Tapeheads
| Tapeheads | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Bill Fishman |
| Written by | Bill Fishman Peter McCarthy |
| Produced by | Peter McCarthy Michael Nesmith |
| Starring | John Cusack Tim Robbins Mary Crosby |
| Cinematography | Bojan Bazelli |
| Music by | Fishbone |
| Distributed by | Avenue Pictures |
Release date | October 21, 1988 |
Running time | 93 min. |
| Country |  |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10,000 |
| Box office | $343,786 |
Tapeheads is a 1988 comedy film directed by Bill Fishman. The film stars John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Sam Moore, and Junior Walker. The movie was produced by Michael Nesmith, who is seen briefly in the film as a bottled water delivery man.
Plot
After losing their jobs as security guards, best friends Ivan (John Cusack) and Josh (Tim Robbins) start a music video production company called "Video Aces". When they meet their childhood heroes, '70s soul duo The Swanky Modes (Sam Moore and Junior Walker), Ivan and Josh concoct a scheme to give them a new audience by hijacking a Menudo concert, getting them to perform in Menudo's place, and broadcasting it live across the country on a TV satellite hook-up.
The movie also features a fake ad spot for a real Los Angeles restaurant, Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles. People who make appearances in the film include: Mary Crosby, of the nighttime soap opera Dallas; character actors Clu Gulager and Doug McClure; Footballer Lyle Alzado; '60s icon Connie Stevens; Soul Train host Don Cornelius; original "Human Beat-Box" Doug E. Fresh; ska-punk band Fishbone (who also perform the incidental score) as "Ranchbone"; Lords of the New Church singer Stiv Bators; Ted Nugent; Weird Al Yankovic; Bob Forrest; and Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra in a cameo as an F.B.I. agent.
Cast
- John Cusack as Ivan Alexeev
- Tim Robbins as Josh Tager
- Mary Crosby as Samantha Gregory
- Clu Gulager as Senator Norman Mart
- Doug McClure as Sid Tager
- Katy Boyer as Belinda Mart
- Jessica Walter as Kay Mart
- Sam Moore as Billy Diamond
- Junior Walker as Lester Diamond
- Susan Tyrrell as Nikki Morton
- Lee Arenberg as Norton
- Xander Berkeley as Ricky Fell
- "Weird Al" Yankovic as Himself
- Don Cornelius as Mo Fuzz
- King Cotton as Roscoe
- Zander Schloss as Heavy Metal Fan
- Martha C. Quinn as RVTV-VJ
- Ted Nugent as Rock Star
- Jello Biafra as FBI Man
- Connie Stevens as June Tager
- Courtney Love (uncredited) as Norman's Spanker
- Stiv Bators as Dick Slammer
- Bob Goldthwait (credited as Jack Cheese) as Don Druzel
- David Anthony Higgins as Visual Aplomb
- Michael Nesmith as Water Man
- Jennifer Balgobin as Calypso Dancer
- Sy Richardson as Bartender
- Brie Howard as Flygirl
Soundtrack
The music supervisor for the film was Nigel Harrison. The soundtrack album was released on Island Records.
| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ordinary Man" | Swanky Modes (Sam Moore and Junior Walker) | 2:53 |
| 2. | "Roscoe's Rap" | King Cotton | 4:26 |
| 3. | "Surfer's Love Chant" | Bo Diddley | 4:56 |
| 4. | "You Hooked Me Baby" | Swanky Modes | 3:32 |
| 5. | "Betcher Bottom Dollar" | Swanky Modes | 2:20 |
| 6. | "Baby Doll (Sung in Swedish)" | Devo | 3:36 |
| 7. | "Slow Bus A-Movin' (Howard's Beach Party)" | Fishbone ("Ranchbone") | 2:39 |
| 8. | "Audience for My Pain" | Swanky Modes | 4:22 |
| 9. | "Language of Love" | Swanky Modes | 3:00 |
| 10. | "Ordinary Man (Can't Keep a Good Man Down Mix)" | Swanky Modes | 4:19 |
The film's soundtrack (but not the soundtrack album) includes the song "Repave America" written and performed by Tim Robbins, credited as Bob Roberts four years before that movie was released. "Repave America" also appeared in the Bob Roberts soundtrack with the lyrics slightly altered to become "Retake America".