Episode 485 - Rhinestone (1984)

·1 hr 23 min·5 clips

Elgar's country song devolves into a tale of his baby being killed by a tractor, with the audience heckling him.

The episode begins with an introduction to the film Rhinestone, including its release date, budget, and box office performance. The host reads Roger Ebert's one-star review, which criticizes the film as thin and embarrassing. Despite this, the host expresses his love for the movie, recalling watching it on VHS as a child. He delves into the making of the film, noting that Stallone turned down Romancing the Stone and Beverly Hills Cop to star in Rhinestone. The original script by Phil Alden Robinson was heavily rewritten by Stallone, shifting focus from Dolly Parton's character to his own. Director Bob Clark was brought in after conflicts with the initial director. The host describes key scenes, such as Elgar's hilariously bad song performance and Nick's attempts to learn country singing. Guest Ian Wadley joins the conversation, sharing that he saw Rhinestone in a run-down theater as a child and still finds it charming. They discuss the film's Razzie nominations, including Worst Actor for Stallone, and compare it to other Stallone comedies like Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot. The conversation expands to guilty pleasure films from the 1980s, such as American Ninja and Death Wish 3. They reflect on changes in film consumption, with younger generations preferring digital media over physical copies. The episode ends with the host thanking Ian and promoting the podcast on various platforms.

As heard by us

A sharp, easygoing look at Rhinestone's odd pairing, thin screenplay, and soundtrack roads not taken.

Rhinestone lands as a strange but watchable collision of Dolly Parton's songs, Sylvester Stallone's physical comedy, and Roger Ebert's one-star verdict.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play when Dolly Parton, Sylvester Stallone, and a would-be Whitesnake soundtrack twist sound like the movie detour your day needs.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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