T.V. – Total verrückt (TV Movie 1984)
44KT.V. – Total verrückt: Directed by Danny DeVito. With Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Gerrit Graham, Bernadette Birkett. A newly rich New Jersey trucker moves to Hollywood and creates a slew of hit TV shows by manipulating the ratings system with help from his girlfriend in the ratings business.
“This satire on the TV industry is too much of it, with mountains of cheesy plot-driven dialog set to the accompaniment of hyper-cheesy music. But mixed in are some great gags–one of the best is a sight gag, when Gerrit Graham walks back on stage at the MBC confab, to continue plumping his networku0026#39;s new shows against a devilishly appropriate freeze-frame from one of them. Much of the value now is to have fun seeing all kinds of talent before, between, or after the high points of their careers. Casting wise, this show could pick u0026#39;em.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe strongest element here is the apt satire. Alas, the laughs are not frequent enough, or intense enough, to really sustain the effort. The movie in the end is a cheese dog, but the stars play it cute, and itu0026#39;s fun. Five stars for wide and deep star power, far transcending the script.”