Stay Tuned * (1992, John Ritter, Pam Dawber, Jeffrey Jones) – Classic Movie Review 10,018

Director Peter Hyams’s weary 1992 special-effects comedy Stay Tuned stars John Ritter and Pam Dawber as Roy and Helen Knable, parents of a couple of teenagers, Darryl and Diane (David Tom, Heather McComb), who are dragged into a huge TV set left by the devilishly sinister salesman, Spike (Jeffrey Jones).

The TV and cinema spoofs provide some simple laughter, and there is some ingenious special effects trick work, but the screenplay is struggling and, probably for that reason, there is a void in the performing department, despite the likeable cast.

Ritter is not very amusing as the telly-obsessed dad, Dawber cuts no ice at all as his neglected wife, and the kids aren’t cute or droll. Bob Dishy and Eugene Levy are at a loss too. Jeffrey Jones is the only bright spot in the playing, and even he is left too often broadly mugging.

Stay Tuned is a short film (88 minutes) that seems long because it has a dull first 20 minutes, like a bad TV sitcom, followed by an hour with brighter spots but with lots of longueurs and pace hesitancies.

It is hard to take against it with its enthusiastic bad-taste jokes, but it is even harder to remember anything about it half-an-hour later.

Also in the cast are Joyce Gordon, Erik King, Don Calfa, John Destry and Susan Blommaert.

Stay Tuned is directed by Peter Hyams, runs 88 minutes, is made by Morgan Creek, is released by Warner Bros (1992) (US) and Polygram Pictures (1993) (UK), is written by Tom S Parker (story and screenplay), Jim Jennewein (story and screenplay) and Richard Siegel (story), is shot in Panavision and Technicolor by Peter Hyams, is produced by David Nicksay (executive producer), Gary Barber (executive producer) and James G Robinson (producer), is scored by Bruce Broughton and is designed by Philip Harrison.

The visual effects are by Rhythm & Hues Studios and the prosthetics by Burman Studios, with the animation sequence by Chuck Jones Film Productions.

It was an expensive flop, costing $25,000,000 and grossing $10,736,401 in the US.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,018

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