Airheads

This article is about a 1994 film. For the candy, see AirHeads.
For other uses, see Airhead (disambiguation).
Airheads

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Michael Lehmann
Produced by Mark Burg
Robert Simonds
Written by Rich Wilkes
Starring
Music by Carter Burwell
Cinematography John Schwartzman
Edited by Stephen Semel
Production
company
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates
  • August 5, 1994 (1994-08-05)
Running time
 92 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $11.2 million
Box office $5.8 million (domestic)[1]

Airheads is a 1994 American comedy film written by Rich Wilkes and directed by Michael Lehmann. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler as a band of loser musicians who stage a hijacking of a radio station in order to get airplay for their demo recording. Joe Mantegna, Michael McKean, Ernie Hudson and Michael Richards play supporting roles.

Plot

Chazz, Rex and Pip are in a Los Angeles metal band called The Lone Rangers who are continuously turned down as they try to get their demo tape heard by producers. After scolding him for being lazy, Chazz's girlfriend Kayla kicks him out of her apartment. They decide to try to get the local rock station KPPX to play their reel-to-reel tape on the air and attempt to break-in through the back door. After several unsuccessful attempts, a station employee comes out to smoke and they keep the door from shutting behind her.

Once inside, laid back DJ Ian "The Shark" begins talking with them on the air. Station Manager Milo overhears them and intervenes but Ian continues broadcasting. After Milo insults Rex, he and Chazz pull out realistic looking water pistols and demand airplay. After setting up an old reel-to-reel for the demo, the tape begins to play but is quickly destroyed when the player malfunctions. The guys try to run but Doug Beech, the station's accountant, had already called the police and they see the building is surrounded.

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 travels quickly and numerous hard rock/metal fans begin showing up outside the radio station interfering with police. A SWAT team has also arrived whose leader prefers using force over negotiation tactics. 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 had secretly signed a deal to change KPPX's format to Adult Contemporary, which includes having to fire Ian and most of the other employees. When this comes out, Ian and a few employees side with the band and turn against Milo.

The police find Kayla who arrives at the radio station to deliver the tape. She and Chazz get into an argument which escalates quickly resulting in the studio console being destroyed dashing any hopes to play the tape 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, some of the hostages run out; one telling the SWAT team the band's guns aren't real. As the team assembles to storm the station, Beech corners the band from a low hanging air vent. Ian, knowing he no longer will have a job at the station, knocks down Beech's gun. This causes the weapon to wildly fire several rounds and the police are forced to back off. Ian picks up the gun but gives it to a somewhat confused Chazz in a final act of anti-establishment rebellion.

Jimmie Wing, a self-serving record executive who had previously turned Chazz down, comes to the radio station and offers the band a contract. They reluctantly agree to the deal knowing they have no more options. Wing arranges an entire stage and sound system to be airlifted to the roof where the band will play their song for the now huge crowd outside. To the band's dismay, they find only the PA is real and everything else is just props. Refusing to lip sync as their tape is played, they instead destroy their instruments in protest to the delight of the crowd and stage dive into the hands of the cheering audience.

The Lone Rangers are next seen playing a gig inside the prison where they are incarcerated. The concert is being shown live on MTV. Ian, now their manager, says on the phone the band will start touring in six months, or "three months if they behave themselves." Their album LIVE IN PRISON goes triple platinum.

Cast

Cameos

Soundtrack

Airheads (Original Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by 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
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [2]
No. TitleWriter(s)Performed by Length
1. "Born to Raise Hell"  Ian KilmisterMotörhead with Ice-T and Whitfield Crane 4:57
2. "I'm The One"  Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, Michael Anthony, David Lee Roth4 Non Blondes 3:58
3. "Feed the Gods"  Lyrics: Rob Zombie; Music: White ZombieWhite Zombie 4:05
4. "No Way Out"  Jesse Malin, Richard Bacchus, Howard KustenDGeneration 4:26
5. "Bastardizing Jellikit"  Lyrics: Les Claypool; Music: PrimusPrimus 4:11
6. "London"  Morrissey, Johnny MarrAnthrax 2:54
7. "Can't Give In"  Lyrics: Kevin Martin; Music: Peter Klett and CandleboxCandlebox 3:15
8. "Curious George Blues"  Scott HackwithDig 4:03
9. "Inheritance"  ProngProng 2:11
10. "Degenerated"  Paul Bakija, Dave RubensteinLone Rangers 3:53
11. "I'll Talk My Way Out Of It"  John Melendez, J. CantorStuttering John (John Melendez) 3:40
12. "Fuel"  StickStick 4:57
13. "We Want the Airwaves"  Jeffry Hyman, John Cummings, Douglas ColvinRamones 3:21
Total length:
 49:14

The soundtrack, featuring a new song by White Zombie and re-recordings of songs from Motorhead and Primus, would go on to chart on The Billboard 200 and peak at Number 157. [3] While all the songs on the Arista release are on the film, a number of songs that were featured were omitted from the album.

Songs that were played in the movie but weren't included on the soundtrack are:[4]

"Degenerated"

The song played by The Lone Rangers in the film, "Degenerated", was actually originally by hardcore punk band Reagan Youth. The version in the film featured Jay Yuenger and Sean Yseult from White Zombie with Fraser on vocals,[5] and was produced by Yuenger and Bryan Carlstrom.[6]

Box office and reception

The movie debuted in 10th place, grossing $1.9 million US in its opening weekend.[7] Airheads earned negative reviews from critics and currently has a score of 21% "Rotten" on Rotten Tomatoes based on 33 reviews.[8] The film has gained a cult following.

References

  1. ↑ "Airheads (1994)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 26 December 2009. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
  2. ↑ Airheads at AllMusic
  3. ↑ "Airheads - Original Soundtrack". AllMusic.
  4. ↑ "Airheads (1994) - Soundtracks". IMBD. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  5. ↑ "White Zombie's Sean Yseult: The JG2Land Interview". JG2LAND. March 8, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  6. ↑ Airheads at Discogs
  7. ↑ 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.". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2011-01-06.
  8. ↑ "Airheads". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2011-03-27.

External links

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