Review of Talk Radio (1988) by Melvin W — 24 Jun 2012

Barry: You're fascinated by the gory details! You're mesmerized by your own fear. You revel in floods, car accidents, unstoppable diseases, you're happiest when others are in pain.That's where I come in isn't it? I'm here to lead you by the hand through the dark forest of your own hatred and anger and humiliation! .

"The last neighborhood in America".

Talk Radio is one of my favorite Oliver Stone films, and is one that few actually know about. It's an underrated and under seen film of immense power. It has a simple, straightforward narrative, but the actual material is anything but simple. This is a movie that will stick with you; one that is unforgettable. I just watched this for the second time, and I'm still amazed by how Stone and Bogosian suck me in with the character of Barry Champlain. The film is at its most interesting when only the character of Champlain is talking, and luckily, that is most of the movie.

Talk Radio follows a talk radio host named Barry Champlain. Champlain's character is based on a real life host name Alan Berg, who was murdered after a show. Champlain has a night time show where rants his opinions to the people of Dallas, and most of them hate him for it. Yet they still listen and call in. Soon, Champlain's show is going to go national, so everyone in America can hear his opinions on drugs, racism, and anything else you can think about. Champlain is a character that you think would have a lot of strength. His voice and his opinions show strength. Yet, he starts to unravel with all of the hatred from callers. .

Most of the film takes place in the talk room. There's a few scenes outside of the room, but very few. We are left with Bogosian as Champlain and all of his callers. Bogosian more than exceeds standards. He is simply amazing as Champlain. He wrote the original play, and co-wrote this script with Stone. The two of them brought the play perfectly to screen with a lot of power and a lot of intellect. The ending will leave you haunted more than anything. I don't think there's any better word to describe this film with, then haunting.

I wouldn't know what genre to put this into. The closest one there is is drama, but even that doesn't fit it all that well. It has no real genre limitation. It's funny, it's sad, it's scary, it's honest. It's everything in one film and I love it for that. Talk Radio is a must see, and not just for film buffs, but for everyone. It's one of Oliver Stone's best achievements and pretty much no one has heard about it. Track this movie down and give it a look. .