London DJ Robert (David Beames) is driving from London to Bristol in a battered old Rover – after popping to the local barber shop for a Bruce Foxton haircut – to uncover the mystery of his brother’s suicide.
En route, he discovers himself in bizarre and surreal situations as he meets people as lost as himself – a squaddie on leave from Northern Ireland, a German woman called Ingrid (Lisa Kreuzer) on the hunt for her child, and – most bizarrely – garage attendant Sting in an early appearance doing an Eddie Cochran impression.
Radio On defies description. It is scriptless, slow, and incoherent, with no narrative to speak of, and it seems aimless, pointless, and futile.
Best not to analyse it too much.
It was directed by Christopher Petit, the former movie editor at Time Out Magazine, who clearly had a Wim Wenders fetish, which explains why his first venture into filmmaking is shot in black and white (courtesy of Wenders’ cinematographer Martin Schaefer) and features a soundtrack full of Krautrock synth music.
You’ll enjoy the photography if you like art student pretentiousness.
Robert
David Beames Ingrid
Lisa Kreuzer Kathy
Sandy Ratcliff Deserter
Andrew Byatt Girl
Sue Jones-Davies Just Like Eddie
Sting Aunt
Sabina Michael German Woman
Katja Kersten Kid
Paul Hollywood
Director
Christopher Petit
Video
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Best not to analyse it too much.
