Trailer
Plot summary
Ford Fairlane calls himself Mr. Rock 'n' Roll Detective and works for clients in the Los Angeles music business, who pay him in drum sticks, food processors and other odd goods. At a concert at Red Rocks, heavy metal singer Bobby Black collapses on stage. Fairlane's old friend Johnny Crunch, a shock-jock, then hires him to find a teenage groupie named Zuzu Petals, who may know something about that death. Crunch is electrocuted on air soon after. The case puts Fairlane up against record executive Julian Grendel, hit man Smiley and Lt. Amos, with help from his assistant Jazz, producer Don Cleveland and his pet koala.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Howard Stern was originally considered for the role of Johnny Crunch, Billy Idol was originally to play Vince Neil's role Bobby Black, and David Bowie was approached to play Wayne Newton's role Julian Grendel.
- The film was both a commercial and critical failure, taking the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture in a tie with Bo Derek's Ghosts Can't Do It, even as Billy Idol's soundtrack song "Cradle of Love" became one of his biggest hits, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- The film's main character was created by writer Rex Weiner in a series of stories published as weekly serials in 1979-1980 by the New York Rocker and LA Weekly; the stories were later collected as a book by Rare Bird Books in July 2018.
- The members of the fictional band Black Plague are played by professional musicians: Mötley Crüe lead vocalist Vince Neil, Ozzy Osbourne bassist Phil Soussan and drummer Randy Castillo, and Quiet Riot guitarist Carlos Cavazo.
- The film was not a financial success on its original theatrical release, making just over $21 million in the U.S. According to Clay, "They pulled my movie...in a week...I was a lightning rod for everything [politically correct]".
- According to writer Daniel Waters the film was slated for release in May 1990, against Cadillac Man and Bird on a Wire, but Fox moved it back to July "to build Dice awareness", which he cited as a mistake.
