PRIVATE PARTS
A film review by Michael John Legeros
Copyright 1997 Michael John Legeros
(Paramount)
Directed by Betty Thomas
Written by Michael Kalesniko and Len Blum, based on the book by
Howard Stern
Cast Howard Stern, Mary McCormack, Robin Quivers, Fred
Norris, Paul Giamatti
Running Time 109 minutes
MPAA Rating "R" (presumably for language, nudity, and sexual themes)
Reviewed at Six Forks Station Cinemas, Raleigh, NC (07MAR97)
==
Believe it or not, this short 'n' sweet biography of shock jock Howard Stern is rather endearing. The self-proclaimed King of All Media is portrayed as a loving father and devoted husband. He's just a guy with a raunchy radio act and, thus, is misunderstood by everyone but himself. The makers of this movie make it very easy to like Mr. Stern. Or at least tolerate him. His hair looks good, he's filmed under favor- able camera conditions, and the snippets of his show are considerably toned done. (Toned down, but still funny. A kielbasa-swallowing stripper is something you don't see every day. For my money, though, it's the bit with a woman and a woofer that's worth the price of admission.) Much of PRIVATE PARTS is about the History of Howard, pre- NBC and before his battles with the program director he dubbed Pig Vomit. We see some of his childhood, watch his marriage dissolve and repair, and wince in embarrassment at his early attempts behind the mike. This is mandatory viewing for anyone who's ever worked in radio. I was taken back to *my* first time in the booth, when the wrong button stopped George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone" in mid-song. I hear ya, Howard.
Grade: B
Notes =====
PRIVATE PARTS was screened at the Six Forks Station Cinemas in Raleigh on 3/7. Screen #6 smells bad, but the sound was decent. Except for the hiss, that is, that was audible when the movie wasn't.
--
Mike Legeros - Raleigh, NC, USA, Earth legeros@pagesz.net (h) - legeros@unx.sas.com (w) I'm also on the Web! http://www.pagesz.net/~legeros/
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