into the plaza, the fan, the confrontation, the violent abuse, the death threats and the shooting?

18.The range of radio comments after Barry’s death, tributes, assessments, criticisms? The role of the radio host, celebrity? People imposing their own image on such celebrities? And American society and the violent killing of celebrities?

19.A picture of the media in the ‘80s, radio, sponsorship, fans? A significant piece of Americana?