Static Reviews

A strange comedy from independent Chicago filmmaker Romanek that depicts Gordon, an Arizona teenager who lost his parents in an auto accident, trying to invent a television set that can receive signals from heaven. Gordon is able to survive financially because of the insurance settlement from his parents' accident, though he still works at his mundane job in a religious artifacts factory. There he steals defective crucifixes to decorate his room. As Christmas approaches, Gordon cracks the secret of his invention and prepares to unveil it to the world. At the same time, his boss discovers the theft and fires him. When Gordon finally shows off his invention on Christmas Eve, he excitedly watches the view of heaven offered, but he is the only one who can see it. As he sits before the TV hoping to see his parents, the others in the room just see static. Frustrated by the lack of media attention given to his invention, Gordon decides to hijack a busload of senior citizens on their way to Albuquerque, knowing the press will be all over the story like a cheap shirt. Instead of being frightened of Gordon, the senior citizens are quite excited by the somewhat deranged teen's scheme and are willing participants. Director Romanek (who cowrote the script with star Gordon) has a good feel for the quirky side of America with its motels, diners, factories, traditions, and, most importantly, its obsession with television; but his message here is a bit muddled. Cinematographer Jur (another Chicagoan) does a fine job with the oft-filmed Southwest territory, managing to breath some new life into an overused location. For a low-budget feature, Romanek has assembled a strong cast. Gordon has appeared in Brian De Palma's DRESSED TO KILL and John Carpenter's CHRISTINE, among others. Plummer, who plays Gordon's former sweetheart who left Arizona to find fame and fortune in rock 'n' roll only to give it all up and return home, almost steals the film. STATIC has gotten a scant release and was seen mostly at film festivals in 1985.