brilliant actors, brilliant editing

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

It's an interesting film, that's the least I can say about it, but I'm not entirely sure what I think of Eric Bogosian's character Barry and his acting or what Oliver Stone is trying to tell me here. The dialogue consists of many more or less obvious, juxtaposed points of view of the talk show host versus the listeners / callers, and after a while it feels sort of gimmicky. At the same time, there is a wry love story developing, and it even seems that Barry fore-feels his untimely demise. Politics, thriller, love story, they should only be mixed with great care.Bogosian and Stone surely try their best to deliver an edgy piece, but I suppose it only worked in some parts for me. Michael Wincott's performance as a hard rock cliché come to life was hilarious to the point of getting scary, by the way. All in all, I had an interesting time with this, but perhaps I should see it again sometime to be able to wrap my head around all of the dialogue.A good 7 out of 10 for now.

Barry Champlain (Eric Bogosian) is a contemptuous talk radio personality in the Dallas area, boasting a caustic sense of humor his listeners love and his detractors loathe. Most of his phone calls involve loners, drunks, sex fiends, neo-Nazis, and many other unique souls, all of whom finding themselves cut down several sizes when they are placed on air with Barry, who gives them a far-left rant they never anticipated. Barry gets off on lambasting the public, often ignoring the instructions of his stressed boss Dan (Alec Baldwin), his long-suffering producer/girlfriend Laura (Leslie Hope), and powerless program director Dietz (John Pankow), all of whom preparing themselves for a national broadcast for Barry's program due to commence very soon.Oliver Stone plunges us into the lives of this soul in Talk Radio, arguably his most underrated film, and a soul, for that matter, who most of us would probably hate if we came in contact with in real life. There are hints of self-loathing on Barry's behalf throughout the entire film. Consider the scene when a sensuous caller dials into Barry's program and questions why he uses his intelligence to belittle people for their opinions and goes on to say it's because he is scared and fickle. Barry's face becomes void of any expression; the cool guy smirk and upturned eyebrows are traded for a blank stare and moistening skin. Barry is often greeted with so many strange, incompetent, sometimes incoherent callers that never question his personal ethos that when he finally finds a caller who does such a thing, he is momentarily silenced.Yet, despite infrequent setbacks like this, Barry persists on, turning talk radio dialogues into personal monologues driven by condemnation of culture, societal ethics, and misfit culture. When he has the mic, he is in charge above all and his greed monopolizes the entire scenario. He's like a more politically charged and less charismatic Howard Stern. He's stripped of every inherent thing likable about radio personalities, and yet, I found him to be one of the most fascinating anti-heroes and despicable characters I had ever seen committed to film. This very idea is what's exposed throughout Talk Radio; we are fascinated and entranced by people like Barry, who give us what we need to fulfill our ugliest human desires, metaphorically cleansing ourselves of deprivation, and yet, dirtying us up with a whole new layer of muck and rancid human hate.Writers Stone, Bogosian, Tad Savinar, and Stephen Singular (author of Talked to Death: The Life and Murder of Alan Berg, concerning the life of radio personality Alan Berg, whom Barry Champlain is based upon) deeply consider this notion whilst fleshing out Barry into a thoroughly watchable presence. If Barry endlessly spewed hate without a shred of wit, we wouldn't buy it. However, Barry is smooth in his conversation, immaculate in his diction, and his ability to go off on two to three minute monologues, featuring a plethora of adjectives and complex political ideas, is nothing shy of entrancing. Bogosian gives an Oscar worthy performance in one of his few film roles (and only starring roles), making incredible use of the smallest film setting next to an elevator. His impeccable vocal delivery, which manages to send shivers down spines when he goes from casual conversation to intense, politically/racially-charged monologue, and his subtle, but very noticeable, mannerisms are all on point with every scene in the film.Talk Radio is also a film of sublime aesthetic quality, thanks to Stone and cinematographer Robert Richardson (who later went from working with Stone to working with Martin Scorsese on films like The Aviator and Hugo) making the most out of the tight-knit radio room. Every square-inch of the room is at Stone and Richardson's disposal, as they allow the camera to linger on shots of the radio switchboard, the yellow/red ON-AIR light, which becomes a blinding sight during a couple extreme closeups, the TV screen, which shows which callers are on hold, and, probably the most mesmerizing of all, as stated, Bogosian's facial expressions. These small transitory scenes allow for a huge impact on the overall project in terms of effectively creating a darker, more sinister mood and Stone and company certainly don't skimp on them. It's inclusions like these that make a good film into a great film, or even make a great film an incredible film.Above all, Talk Radio catches Stone in a mood of critiquing the media's influence on culture, even before Stone was haled for directing Natural Born Killers; what happens when dark, perverse programs like Barry's become the staple for a nation's culture? The opening monologue of Barry's has him condemning American culture as predicated upon pornography and slasher films, and Stone, in turn, spends the next one-hundred and forty-six minutes examining this idea. Through vivid camera angles, a magnificent and deep central performance, an immersing story and character at the core that do nothing but make the audience turn a mirror onto themselves, and gripping pacing throughout the entire film, Talk Radio is a masterclass of pulpy thriller filmmaking masquerading, though occasionally operating, as a drama.Starring: Eric Bogosian, Alec Baldwin, Leslie Hope, Ellen Greene, and John Pankow. Directed by: Oliver Stone.

Oliver Stone had the good sense to bring Eric Bogosian on board to adapt his play Talk Radio into a film. Probably the most claustrophobic of his work, Talk Radio is set almost entirely within the radio studio in Dallas, Texas of controversial Talk Radio host Barry Champlain. By the way the original play was set in Cleveland, Ohio, but I'm figuring that Stone that Dallas with all it represents in American life is the best place to show an assassination.As it is his work Bogosian turns in one bravura performance of the protagonist character Barry Champlain. His confrontational style is winning him a lot of audience and he's got a sponsor ready to take him national. He's also got some personal problems including an ex-wife who won't let go, a boss in Alec Baldwin who's trying to put on some breaks and always his family of callers.The sheer anonymity of Talk Radio allows some really strange people to call in and express their views that they would never do over a polite dinner table. And like the people who enjoyed the Roman circuses we listen and enjoy and occasionally participate. Bogosian is getting his own kind of high with the power of the microphone and even more the power of the on and off button where he's guaranteed the last word.Stone was a prophet about Talk Radio. Even while this was in theatrical release Talk Radio was getting more and more powerful as an audience participation entertainment. For myself I want to be entertained, but television does that more than radio now. And if I want to be informed I'd better listen to all manner of views on all manner of stations and not just Fox radio or television. His confrontational style brings out the anonymous beast and Bogosian pays for it in the end.Talk Radio was based in part on the assassination of host Alan Berg from the Denver, Coloradio area by white supremacists. His killers were brought to some justice, one wonders if that will happen to Bogosian's assassin.In the supporting roles I best enjoyed Michael Wincott who played this metal head kid who on a whim Bogosian invites on his show. He's right in that if that is our future God help us.

Sandwiched between his Oscar-winning films WALL STREET and BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, Oliver Stone brilliantly blends co-writer/actor Eric Bogosian's original stage play with the real life murder of Denver radio show host Alan Berg in what is often called his most underrated film to date.Dallas radio show host Barry Champlain's penchant for abusing and pushing people's buttons has led him to an offer he couldn't refuse...A chance for taking his show to national syndication. Upon hearing the news, Champlain subjects his ex-wife (Ellen Greene, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL) along with his co-workers to an unforgettable night of offending his audience. But somewhere, a mysterious killer is lurking in the shadows...Bogosian gives probably an ingenious performance as the arrogant host with intense energy and bravura presence. Another actor that also stood out is Michael Wincott (THE DOORS, THE CROW) as the air-headed metal kid who somehow ended up as an unscheduled guest. At the center of this chaos is Greene who brings sincerity and concern to her committed performance.Stone delivers a live-wire satire on "Shock radio" and the politics of adjusting Barry Champlain's controversial persona for the masses. However, the issue of media predominance would later be revisited in NATURAL BORN KILLERS six years later.TALK RADIO is a film that gets you to the core. It is an underrated experience that you will never forget.