MovieChat Forums > Stay Tuned (1992) Discussion > A Bit Of A Trainwreck At The End

A Bit Of A Trainwreck At The End

posted 15 years ago by Budruss
17 replies | jump to latest

Anyone else find the Salt-N-Peppa video at the end a bit "jammed in"? This movie had a great pace right up until the last few moments when they suddenly zap into a three minute music video that seems to just slam on the brakes for no reason.

It's like the producers were handed a script and at the last minute told the writers "By the way, we want you to write in a Salt-N-Peppa video somewhere."

To which the writers replied: "Oh, really? 'Cause it really doesn't fit with the rest of the movie."

"Add it or you're fired."

"Well, how about during the closing credits?"

"No, during the movie. Everybody's got to see it!"

"Ok, maybe we can just stick it in at the end."

I liked this movie (overall) but that music video just seemed to be slapped in as an afterthought. I can only imagine it was some kind of contractual obligation or something because I really don't see any other reason they would have played the whole thing.

Anyone else feel this way?

[–] dcwriter 15 years ago

Agreed. I like Salt-N-Pepa, but the skit just didn't fit the premise of skewering (then) popular and classic television sitcom and drama. Nothing was "off" like the other spoofs, just John Ritter looking ridiculous and not fitting in to this new urban phenomenon called MTV. It was a sad attempt to acknowledge the then "future" of music and video as they knew it [if they could only see MTV now]. I would have loved to see a more witty Three's Co. skit, but they bailed on that too quickly!

[–] Budruss 15 years ago

Yeah, it sort of in an odd way reminded me of the "Addam's Groove". A (at the time) popular music artist who is jammed haphazardly into a movie that really doesn't have anything to do with the movie itself, but rather was plucked right out of the top-40 lists to drive the grosses up another two percent. It's a practice that's still going strong today.

But I have to disagree with you on the "Three's Company" bit, I thought it was just the right amount of time. It would have been extremely easy to drive that one into the ground so I'm rather glad they only made a the obligatory reference to it and moved on. Of course they were going to mention it, but they didn't dwell on it.

[–] dcwriter 15 years ago

In retrospect, I think you are right. They probably would have ruined the Three's Company gag if it'd been longer. Damn, though, it would have been hilarious if they were able to secure both Joyce Dewitt and Suzanne Sommers for the cameo!

[–] Jpazz 15 years ago

I would have enjoyed a quick nod to "Mork and Mindy" with Pam Dawber too.

"You look my size when you're sitting in a truck"

[–] mrpresident4200 14 years ago

I know this thread is old but I've got to say that they should of gone with a death metal band video to stick with the whole hell theme.
I also was wondering why they had ritter dress like prince in the video.Not sure how they are related.

It was way too long and just seemed to drag on.

[–] HairydragonballZ 13 years ago

I slightly disagree if only for the "no volume" joke during a music video that was worth it. Also I liked the song and still like it.

[–] Budruss 13 years ago

Wow, it's been a while!

There's nothing wrong with the song itself, it just didn't fit into the movie. The plot was moving right along, building to a crescendo when bam! It slams on the breaks for a four minute Salt-N-Peppa video. Yeah, the "no volume" bit was funny, but compared to the jarring interruption caused by playing an entire music video it caused more harm than humor. They could have put that joke pretty much anywhere.

It's rather like making love and just at the moment of extreme passion your partner suddenly gets up and makes a bowl of popcorn.

As for the Prince costume, I have no idea. It was a late 80s/early 90s thing, I guess.

[–] HairydragonballZ 12 years ago

Yeah but when shes brings the popcorn back in the bedroom with her... thats when it gets reeeealy interesting.

I agree, and they should have just put the song at the end. But because I like the song so much I always let it slide and just sing along.

Don't forget though... there shouldn't be too much suspense it is comedy/horror.

[–] Prismark10 12 years ago

Music skits with current (of the time) pop artists always tend to age quickly.

Its that man again!!

[–] Budruss 13 years ago

Huh. You know, it didn't occur to me until you brought it up that it might be a pun. Maybe it was subconscious.

I only used the phrase to describe the total catastrophe caused by jamming an entire music video midway through the climax of the movie. I totally spaced on the fact that there is an actual train wreck at the end.

Well spotted!

[–] YellowManCow 13 years ago

Budruss, I've got to totally agree with you. I just watched this movie on HBO and I found it to be a really fun light comedy overall. But the music video at the end felt like a cop-out in two ways. First it reeked of product placement (in this case, music placement), and second it nullified any tension in the ending. The entire music video while Spike and Roy danced their way closer to the remote I just kept thinking, "Why are you dancing? This is life and death, just run over and grab the damn thing!" Then after all the dancing, it comes down to a person reaching to hand the remote to Spike, then simply changing their mind and handing it to Roy. No logic, no tension, no characters scrambling for the remote as if it was life and death. Such a boring climax for what had been a somewhat witty movie until then.

[–] Budruss 12 years ago

Yeah, it was a bit like putting all Prince songs into the 1989 version of "Batman". It really didn't fit the genre or the mood of the movie, it was the result of someone's signature on a piece of paper. (Somehow, though, "Batman" still managed to work despite the music)

Someone, probably not involved in the actual creative process, thought it would be a good idea to sell playtime to some record label or another and all of a sudden instead of a passing reference to MTV they ended up jamming an entire music video into the climax that slammed the brakes on the story so Salt-n-Peppa could do a song that really should have been "Push It" so people might actually remember it.

[–] Utpe 8 years ago

so Salt-N-Pepa could do a song that really should have been "Push It" so people might actually remember it.

Unfortunately, Push It was released in 1986, whereas Start Me Up was new and upcoming in 1993.

It wouldn't have made any financial sense for them to promote an old song. I'm sure the studio behind Stay Tuned (1992) was paid to sponsor Salt-N-Pepa's new song/album.

So, there you have it, that's why they had the unnecessary three-minute plug.

Even with that, this film only grossed $10 million domestically (no international release) on top of a $25 million production budget.

It's a cheesy little popcorn flick, but I consider it a part of my childhood. I actually went to see this in theaters on opening weekend at the time. 

[–] Dan_Garten 8 years ago

Cool.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] toronto_ghostbuster 9 years ago

This movie is 3/4 masterpiece the way I see it.

I could watch 3/4 of it over and over and over again.

[–] wesperkins 8 years ago

Excellent point. It not only didn't fit but was waaaaaay too long. If they spent 3 minutes on one show, a rap video would have been the last thing that fit the movie. I would have loved 3 minutes of Beverly Hills 90666. Or as someone said, if they wanted a music video, make it a death metal or glam rock band. It's about my only complaint with the movie.