Story of movie Tapeheads : Tapeheads is a 1988 comedy film directed by Bill Fishman and starring John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Sam Moore and Junior Walker. The film was produced by Michael Nesmith, who briefly appears as a bottled water delivery man.
| Tapeheads | |
|---|---|
Original movie poster | |
| Directed by | Bill Fishman |
| Produced by | Peter McCarthy Michael Nesmith |
| Written by | Bill Fishman Peter McCarthy |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Fishbone |
| Cinematography | Bojan Bazelli |
Production company | NBC Productions |
| Distributed by | Avenue Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10,000,000 |
| Box office | $343,786 |
Screenplay
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, 1970s soul duo 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 television satellite hook-up.
The movie also features a fake ad spot for a real Los Angeles restaurant, Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles. Notable appearances in the film include: Mary Crosby, of the nighttime soap opera Dallas; character actors Clu Gulager and Doug McClure; footballer Lyle Alzado; 1960s icon Connie Stevens; Soul Train host Don Cornelius; singer Courtney Love; Navasota singer King Cotton; original "Human Beat-Box" Doug E. Fresh; ska-punk band Fishbone (who also perform the incidental score) as "Ranchbone"; The Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church singer Stiv Bators; Ted Nugent; "Weird Al" Yankovic; and Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, in a cameo as an FBI agent.
- 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 #1
- Bob McLean as FBI Man #2
- 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
- Billy Davis as Swanky Modes Band member (guitar)
The music supervisor for the film was Nigel Harrison. The soundtrack album was released on Island Records.
