Arrow Video, with domestic sales and marketing
expertise provided by MVD Entertainment Group, has tabbed July 2 for the Blu-ray
debut of director John A. Alonzo’s 1978 music-themed film, FM.
Driven by a marvelous soundtrack — which includes
such artists as Jimmy Buffett, Steely Dan, Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger
and Billy Joel (and more — FM was
two-years in the making and is still a wonderful cinematic experience some 40
years later.
Universal Pictures, working with music industry
insider Irving Azoff (who provided most of the talent), eventually had a
falling out over creative differences … Dustin Hoffman, Richard Dreyfuss and
Susan Blakely were all rumored to be involved, but they never panned out. He still maintained an interest in the
production (financially), but asked that his named be removed from the final
credits.
The ultimate irony of FM radio lies within the
storyline itself. The thing that
created the rise of the broadcast format — commercial free, extended playsets
and room for DJs (aka: “radio personalities”) to explore new music and artists
— ended up being the very things that would bring about its undoing (technology
aside). Greed. Money.
Filmmaker John A. Alonzo (who made his directing
debut here … Oscar nominated for Chinatown as a
cinematographer — other cinematography credits included work on such films as Norma
Rae, Steel Magnolias, Star Trek: Generations and
more) captures this perfectly with the various DJs — Michael Brandon as Jeff,
Eileen Brennan as “Mother,” Martin Mull as Eric Swan, Alex Karras as Doc Holiday
and Cleavon Little as the Prince of Darkness — who find that their success
brings about the need by the owners of the station to sell more and more
advertising (the greed factor). This
ultimately undercuts the whole incentive of FM radio over AM radio.
Bonus goodies include newly-prepared video sessions
with actor Michael Brandon (acting gigs aside, he’s made a career for himself
as the narrator for the Thomas & Friends
children’s series) and screenwriter Ezra Sacks (Small
Circle of Friends, Wildcats), plus a newly-produced
featurette titled “The Spirit of Radio,” featuring film and music critic Glenn
Kenny.
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