Bad Channels

Last updated
Bad Channels
Bad Channels.jpg
Directed by Ted Nicolaou
Written by Charles Band
Jackson Barr
Produced byCharles Band
Keith S. Payson
Cinematography Adolfo Bartoli
Edited by Carol Oblath
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Home Video
Release date
  • June 25, 1992 (1992-06-25)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Bad Channels is a 1992 American science fiction spoof direct-to-video film, produced by Full Moon Features and released by Paramount Home Video. It is about two aliens (Cosmo and Lump) who invade a radio station with the intention of capturing female humans, by using radio broadcasts. The hero is a DJ forced to combat the aliens alone when listeners think he is joking about the invasion.

Contents

The film also has its own soundtrack composed and performed by Blue Öyster Cult.

Synopsis

KDUL is a new radio station, running a promotion with DJ Dangerous Dan chained to a chair until a listener calls and guesses the combination of the locks. When the combination is guessed, a TV journalist, Lisa, feels the solution was faked and the promotion was a fraud. As the journalist makes her way to the station to confront the DJ, she sees a UFO.

Two aliens invade a radio station, using a device to capture female listeners. As they are captured, the women picture themselves as starring in a music video. After the video is completed, the alien is able to shrink and imprison the women in clear tubes. Among those captured are a nurse (Melissa Behr), waitress, and a cheerleader.

Realizing what the aliens have planned, the DJ warns his listeners to turn off the radio. Listeners think this occurrence is just another promotion. The alien attempts to capture reporter Lisa, but instead shrinks teenager Bunny.

He is not taken seriously by anyone until more women go missing, piquing the interest of the military. Eventually the DJ discovers that the aliens are weak to common disinfectant, using it to defeat them and rescue the women. All of the women—with the exception of Bunny—are returned to their normal size.

The broadcast attracts 10,000 listeners. [1]

Cast

Critical response

Cinemaphile gave it a bad review, 0/4 stars, calling it a "mess" and saying "I fear that the creators of this movie must have had brain tissue damaged sometime in their lifetimes." [2] The Film Fiend was more positive, calling it "hilariously cheesy". [3] Classic Rock Magazine described the soundtrack as "a grotesque mistake". [4]

IMDb.com has Bad Channels currently ranked 5.1/10 based on 980 ratings. [5]

User Ochnop at Something Awful gave Bad Channels a -39 out of a -50 (being the worst) saying "Who could ask for anything more from a film besides a bag to throw up in? "Bad Channels" is truly something awful." [6]

Creature Feature liked the movie, giving it 3.5 out of 5 stars. It found the movie to be one of the more inventive of those produced by Charles Band and enjoyed the cable news satire. [7] However, Moira gave it one star, finding it ears out its premise and s padded. TV Guide agreed with Moria's review. [8]

Entertainment Weekly gave the movie a D. While it found it to be cheerfully cheesy, it found that it needed to be funnier. [9]

Production

Director Nicolauo initially didn't want to be involved with the movie, finding its story too close to his other recent movie Terrorvision. However, he was attracted to making the fake music videos. Pat Siciliano scouted bands for the movie and was instrumental in the final choice. The end credits crossover with Dollman (film) was shot in one day. [10]

Sequel

A semi-sequel was released in the form of Dollman vs. Demonic Toys , a crossover film featuring characters from Dollman , Demonic Toys and Bad Channels.

Merchandising

A set of collectible cards.

Soundtrack

Bad Channel featured a soundtrack album entitled, Bad Channels (album) that was composed and performed by Blue Blue Öyster Cult and also had feature songs from a few other bands such as Sykotik Sinfoney, Joker, Fair Game, and DMT.

Feature Songs

  1. Blue Öyster Cult - Demon's Kiss
  2. Blue Öyster Cult - Out of Darkness
  3. Sykotik Sinfoney - Mr. Cool
  4. Sykotik Sinfoney - Manic Depresso
  5. D.M.T - Myth of Freedom
  6. D.M.T - Touching Myself Again
  7. Fair Game - Blind Faith
  8. Fair Game - Somewhere in the Night
  9. Joker - That's How It Is
  10. Joker - Jane, Jane the Hurricane
  11. Blue Öyster Cult - The Horsemen Arrive
  12. F.U. 2 - Elegance
  13. The Ukelaliens - Pig Pen Polka
  14. The Ukelaliens - Little Old Lady
  15. The Ukelaliens - Jumping Jack Polka

The film was featured on an episode of Brandon's Movie Reviews. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Öyster Cult</span> American rock band

Blue Öyster Cult is an American rock band formed on Long Island in Stony Brook, New York, in 1967. Best known for the singles "(Don't Fear) The Reaper", "Burnin' for You", and "Godzilla", the band has sold 25 million records worldwide, including 7 million in the United States alone. The band's fusion of hard rock and psychedelia with occult, fantastical and often tongue-in-cheek lyrics had a major influence on heavy metal music. Though they have experienced limited and infrequent commercial success, the band has developed a cult following and their most popular songs remain classic rock radio staples.

<i>Blue Öyster Cult</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Blue Öyster Cult is the debut studio album by the American rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on January 16, 1972 by Columbia Records. The album featured songs such as "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll", "Stairway to the Stars", and "Then Came the Last Days of May", all of which the band still plays regularly during its concerts. Despite positive reviews, the album failed to chart for some time before finally cracking the Billboard 200 chart on May 20, 1972, peaking at No. 172. Blue Öyster Cult toured with artists such as The Byrds, Alice Cooper and the Mahavishnu Orchestra to support the album.

<i>Looney Tunes: Back in Action</i> 2003 American live-action/animated adventure comedy film by Joe Dante

Looney Tunes: Back in Action is a 2003 American live-action/animated comedy film produced by Warner Bros. Feature Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the second theatrical feature film in the Looney Tunes franchise, and was directed by Joe Dante from a screenplay by Larry Doyle. The film stars Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, and Steve Martin; Timothy Dalton, Heather Locklear, and Bill Goldberg appear in supporting roles, while Joe Alaskey leads the voice cast. The film, which parodies action and spy film conventions, follows Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck as they become intertwined in a plot by the ACME Chairman (Martin) to transform the world's population into subservient monkeys using the Blue Monkey diamond. They accompany aspiring stuntman DJ Drake (Fraser) and Warner Bros. executive Kate Houghton (Elfman) on their journey to thwart the Chairman's plot, which doubles as a mission to rescue the former's abducted father, Damian (Dalton).

Emily Katherine Booth, also known by her stage name Emily "Bouff" Bouffante, is an English actress and television presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">(Don't Fear) The Reaper</span> Song by Blue Oyster Cult

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" is a song by American rock band Blue Öyster Cult from the band's 1976 album Agents of Fortune. The song, written and sung by lead guitarist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser, deals with eternal love and the inevitability of death. Dharma wrote the song while picturing an early death for himself.

<i>Fire of Unknown Origin</i> 1981 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Fire of Unknown Origin is the eighth studio album by the American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released on June 22, 1981. It was produced by Martin Birch.

Playboy Radio was an internet radio station originally launched on XM Satellite Radio on September 1, 2002. Its programming was dedicated to similar topics and celebrity personalities found in its parent publication, Playboy Magazine. It was XM's first premium station — offered à la carte on top of the base XM subscription price. Playboy Radio gained a healthy following, including a dedicated group of Night Calls fans that established a strong online presence, although some complained the station offered too little content for the monthly premium.

<i>Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death</i> 1988 film by J. F. Lawton

Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death is a 1988 American comedy film directed by J. F. Lawton and starring Shannon Tweed and Bill Maher. The film sends up many pop culture motifs and societal trends, including feminism, B movies, celebrities, major writers and political figures, centered around a spoof of Joseph Conrad's 1899 novel Heart of Darkness. It was the first feature directed by screenwriter J. F. Lawton, who also authored Pretty Woman, Under Siege and its sequel, and television show V.I.P.

<i>Curse of the Hidden Mirror</i> 2001 studio album by Blue Öyster Cult

Curse of the Hidden Mirror is the fourteenth studio album by American hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, released in June 5, 2001. The only single from the record was the poorly received "Pocket". Lackluster sales and poor relations led to the band being dropped by their label, Sanctuary Records; as a result, BÖC did not release another studio album for nearly 20 years, until the release of The Symbol Remains in 2020.

L'Trimm was a Miami bass hip-hop duo composed of Bunny D and Lady Tigra. Originally from Coconut Grove, Florida, they recorded three albums for Atlantic Records: Grab It! in 1988, Drop That Bottom in 1989, and Groovy in 1991.

<i>Bad Channels</i> (album) 1992 soundtrack album by Blue Öyster Cult

Bad Channels is the soundtrack album of the science fiction spoof film of the same name, released in 1992. It features ten songs by the bands Blue Öyster Cult, Joker, Fair Game, Sykotik Sinfoney and DMT and a film score written and performed by Blue Öyster Cult.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Godzilla (Blue Öyster Cult song)</span> 1977 single by Blue Öyster Cult

"Godzilla" is a single by U.S. hard rock band Blue Öyster Cult, the first track on the band's fifth studio album Spectres. The lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the popular movie monster of the same name. The single release had a picture sleeve featuring a promotional still from the movie Ebirah, Horror of the Deep. Despite failing to chart, the song received significant airplay on rock radio stations and became a sleeper hit. The song, along with "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" and "Burnin' for You," is one of the band's best-known songs and has become a staple of its live performances. It has been covered by bands such as moe., Racer X, Fu Manchu, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sebastian Bach, Double Experience and Fighting Gravity.

<i>The Room</i> 2003 film by Tommy Wiseau

The Room is a 2003 American independent romantic drama film written, produced, executive produced and directed by Tommy Wiseau, who stars in the film alongside Juliette Danielle and Greg Sestero. Set in San Francisco, the film is centred around a melodramatic love triangle between amiable banker Johnny (Wiseau), his deceptive fiancée Lisa (Danielle) and his conflicted best friend Mark (Sestero). A significant portion of the film is dedicated to a series of unrelated subplots, most of which involve at least one supporting character and are left unresolved due to the film's inconsistent narrative structure. The work was reportedly intended to be semi-autobiographical in nature; according to Wiseau, the title alludes to the potential of a room to be the site of both good and bad events. The stage play from which the film is derived was so-called due to its events taking place entirely in a single room.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Relm</span> Musical artist

Michael Wong, better known by his stage name Mike Relm, is an American disc jockey, turntablist, director, and VJ from San Francisco, California.

<i>The Day Time Ended</i> 1980 American film

The Day Time Ended is a 1980 American science fiction film directed by John 'Bud' Cardos and starring Jim Davis, Christopher Mitchum and Dorothy Malone.

<i>Dollman</i> (film) 1991 American film by Albert Pyun

Dollman is a 1991 American science fiction action film directed by Albert Pyun and starring Tim Thomerson as the space cop Brick Bardo, also known as "Dollman"; he is only 13 inches (33 cm) tall. Bardo is equipped with his "Kruger Blaster", which is the most powerful handgun in the universe. The film also stars Jackie Earle Haley as Bardo's human enemy, Braxton Red. "Brick Bardo" is a character name used by Albert Pyun in films dating back to his second film, Radioactive Dreams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Up the Creek (song)</span> 1984 single by Cheap Trick

"Up the Creek" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released as a single in 1984 from the soundtrack of the 1984 film Up the Creek. The song was written by Rick Nielsen and Randy Bishop, and produced by Spencer Proffer.

<i>Pixels</i> (2015 film) 2015 fantasy film by Chris Columbus

Pixels is a 2015 science fiction comedy film directed by Chris Columbus, written by Tim Herlihy and Timothy Dowling, and produced by Columbus, Adam Sandler, Allen Covert, and Mark Radcliffe. Based on the 2010 short film of the same name by Patrick Jean, the film stars Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, and Brian Cox. Combining computer-animated video game characters and visual effects, the film follows an alien race misinterpreting video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, resulting in them invading Earth using technology inspired by 1980s games such as Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Arkanoid, Galaga, Centipede and Donkey Kong. To counter the invasion, the United States hires former arcade champions to lead the planet's defense. Principal photography on the film began on May 28, 2014, in Toronto; filming was completed in three months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sensualidad (song)</span> 2017 single by DJ Luian and Mambo Kingz presenting Bad Bunny, J Balvin and Prince Royce

"Sensualidad" is a song by Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, American singer Prince Royce, and Colombian singer J Balvin featuring producers Mambo Kingz and DJ Luian. It was released by Hear this Music on November 3, 2017 as a single. The song is the first top 10 hit for Mambo Kingz and DJ Luian on the US Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. It also serves as Bad Bunny's first top 10 song as a lead artist on the chart.

Demonic Toys is a series of films that center on a collection of seemingly harmless playthings that are in reality the avatars of powerful demons from hell who seek to cause havoc in the mortal world.

References

  1. ↑ "Bad Channels (1992)". 27 April 2003.
  2. ↑ Keyes, David (1998). "Bad Channels (Review)". Cinemaphile. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Review: Bad Channels". The Film Fiend. December 14, 2007. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "Bad Channels (Album review)". Classic Rock Magazine. September 2006. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  5. ↑ "Bad Channels". IMDb.com. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "Bad Channels". Something Awful. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  7. ↑ Stanley, J. (2000) Creature Feature: 3rd Edition
  8. ↑ "Bad Channels".
  9. ↑ "Bad Channels". Entertainment Weekly .
  10. ↑ "Ted Nicolaou on the Austin diaspora, Romanian vampires and TV terror visions". September 2017.
  11. ↑ "Brandon's Cult Movie Reviews: BAD CHANNELS (RE-UPLOAD)". YouTube .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.