• Trending
    • Certified Fresh & Verified Hot
    • TV Premier dates
    • New horror Movies
    • Best Movies of All Time
  • Movies
    • Movies In Theaters
    • Movies at Home
  • TV Shows
    • New TV
    • Most Popular TV
  • News
    • What to Watch
    • Guides
    • RT News
    • Awards
  • Games
    • Find Your Next Horror Watch
  • Video
  • Showtimes
  • Fanstore
  • About Rotten Tomatoes
  • Critics
  • Download the App Now
  • Logout
Rotten Tomatoes
Suggestions will appear as you start typing. Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App New News Showtimes

Tapeheads

Play trailer Poster for Tapeheads R,  1988,  1h 37m,  Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 60% 15 Reviews Tomatometer 46% 2,500+ Ratings Popcornmeter
60% Tomatometer 15 Reviews 46% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Unemployed pals Ivan (John Cusack) and Josh (Tim Robbins) decide to start Video Aces, a company that produces music videos. Their initial clients include Billy and Lester Diamond, members of the music group The Swanky Modes, whose careers have slowed since their heyday during the '70s. As the Video Aces crew attempts to revive The Swanky Modes' careers by staging and broadcasting a concert, they also have to deal with the unwanted attention of a conservative politician (Clu Gulager).

Critics Reviews

View More
Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Nov 6, 2009
A painful attempt to satirize the making of rock videos that runs aground with a puerile plot and bombastic, self-infatuated delivery. Go to Full Review
Time Out Feb 9, 2006
It's all good fun: likeable performances, unpretentious, larky direction, and a haphazard story. Go to Full Review
Janet Maslin New York Times May 20, 2003
3/5
The amiable screenplay by Mr. Fishman and Peter McCarthy is often funny, and never worse than silly. Go to Full Review
Film4 Nov 6, 2009
Ignored both at the cinema and on tape, this is a gem that is as happy sending up the music video world as it is poking fun at politics. Go to Full Review
TV Guide Nov 6, 2009
3/4
A wacky, high-energy satire of the music business. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Sep 22, 2009
C+
It's the kind of harmless breezy film that's easy to take on late night cable TV when you don't feel like using your noodle. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Poe M May 1, 2018 A seriously funny gem from the late 80s
Harry R Feb 12, 2010 Any entertainment value this eighties movie once had is now defunct. It's nearly unwatchable. (First and only viewing - August 2006) See more
Read all reviews
Tapeheads

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Cast & Crew

View All

Bill Fishman

Director

John Cusack

Ivan Alexeev

Tim Robbins

Josh Tager

Doug McClure

Sid Tager

Connie Stevens

June Tager

Clu Gulager

Norman Mart

More Like This

View All
Breaking In 80% 42% Breaking In Watchlist Twice Told Tales 63% 56% Twice Told Tales Watchlist The Most Dangerous Game 100% 73% The Most Dangerous Game Watchlist Isle of the Dead 91% 52% Isle of the Dead Watchlist Galaxina 14% 22% Galaxina Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All

Tapeheads

Tapeheads (1988) Tapeheads (1988) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Unemployed pals Ivan (John Cusack) and Josh (Tim Robbins) decide to start Video Aces, a company that produces music videos. Their initial clients include Billy and Lester Diamond, members of the music group The Swanky Modes, whose careers have slowed since their heyday during the '70s. As the Video Aces crew attempts to revive The Swanky Modes' careers by staging and broadcasting a concert, they also have to deal with the unwanted attention of a conservative politician (Clu Gulager).
Director
Bill Fishman
Producer
Peter McCarthy
Production Co
Pacific Arts, De Laurentiis
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$129.0K
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Surround
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings