In May 1977 CBS announced they would make the film. The film was one of the first telemovies made by EMI television. "Doing the film was a chance to let the world know there was a reason Jan was no longer making records," said Dean. "He had gotten tired of hearing 'I thought you'd just retired from the business and faded into obscurity'." The film inexplicably begins with Jan & Dean performing at a concert in July, 1966 hosted by Dick Clark. At that time Jan Berry was actually in the hospital, beginning the arduous task of recovering from his near-fatal car crash of three months earlier. The film ends with Jan and Dean singing again triumphantly after the audience boos at them for lip synching. In reality, they attempted to perform in 1972 but were booed for lip synching. They did perform again in 1974. The film makes it seem like this happened on the same night.
Reception The
Los Angeles Times called it "shallow entertainment".
The New York Times said the film was made "efficiently, if not imaginatively" with an "outstanding" performance from Davison. Paul Mavis, of
Drunk TV, reviewing ''Deadman's Curve'' after the death of Richard Hatch, wrote that although the made-for-TV movie skipped quite a few facts, and did little with Dean Torrence's character, the Jan & Dean music was still there, along with Richard Hatch's fine performance: "Cocky and exuberant at first, and then cold, sneering and manipulative as a domineering rock star, Hatch surprised me with the nasty edge he summoned up.... It’s a beautiful turn by Hatch in the classic biopic form: confidence, talent, and drive lead to success, but the ego needed to climb to the top proves to be an Achilles heel, leading to abuse of friends, loved ones, and self, and then to the inexorable downfall, before a painful but enlightening personal redemption."
Ratings The movie was the 40th highest rating show of the week. ==Featured Songs==