Radio Days (1987)Image result

Summary:

Woody Allen directed the 1987 comedy-drama film Radio Days. Radio Days is a movie that illustrates the life of a family during the age of radios in American. The movie follows the life of Joe who is also the narrator and he is narrated by Woody Allen too. The movie takes place during the 1930s and early 1940’s in Rockaway Beach starring the life of Joe. Joe’s mother always listens to the radio and specifically listens to Breakfast with Irene and Roger. Joe’s father is a taxi cab driver and he is abusive towards Joe. Joe enjoys the radio show The Masked Avenger. The movie goes along describing the life of Joe and other radio memories that he has. Some of those memories include stories about sports heroes, news from WW2, extraterrestrial invasions, and more.  Joe loves the radio and he gets to visit the Radio City Music Hall. He loves it as it the epicenter of radio culture and he thinks it’s the most beautiful thing he has seen. The movie ends with a scene where Joe comes down from his room to celebrate the new year and the radio stars all go to the roof of the building.

 

https://youtu.be/VCb6-Nz0Nkg

 

Production & Reception:

The movie was released on January 30, 1987. It was written and directed by Woody Allen. The producer was Robert Greenhut and the film was distributed by Orion Pictures. The budget was $16 million for the movie and it made $14.8 million at the box office. The movie was rated very highly as it was a very reminiscent movie.  It reminded the viewers of the radio age; an era that was very special but had ceded to the inception of television and other entertainments. IMDB rated the movie at a 7.6 out of 10. That is a very respectable rating. Additionally, Roger Ebert rates the movie at a 4/4. And one of the most famous ratings-the rotten tomatoes- rates the movie at a solid 88%. The New York Times also wrote a review in 1987 describing the movie in a positive manner noting that the movie was very nostalgic of a time that no longer existed.

 

Seminar Themes:

The movie Radio Days accurately portrays our theme of New York City and the lifestyle. The movie is centered around how during the time period of 1930’s and 40’s, life was centered around the radio. It was the center of everyone’s life. It had news, morning shows, entertainment for the kids and much more. The movie accurately shows the culture and lifestyle of that time. Everyone’s source of entertainment and enjoyment was sourced from the radio. The radio was an essential component of their lives. Today, we could say that our lifestyle has evolved and now Netflix, Youtube, and other mediums have become sources of entertainment and major parts of our lives. The movie also showed how great effect radio had in NYC with all the celebrities and with Radio City Music hall. The movie displays how radio was part of the lifestyle of New Yorkers and New York City at that time.

 

Works Cited:

Canby, Vincent. “FILM: WOODY ALLEN’S FOND REMEMBRANCES OF ‘RADIO DAYS’.” The

New York Times, The New York Times, 30 Jan. 1987,

www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9B0DE0D81E31F933A05752C0A961948260.

Ebert, Roger. “Radio Days Movie Review & Film Summary (1987) | Roger Ebert.”

RogerEbert.com, Robert Greenhut, 30 Jan. 1987,

www.rogerebert.com/reviews/radio-days-1987.

“Radio Days.” Radio Days (1987) – Rotten Tomatoes, 7 Nov. 2017,

www.rottentomatoes.com/m/radio_days/.

“Radio Days.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Nov. 2017,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Days.

“Radio Days (1987).” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0093818/.