After five years working with Roger Corman, Jonathan Demme moved to Paramount to make Citizens Band, a charming ensemble comedy following a disparate group of characters who communicate across the airwaves. A huge influence on Paul Thomas Anderson, the film’s empathy for the outsiders and eccentrics who would characterise Demme’s later work is clearly evident here. And the cast, including Le Mat as a CB vigilante and Napier as a bigamist trucker, is terrific. A prescient study of human behaviour that resonates in our social media era, Citizens Band’s box-office failure left Demme fearing his career was over, but it can now be seen as the moment he found his distinctive voice.
Director: Jonathan Demme.
Writer: Paul Brickman.
Stars: Paul Le Mat, Candy Clark, Bruce McGill, Roberts Blossom, Tramp, Charles Napier, Ann Wedgeworth, Marcia Rodd, Alix Elias, Richard Bright, Ed Begley Jr., Michael Rothman, Michael Mahler, Harry Northup, Will Seltzer, Leila Smith, Nicki Mann, Roy Hollis, Gary Goetzman, Arthur French, Rob Reece, Arthur Godfrey.
Cinematographer: Jordan Cronenweth.
Composer: Bill Conti.
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The audio from this HD copy has been heavily filtered unfortunately it’s very muffled at times and in many ways inferior when compared side by side with the audio from the VHS released in 1989, I boosted the levels a bit to make it a bit better. “Restorations” these days leave much to be desired.
It will be great to see this again for the first time since the 90s. Thanks, Jon!
Paul Brickman’s contributions are not to be minimized. One of the more important film makers of the 80’s/90’s.
AKA Handle With Care. You’ve got to love this era of Demme. His all too rare and timely visions of America shot through a lens of fun.
Fun movie that I liked even more once I realized how elements from each character’s story affected the others.