On Jan 10, KBOO FM and Clinton Street Theater join forces to bring Oliver Stone’s only Oregon film to the big screen. But wait, doesn’t writer-star Eric Bogosian live in New York? And Oliver Stone in LA? Wasn’t Talk Radio inspired by the death of radio talk show host in Denver? And wasn’t it set, and shot, in Texas?
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Q: So how is this an Oregon film?
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A: Because Talk Radio began here. Portland artist Tad Savinar did an exhibit titled Talk Radio at Marylhurst University’s Art Gym in 1983. Those paintings then evolved into an evening of performance art in collaboration with actor Eric Bogosian, a work which was commissioned by the Portland Center for the Visual Arts in 1984.
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Tad Savinar spoke about his role as co-writer of Talk Radio at the Oregon Sesquicentennial Film Festival in 2009. He was listening to the radio as he painted when his friend, Eric Bogosian, visited him. As they marveled over the vitriol they were hearing over the air waves, Talk Radio was born.
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So you know the drill: listen to the radio, make a performance art piece, perform it in Portland, perform it at the Public Theater, make a film with a Hollywood director.
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For many reasons, Talk Radio is a great choice to launch Portland’s newest radio/cinema series. S. W. Conser, the producer of KBOO’s Words & Pictures, an interview format program devoted to Portland animation and film, is a long time fan of the Clinton Street. Roger and Lani Jo Leigh, the new owners of the Clinton Street, are, I’m guessing, fans of KBOO.
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Voila! A marriage made in heaven.
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I believe KBOO at the Clinton is, in part, a KBOO fundraiser. So you can come to see Oregon film history and support KBOO at the same time.
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P.S. Strange but true: You are more familiar with the work of Talk Radio co-creator Tad Savinar than you may realize. He helped design the transit mall in downtown Portland, and his commissioned public art works are part of that landscape. Twenty five years after Talk Radio, he continues to be engaged, as an artist and designer, by the themes of civility and citizenship.
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P. P. S. Fans of Ellen “Suddenly Seymour” Greene – here’s a rare chance!
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Tad Savinar talks with S. W. Conser about the creative process behind TALK RADIO, and about his collaboration with Eric Bogosian, on KBOO’s Stage and Studio. A wonderful half hour interview!
5 responses so far ↓
1 Kenny Jones // Jan 9, 2013 at 1:50 pm
Another Portland connection to “Talk Radio”–Portland veteran actor/voice-over artist Michelle Marianna performed in both the original NY stage production and the movie.
2 Anne Richardson // Jan 9, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Wonderful!
3 Matthew Bristow // Jan 10, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Guest host S.W. Conser interviews Portland artist Tad Savinar, co-author with Eric Bogosian, of the play “Talk Radio,” which is about a talk show host with a caustic sense of humor and a knack for cutting people down.
Audio archived here:
http://kboo.fm/node/52864
TALK RADIO had its genesis in Portland. Tad Savinar, co-writer, talked about his role recently at the Oregon Sesquicentennial Film Festival. The story goes that Tad Savinar was listening to the radio as he painted when Eric Bogosian visited him, and as they marveled over the vitriol they were hearing. Thus, TALK RADIO was born.
The 1988 film “Talk Radio” airs this Thursday at the Clinton Street Theater to kick off a monthly film series sponsored by KBOO.
Special guest appearance by Carl Wolfson, who will speak to his own experiences as a progressive talk radio host on KPOJ in Portland, and his new online radio talk show. Unique door prizes – all proceeds will benefit KBOO Community Radio. $8 per person.
Talk Radio” showing, Thursday, Jan 10, 7:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St.
4 Matthew Bristow // Jan 10, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Michelle Marianna is expected to be in attendance as well, and may be available to answer questions about the film.
5 Matthew Bristow // Jan 10, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Michele Mariana http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Michele_Mariana
She supplied several off-stage voices for the stage debut of the play Talk Radio, and did the same for the 1988 Oliver Stone film.
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