Airheadsis a 1994 Americancomedy film[1]directed byMichael Lehmannand written byRich Wilkes.It starsBrendan Fraser,Steve Buscemi,andAdam Sandleras the members of a struggling rock band who hijack aLos Angelesradio station in order to get theirdemoaired. The rest of the principal cast includesChris Farley,Michael McKean,Judd Nelson,Michael Richards,andJoe Mantegnawith supporting roles done byErnie Hudson,Amy Locane,Nina Siemaszko,Marshall Bell,Reg E. Cathey,andDavid Arquette.
| Airheads | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Michael Lehmann |
| Written by | Rich Wilkes |
| Produced by | Mark Burg Robert Simonds |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John Schwartzman |
| Edited by | Stephen Semel |
| Music by | Carter Burwell |
Production companies | Island World Robert Simonds Productions |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2.2 million[citation needed] |
| Box office | $5.8 million (domestic) |
Airheadswas a critical and commercial failure,[2]but has since come to be viewed as acult film.[3]
Plot
editIn Los Angeles, Chester "Chazz Darby" Ogilvie and his friends, sibling musicians Rex and Pip, are in theLos Angeleshard rock band "The Lone Rangers" who are continuously rejected while trying to get theirdemo tapeheard by record producers like Jimmie Wing. After scolding him for being lazy, Chazz's girlfriend Kayla kicks him out of her apartment.
The Lone Rangers try to get local rock station KPPX to play their reel-to-reel tape on the air by attempting to break-in through the back door. Once inside, DJ Ian "The Shark" talks with them on the air. Station manager Milo overhears them and intervenes, but Ian continues broadcasting. After Milo calls Rex "Hollywood Boulevard trash," he and Chazz pull out realistic-looking water pistols filled with hot pepper sauce and demand airplay. After setting up an oldreel-to-reelfor the demo, the tape begins to play but is immediately destroyed when the player malfunctions. The trio attempt escape, but the station's accountant Doug Beech has already called the police. The building ends up being surrounded as the Lone Rangers start rounding up Suzzi and the other employees Yvonne, Marcus, and Carter.
They negotiate with the police who are now tasked to find Kayla who has a cassette of the demo. Since the station never went off the air, news of the hostage crisis travel and fans begin showing up outside and interfering with police. ASWATteam also arrives where Carl Mace prefers using force over negotiation tactics by Sergeant O'Malley. His team secretly passes a gun through a roof vent to Beech who has been hiding in the air ducts. During the crisis, it is revealed that Milo secretly signed a deal to change KPPX's format from rock toadult contemporarywhich includes having to fire Ian and most of the other employees. Consequently, Ian and some employees side with the band and turn against Milo.
The police find Kayla at the club and She arrives at the station to deliver the tape. However, the tape is damaged because she threw it out of the car earlier. Chazz and Kayla get into an argument that escalates and results in the studio console being destroyed, dashing any hopes of the tape being played on the air.
As some of the items the band demanded from police are brought into the station, the door shuts on Rex's plastic gun, revealing it to be fake. Seeing this, Marcus and Carter run out with one telling the SWAT team the band's guns are fake upon being subdued. As the team assembles to storm the station, Beech corners the band from an air vent. Knowing he no longer will have a job at the station, Ian knocks down Beech's gun. This causes the weapon to wildly fire rounds, and the police are forced to back off. Ian picks up the gun, but gives it to Chazz in an act of anti-establishment rebellion.
Jimmie Wing comes to the station and offers the band a contract, to which they reluctantly agree. Wing arranges a stage and sound system to be airlifted to the roof where the band will play their song for the now huge crowd outside. However, the band find that only thePA systemis real and everything else is just props. Refusing tolip syncto their tape, they instead destroy their instruments in protest to the delight of the crowd andstage diveinto the hands of the cheering audience that O'Malley has his men let through.
The band later plays a gig in prison where they are incarcerated as Kayla and Suzzi dance in the background. The concert is shown live onMTV.Now their manager, Ian says on the phone to an unknown person that the band will start touring upon their release in six months, three months if they behave themselves.
A postscript states that the Lone Rangers ultimately serve three months in prison for kidnapping, theft, and assault with hot pepper sauce. Their albumLIVE IN PRISONgoestriple platinum.
Cast
edit- Brendan Fraseras Chester "Chazz Darby" Ogilvie, the lead guitarist and lead vocalist of the Lone Rangers
- Steve Buscemias Rex, the bassist of the Lone Rangers
- Adam Sandleras Pip, the drummer of the Lone Rangers and Rex's brother
- Chris Farleyas Officer Wilson, a police officer involved in dealing with the hostage crisis
- Michael McKeanas Milo Jackson, the station manager of KPPX
- Judd Nelsonas Jimmie Wing, a self-serving record executive at Palatine Records that has repeatedly denied Chazz
- Michael Richardsas Doug Beech, the accountant at KPPX
- Joe Mantegnaas Ian "The Shark", a laid back DJ at KPPX
- Ernie Hudsonas Sergeant O'Malley, the head of a SWAT team involved in dealing with the hostage crisis
- Amy Locaneas Kayla, Chazz's ex-girlfriend
- Nina Siemaszkoas Suzzi, a worker at KPPX
- Marshall Bellas Carl Mace, a SWAT officer involved in dealing with the hostage crisis that would prefer to use force in dealing with the hostage crisis
- Reg E. Catheyas Marcus, a worker at KPPX
- David Arquetteas Carter, a worker at KPPX
- Michelle Hurstas Yvonne, a secretary at KPPX
- Harold Ramisas Chris Moore (Probably a pseudonym), an undercover LAPD detective who poses as a Capitol RecordsA&Rexecutive in order to gain entry into KPPX to no avail
- Allen Covertas Officer Samuels, a police officer who was the first to arrive at KPPX at the start of the hostage crisis
- Rob Zombieas himself
- Kurt Loderas himself
- Lemmy Kilmisteras School Magazine Editor Rocker
- Rich Wilkesas Corduroy Pants Rocker
- John Melendezas Constant Masturbating Rocker
- Cameos
- The bandGalactic Cowboysperform in the film under the name "The Sons of Thunder".
- Mike JudgevoicesBeavisandButt-Head,who call in to the radio station during the hostage situation and end up infuriating the Lone Rangers with their comments.
- White Zombieappear in the bar scene with Officer Wilson is searching for Kayla, playing the track they recorded for the film "Feed the Gods".
Production
editCasting
editMetallica,Cannibal CorpseandTestamentwere approached for the bar scene but declined to appear.[4][5]
Location
editThe KPPX radio station was located atFox Plazain Los Angeles, which served as Nakatomi Plaza in the 1988 filmDie Hard.[6][7]
Music
editThe film features an original song byWhite Zombieand went on to chart on theBillboard 200and peak at Number 157.[8]In addition, there are re-recordings of songs from Motorhead and Primus.Jay YuengerandSean Yseultalso accompanied with Brendan Fraser's vocal rendition of "Degenerated", a song byhardcore punkbandReagan Youth.[9]The song was produced by Yuenger and Bryan Carlstrom.[10]
A number of songs can be heard in the film but not included on the soundtrack album. These are: "Baby Huey (Do You Wanna Dance)" byDim Stars;"Shamrocks and Shenanigans (Boom Shalock Lock Boom) [Butch Vig Mix]" byHouse of Pain;"Unsatisfied" byThe Replacements;"Rocks" byPrimal Scream;"Janie's Got a Gun"byAerosmith;"Wheezing" byDavid Byrne;"Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful" by "Sons of Thunder" (Galactic Cowboys).[11]
Reception
editBox office
editThe film debuted in tenth place, grossing US$1.9 million in its opening weekend,[12]and grossed only half its budget.
Critical response
editOnRotten Tomatoesthe film has an approval rating of 29% based on 38 reviews. The site's critical consensus states: "There's a biting satire that keeps threatening to burst out of the well-castAirheads,but unfortunately, the end result lives down to its title in the most unfortunate ways. "[13]OnMetacritic,the film has a score of 46 out of 100, based on 18 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[14]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "B-" on an A+ to F scale.[15]
Peter TraversofRolling Stonegave the film a rare positive review: "Fraser and Buscemi are deadpan delights. And Sandler, Opera Man on SNL, is a red-hot screen find."[16]
Year-end lists
edit- 9th worst – Sean P. Means,The Salt Lake Tribune[17]
- Top 18 worst ( Alpha betically listed, not ranked) – Michael Mills,The Palm Beach Post[18]
- Dishonorable mention – Dan Craft,The Pantagraph[19]
- Worst (not ranked) – Bob Ross,The Tampa Tribune[20]
Soundtrack
edit| Airheads (Original Soundtrack) | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack albumby Various artists | |
| Released | July 19, 1994 |
| Recorded | 1994 |
| Genre | Rock,heavy metal,punk rock |
| Length | 49:14 |
| Label | Fox Records/Arista Records |
| Producer | Lonn Friend |
| SinglesfromAirheads (Original Soundtrack) | |
| |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [21] |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performed by | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Born to Raise Hell" | Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister | MotörheadwithIce-TandWhitfield Crane | 4:57 |
| 2. | "I'm The One" | Eddie Van Halen,Alex Van Halen,Michael Anthony,David Lee Roth | 4 Non Blondes | 3:58 |
| 3. | "Feed the Gods" | White Zombie | White Zombie | 4:05 |
| 4. | "No Way Out" | Jesse Malin,Richard Bacchus,Howard Kusten | DGeneration | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Bastardizing Jellikit" | Primus | Primus | 4:11 |
| 6. | "London (The Smiths cover)" | Morrissey,Johnny Marr | Anthrax | 2:54 |
| 7. | "Can't Give In" | Candlebox | Candlebox | 3:15 |
| 8. | "Curious George Blues" | Scott Hackwith | Dig | 4:03 |
| 9. | "Inheritance" | Prong | Prong | 2:11 |
| 10. | "Degenerated" | Paul Bakija, Dave Rubenstein | The Lone Rangers | 3:53 |
| 11. | "I'll Talk My Way Out Of It" | John Melendez,J. Cantor | Stuttering John(John Melendez) | 3:40 |
| 12. | "Fuel" | Stick | Stick | 4:57 |
| 13. | "We Want the Airwaves" | Joey Ramone,Johnny Ramone,Dee Dee Ramone | Ramones | 3:21 |
| Total length: | 49:14 | |||
References
edit- ^"Airheads (1994) - Michael Lehmann | Synopsis, Movie Info, Moods, Themes and Related".AllMovie.RetrievedJuly 7,2024.
- ^"Airheads (1994)".Box Office Mojo.Archivedfrom the original on 26 December 2009.RetrievedNovember 23,2009.
- ^"A love letter to Airheads: One of the great metal cult classics of the 90s".8 June 2022.
- ^"CANNIBAL CORPSE Almost Turned Down Working with Jim Carrey on Ace Ventura".Metal Injection.February 11, 2015.
- ^"How accurately have radio stations been portrayed in TV and movies? Alan Cross rates them".Global News.May 31, 2020.
- ^"Airheads".Retrieved2021-04-08.
- ^"I Went to Die Hard's Nakatomi Plaza and Not a Single Hostage Was Taken".io9.3 August 2018.Retrieved2021-04-08.
- ^"Airheads - Original Soundtrack".AllMusic.
- ^"White Zombie's Sean Yseult: The JG2Land Interview".JG2LAND.March 8, 2013.Retrieved2013-05-21.
- ^AirheadsatDiscogs
- ^"Airheads (1994) - Soundtracks".IMDb.Retrieved24 November2015.
- ^Fox, David J. (1994-08-08)."A 'Clear' Triumph at Box Office: Movies: The Harrison Ford thriller seizes the No. 1 spot with estimated ticket receipts of more than $20 million".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved2023-01-01.
- ^"Airheads".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedJuly 3,2022.
- ^"Airheads Reviews".Metacritic.RetrievedDecember 6,2022.
- ^"CinemaScore".Archived fromthe originalon 2018-07-22.Retrieved2018-10-14.
- ^Travers, Peter (February 6, 2001)."Airheads".Rolling Stone.Retrieved3 June2020.
- ^P. Means, Sean (January 1, 1995). "'Pulp and Circumstance' After the Rise of Quentin Tarantino, Hollywood Would Never Be the Same ".The Salt Lake Tribune(Final ed.). p. E1.
- ^Mills, Michael (December 30, 1994). "It's a Fact: 'Pulp Fiction' Year's Best".The Palm Beach Post(Final ed.). p. 7.
- ^Craft, Dan (December 30, 1994). "Success, Failure and a Lot of In-between; Movies '94".The Pantagraph.p. B1.
- ^Ross, Bob (December 30, 1994)."Versed in the worst".The Tampa Tribune(Final ed.). p. 18.
- ^AirheadsatAllMusic
External links
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