Tapeheads
Dir: Bill Fishman
1988
****
Bill Fishman's madcap comedy Tapeheads is a music satire that was so ahead of its time that no one really noticed it, which is a terrible shame really as I think it is one of the best (and most overlooked) 80's films ever made. To be clear, I don't think it is one of the best films made in the 1980's (although I think it is brilliant), I think it is one of the best examples of the decades essence. It is a film for the MTV generation that actually pokes fun at the MTV generation somewhat, the spoof videos could really be genuine though, such was the decade. The editing is a complete mess but it doesn't really matter and actually fits the film quite well. This is an energy driven film and it never looses pace, thanks mainly to John Cusack (in one of my favorite performances of his) and Tim Robbins. The music related cameos from people such as the brilliant Don Cornelius, Sam & Dave, Coati Mundi, King Cotton, Ted Nugent, Doug E. Fresh and Weird Al Yankovic make it look like a budget version of The Blues Brothers, and it is a little bit like that albeit an MTV version but all serve a purpose and no one is there to purely bulk up the cast names, Don Cornelius is particularly good. It's a chaotic mess, totally dated and rather silly but that's what I love about it. It's an explosion of the 80's, is very knowing and rather good fun.