Broadcast News

Starring:William Hurt, Albert Brooks, Holly Hunter, Robert Prosky, Lois Chiles, Joan Cusack, Peter Hackes, Christian Clemenson, Jack Nicholson, Robert Katims, Ed Wheeler, Stephen Mendillo, Kimber Shoop, Dwayne Markee, Gennie James, Leo Burmester, Amy Brooks, Jane Welch, Jonathan Benya, Frank Doubleday
Director: James L. Brooks
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

Holly Hunter plays a network news producer who, much to her chagrin, finds herself falling for pretty-boy anchorman William Hurt. He is all glamour without substance and represents a hated shift from hard news toward packaged "infotainment," which Hunter despises. Completing the triangle is Albert Brooks, who provides contrast as the gifted reporter with almost no presence on camera. He carries a torch for Hunter; she sees merely a friend. Written and directed by James L. Brooks, this shows remarkable insight into the people who make television. On the surface it is about that love triangle. If you look a little deeper, however, you will see that this behind-the-scenes comedy is a very revealing look at obsessive behavior and the heightened emotions that accompany adrenaline addiction. It is for good reason this was nominated for seven Academy Awards (though it did not win any). There are scenes in this movie you cannot shake, such as Hunter's scheduled mini-breakdowns, or Brooks's furious "flop sweat" during his tryout as a national anchor. Watch for an uncredited Jack Nicholson as a senior newscaster. --Rochelle O'Gorman

Description

In James L. Brooks' quirky, romantic comedy, three ambitious workaholics are set loose in a network TV newsroom where their professional and personal lives become hopelessly cross-wired. Tom (William Hurt) is the modern anchorman, smooth, handsome and a bit dumb. Jane (Holly Hunter) is his driven, brilliant producer, determined to turn Tom into a real newsman. And Aaron (Albert Brooks) is a seasoned, totally uncharismatic reporter who can't stand Tom's instant success on-camera or with Jane. It all adds up to one explosively funny romantic triangle.

Customer Reviews:

intelligently written and wonderfully acted.......2007-05-26

This is a triumph of insight. The actors have meaty parts - all written in heartbreakingly real facets - and they bring the characters to life in a multitude of ways.

This is not a "light" comedy - although it is funny.
This is a real look at the business of news, and some of the people who might populate it in real life. It is a treasure...thoughtful, provoking, and satisfying.

enjoy this on a night when you want to sit back, think, and enjoy.

Who is the protagonist?.......2007-02-24

There are a few funny scenes in this film ("Bobby-Bobby-Bobby-Bobby..."); but they are too few and far between to overcome the chief flaw with the movie: There is not a single likeable character in it. From the scene with the very annoying little girl, fast-forwarding to her adult self on her morning power-walk to the newspaper stand where she buys a half-dozen papers to read before work, the Holly Hunter character is really, really grating. Albert Brooks' character is self-centered and whiny. How can you root for the Hurt character, who epitomizes the dimwitted TV talking head? You just can't find a protagonist to care about. And that's why it will definitely be on my list of single-viewing movies -- no reason at all to watch it again in the future.

I guess its suppose to be good, I just didn't see it as spectacular.......2006-11-26

This movie has been around for almost 20 years now, and I have never seen it all the way through. I ended up with a VHS copy, so I finally watched it, and now I know why i always turned the channel. I just don't think its that great. I think the movie is based around a whiney women that honestly does repel men, and two men that have no brain chaising her, one because he doesn't have a brain (Tom, played by william hurt) and Aaron (robert Prosky), who is the "desparate" nice guy who has worked himself into the friend role. This movie was way to long, and the conclusion was as expected. Just no suspense or reason to have the movie take so much time. 132 minutes I can't get back, and 50 cents I can't return to the movie store. I guess their are some people that think this movie is "quirky" and "right on", but I think this movie is a perfect example of how people make their lives to difficult by being Phoney, and not being themselves and owning up to what they believe in and what their true feelings are. Superficialness at its best. Not worth buying in my book, but hey, most people have it rated as a classic so I am the outcast outsider. At least enjoy it for a good price and buy it here on amazon used.

Broadcast News - The Golden Age of Television.......2006-11-03

Simply brilliant. Every character is unique, we just love their imperfections, because we see ourselves in them, how difficult, nevertheless how easy and funny, even ridiculous sometimes life can be. This hillarious comedy-drama about newsmaking in a more innocent, simple world makes us laugh and cry at the same time. A true classic masterpiece from James L. Brooks. You have to see it.

Broadcast News.......2006-08-28

Watchable, with a cynical/realistic view of its topic that hasn't become dated. Interesting that the only place I've seen a blonde anchorman is in this film, especially since it points up one of my prejudices. The romance was about as lame as every other Hollywood romance since Gable and Colbert. Or perhaps since Romeo and Juliet. The basic concept of love and romance hasn't changed in about 20,000 years or more, so why does every author have to write about it? Maybe that's why I quit writing novels. At some point, Joe Q Reader's gonna wanna ask me what's behind Joe Stud Character's bedroom door, and I don't want to answer.

Oh. The film. Sorry. I digressed. Albert Brooks is great. This movie gives me a reason to forgive William Hurt for ALTERED STATES. Jack Nicholson in a minor role, reminding us that yes, he knows (or knew) how to be subtle. (In WOLF he convinced me that he was a wimp. Imagine that.)

At the end of this movie, the writers lost their way. The "plot" overrode everything and the Holly Hunter character went off about something that was far more important to her than it was to the audience. I suppose subtlety requires clarity of thought, so the ending had neither. The fact that you shouldn't enter a relationship with someone so adept at faking sincerity? How about the fact that you shouldn't end an otherwise observant movie with something so irrelevant? How about the question of whether all William Hurt movies end with a blinding flash of the obvious? But still, worth watching if you can find it for under a buck.

Directing Major Market TV News (DVD version)

Average customer rating:

Directing Major Market TV News (DVD version)

Manufacturer: Western Media Products
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Calling the Shots (DVD version)

Product Features:

Watch the TV director at work behind the scenes
See the crew at work during a newscast
Split screens to follow the action
Perfect for TV journalism class instruction

ASIN: B000A7SRSU

Product Description

This behind-the-scenes instuctional video is designed primarily for broadcast journalism intructors to show TV production students. Produced in cooperation with Denver ABC affiliate KMGH-TV, this video shows how the director prepares to direct the evening newscast and then a split screen view of the director, crew, and air signal for the complete half hour news. Lots of commentary by the director between segments. This is an overview of the process to show what to expect in the real world when a professional team is at work. 47 min. This is the DVD verison. Also see VHS listing on Amazon. (Another instructional program on this topic is "Calling the Shots.")

Average customer rating:

Calling the Shots (DVD version)

Manufacturer: Western Media Products
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Westerns | Genres | DVD | Video

Directing Major Market TV News (DVD version)

ASIN: B000A7SP78

Product Description

For professors and instructors of TV production, "Calling the Shots: Lessons in Scriptmarking and Command Delivery for Multi-Camera Directing" deconstructs a student newscast and examines the step-by-step procedures and protocol for marking the script with proper command notation and execution of commands by the director. This video is aimed at the beginning directing class. Note: Whereas the video "Directing Major Market TV News" gives the student a behind-the-scenes look at the professional environment, this video is a practical lesson in basic skills. This is the DVD version. For VHS, see Amazon listing.

Charlie Rose with Larry King (March 26, 1998)

Average customer rating:

Charlie Rose with Larry King (March 26, 1998)

Manufacturer: Charlie Rose
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD