source: FM

Trailer—FM

FM

I was in radio in the area the movie took place in the late 1970's, most of my friends felt the movie was molded after 94.7 KMET, "The Mighty Met" which at the time was king, with KLOS always nipping at their heels. Sadly, corporate money won out, the MET went "NEW AGE" and KLOS survived. Remember Paraquat, Ace "Space" Young, "The Gonzer" and Jim Ladd to mention a few Met Cats! None of us even thought about "WKRP in Cincinnatti" as a off shoot to "FM" although it was a great show. Myself and many others worked at a station much like "WKRP" at one time or another! "FM" was excellent and reflected a wild time in radio, when there was some pretty weird music out there and some great ones too!

Probably one of the better "Forgotten Films" of the 1970's. Brief synopsis: Radio station employees fight running commercial spots on what was a non-commercial station. Add some decent footage of concerts, and a great sound track. In the summer of '78 this movie pretty much came and went, due to a ton of other mega movies that were around. If you remember "Saturday Night Fever" had been re-released in a PG form to get a younger audience in, and "Grease" was big. So "FM" got muscled out at the box office. The Linda Ronstadt concert footage was filmed at "The Summit" in Houston. I recall a news item in the paper about it being filmed for use in a movie. 2013 Update: This movie gets a nod in the hilarious YouTube series "Yacht Rock", where a movie producer tells Kenny Loggins that he's going to get The Eagles to do the theme for the movie, and Loggins says "If you want smooth, you want Steely Dan"....

I have the movie on VHS, and share it with some of the younger generations. I had the opportunity to see FM in the theatre, during my Sr. year in High School. Awesome concert footage of Jimmy Buffet and Linda Ronstadt in their prime. In addition to the movie being enjoyable to those discovering FM Radio in its infancy, the Soundtrack was one of the best compilations I've heard. It was released as a two album set, well worth the experience. Martin Mull and Eileen Brennan, turn in wonderful performances, as well as Clevon Little as the Night DJ "The Prince of Darkness". If you want to take a step back in time to the beginnings of FM Radio, this is the ticket.

I have not seen this movie in many years but it shows how relevant it all is. Look at the state of radio today. It is no longer about the music then it is about the money. Maybe that is why satellite radio is taking off. Satellite radio is taking us back to the days when the music was the power. What more can I say. This movie hits home. I for one am glad there is Sirius Satellite Radio out there. Don't get sucked in to HD. It will go away just like Quadrophonic did in the early 70's. The movie also goes back to a time when the cost of seeing a live concert was well under $10. The acting in this movie is superb. The music takes me back to a better place.

70's time capsule is chock full of fantastic music, the soundtrack is justly famous, and excellent actors. The basic story line is David vs. Goliath but is entertainingly played and provides a look at what FM radio used to be and shows what's been lost by the homogenization of the airwaves, at least the non satellite airwaves. Good concert footage of Jimmy Buffet and Linda Ronstadt give a sense of what live concerts were at the time. Of the performers while all are good a few stand out. Martin Mull is a hoot as the egotistical and somewhat child like disc jockey Eric Swan and the great Eileen Brennan makes a lot out of her small part as the world weary DJ Mother. No one did world weary as well as Eileen Brennan. Not a great picture but for any music lover unmissable.

This little gem is one of the most under-appreciated movies of the late 1970s. It's an episodic comedy with serious undertones. The film perfectly captures the feel of the late 1970s. The casting is great, with a passionate performance by Michael Brandon and a very funny one by Martin Mull. The background music is just right and the concert appearances of Jimmy Buffett and Linda Ronstadt add to the late 1970s atmosphere. Despite what other reviews have stated, Tom Petty does NOT appear in concert, he's being interviewed at the radio station. REO Speedwagon also appears at a record store signing. If you're a fan of WKRP, then check out this movie.