Tapeheads

After losing their jobs as security guards, Ivan Alexeev and Josh Tager decide to put their shared enthusiasm for music videos to use by starting a production company called Video Aces. Working out of Los Angeles, they try to learn how the business operates and get a break from producer Mo Fuzz, but their ambitions keep running into the odd characters around them, including a far-right presidential candidate and a music-channel reporter. Their main goal becomes reviving the career of the Swanky Modes, their favorite R&B duo.

Tapeheads is a 1988 American comedy directed by Bill Fishman, who wrote the screenplay with producer Peter McCarthy. It was Fishman's first feature, followed decades later by Waltzing with Brando. John Cusack and Tim Robbins lead the cast as Ivan and Josh, with Mary Crosby, Clu Gulager, Katy Boyer and Jessica Walter among the credited performers; 61 cast members appear in all. The film runs 93 minutes and had a budget of about 3 million dollars.

It was released on October 21, 1988. Audience response has been modest: on TMDB it holds a rating of 5.4 out of 10 from 64 votes.