Bandwagon

(John Schultz, USA, 1996)

Some reviewers have compared it to the mockumentary This is Spinal Tap (1984), but John Schultz’s gentle, affectionate portrait of a small-time, touring rock band named Circus Monkey almost makes it into the league of such quietly wry, realist teen movies as Light of Day (1987).

The writer-director based the project on his own experiences as a musician in 1980s; he learned the craft of filmmaking in the process of doing it. Kevin Corrigan (Goodfellas, 1990) is the only recognisable name in the cast.

It boasts many fine, winning moments, both dramatic (observing the fraught dynamics of group creation) and comical (the singer’s inability to face crowds while performing is a great running gag).

Schultz is an intriguing, under-discussed figure. After the charming debut of Bandwagon, he progressed to sunnier days still in the delightful mainstream teen movie Drive Me Crazy (1999).

Since then, his career has gravitated to comedy, kids’ fare, and television. His filmography even contains a 2016 remake of Chris Columbus’ 1987 light-entertainment classic Adventures in Babysitting, which I must see!

© Adrian Martin January 1998 / August 2026