# Tapeheads

Tapeheads is a 1988 comedy film directed by Bill Fishman and starring John Cusack, Tim Robbins, Clu Gulager, Doug McClure, Jessica Walter, Mary Crosby, Sam Moore and Junior Walker. The film was produced by Michael Nesmith, who briefly appears as a bottled water delivery man.
The film premiered at the U.S. Film Festival on January 22, 1988, with De Laurentiis Entertainment Group attached as distributor and a tentative release date of March 1988. However, due to financial concerns, distribution rights reverted to NBC Productions, which sold them to Avenue Pictures. The film was ultimately released on October 21, 1988 and was pulled from theaters only two weeks into its theatrical run. A poll of theater patrons by Avenue concluded that the film's underperformance could be attributed to the company's marketing campaign, which was described as "too hip and selective" and aimed to promote the film as more of a slapstick comedy.

## Plot

After losing their jobs as security guards, best friends Ivan and Josh start a music video production company called "Video Aces". When they meet their childhood heroes, 1970s soul duo Swanky Modes, 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 soap opera Dallas; character actors Clu Gulager and Doug McClure; football player Lyle Alzado; 1960s actress 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.

## Cast

* 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 The Bartender
* Brie Howard as Flygirl
* Billy Davis as Swanky Modes Band Member, Guitar
* Lyle Alzado as Conan the Tour Guide

## Soundtrack

The music supervisor for the film was Nigel Harrison. The soundtrack album was released on Island Records.
The film's soundtrack (but not the soundtrack album) includes the song "Repave America" written and performed by Tim Robbins, credited as Bob Roberts four years before that movie was released. "Repave America" also appeared in the Bob Roberts soundtrack with the lyrics slightly altered to become "Retake America".

## Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 60% of 15 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.6/10.