TV - totally crazy
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | TV - totally crazy |
| Original title | The Ratings Game |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1984 |
| length | 102 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 6 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Danny DeVito |
| script |
Michael Barrie Jim Mulholland |
| production | David Jablin |
| music | David Spear |
| camera | Timothy Suhrstedt |
| cut |
Dale Beldin Marshall Harvey |
| occupation | |
| |
TV - Totally crazy (Original title: The Ratings Game ) is an American television film from 1984. The comedy film was the directorial debut of Danny DeVito , who also played the lead role alongside his wife Rhea Perlman .
action
The freight forwarder Vic De Salvo dreams of a career as a producer in the television business. Unfortunately, his scripts are repeatedly rejected. A program manager who has just been fired, but in revenge against his employer, accepts a script draft by Vic and has a pilot film produced. The episode does not go through with the directors of the station, but Vic de Salvo does not let himself get down and continues to write his series.
To make a name for himself in show business, Vic throws a big party at his mansion. Instead of well-known actors, only the employee Francine Kester appears. Francine, who works on audience measurement, falls in love with Vic. When she is passed over by her manager during a promotion, she reveals to Vic how to manipulate the ratings. With Francine's help, Vic's shows become the most watched programs on television.
Vic is named best newcomer at a major television awards ceremony. His fraud has since been discovered, which is why Vic is arrested by the police immediately after the award ceremony. Vic and Francine finally get married in prison.
History of origin
DeVitos Satire was The Movie Channel's first in-house production and was first broadcast on December 15, 1984. De Vito processed his experiences in the television series Taxi in the film . The fictional broadcaster MBC from TV - Totally Crazy is a clear reference to the broadcaster NBC , which produced the last season of Taxi . Screenwriters Michael Barrie and Jim Mulholland were longtime writers for Johnny Carson's Tonight Show .
reception
When it was first broadcast, TV - Total crazy was described as an excellent satire whose dialogues were quick-witted. According to Barbara Holsopple, the film has some weaknesses, according to Mike Drew, gags go wrong as often as they land perfectly. The lexicon of international films describes TV - Totally crazy as an ironic comedy that was “staged and performed above average”.
TV - Totally Crazy received a 1986 WGA Award for the best screenplay in a television comedy. Even so, Danny DeVito's directorial debut didn't leave a lasting impression, according to the All Movie Guide . The film was circulated as a bootleg in the United States under the title The Mogul .
Web links
- TV - Total crazy in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Barbara Holsopple: Danny DeVito film harpoons TV ratings . In: The Pittsburgh Press , December 14, 1984.
- ↑ a b c Mike Drew: 'Movie channels' get down to business . In: The Milwaukee Journal , December 20, 1984.
- ↑ Jon Anderson: 'Rating Game' pokes fun at TV . In: Chicago Reader, December 16, 1984.
- ↑ TV - Totally crazy in the Lexicon of International Films , accessed on May 11, 2010
- ↑ Hal Erickson's review on Allmovie.com (accessed May 11, 2010).