Mr. Davidson obviously cares a lot about the era, and there's plenty of other evidence that he knows how it looked and sounded; the same can be said for John Lyon, a k a Southside Johnny, who served as the film's technical adviser. Initially, Davidson said that the Cruisers sounded like Dion and the Belmonts, but when they meet Frank, they have elements of Jim Morrison and The Doors. One of the characters states that they became a teacher at Vineland high school. [5] Tom Berenger has said that he did not try to learn piano for the film but did practice keyboards for hours in his trailer. But "Eddie" got a second life during the summer of 1984 on HBO. It, and the original, are 2 of my all time favorite moviesand I seldomly even watch moviesmaybe I like these cuz I was a very, very young man when they first came out in the 80s..But here I am now, 60 years old, 61 in July, still loving this movie and its predecessor. The high school used was actually a school for the mentally challenged. An odd thing happened. followed in 1989. Par thought playing Eddie Wilson again could spark his own comeback. It's the 1980s, and Eddie and the Cruisers are back on the charts, two decades after the singer's tragic car crash. web pages It was made to look pretty realistic though, since the band looked like they knew what they were doing. Eddie and the Cruisers II Eddie Lives - Archive After storming from the studio, Eddie brought her to the Palace of Depression, a makeshift castle made of garbage and junk that he visited often as a child. It, and the original, are 2 of my all time favorite moviesand I seldomly even watch moviesmaybe I like these cuz I was a very, very young man when they first came out in the 80sBut here I am now, 60 years old, 61 in July, still loving this movie and its predecessor. A new building now stands there. 6. I would have applauded that scene. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb "[9], According to Davidson, when he completed the film, three different studios wanted to distribute it, and he went with Embassy Pictures because they offered him the most money. Im remembering this group I had seen about a year before in Greenwich Village, Vance says. [11] Initially, Cafferty was only hired to write a few songs for the film, but he did such a good job of capturing the feeling of the 1960s and 1980s that Davidson asked him to score the entire film. And it seemed like it was just, "Who's driving the ship here? Great Scene From Eddie and the Cruisers 'On The Dark Side' | Our It contains some strong language. Kluge's novel is also available, a book that Eddie enthusiast Kirk Curnutt, an English professor at Troy University in Alabama, still believes is superior. The film bombed at the box office, grossing less than $4 million during a short run in 1983. A television newswoman picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader Eddie Wilson may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released albu A television newswoman picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader Eddie Wilson may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released album. In the fall of 1984, the single "On the Dark Side" from the soundtrack album suddenly climbed the charts, as the film was rediscovered on cable television and home video, prompting the studio to briefly re-release the album. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. | Then, in 1984, the HBO run sparked excitement over the movie. Eddie & The Cruisers Locations - The 80s Movies Rewind . Eddie & the Cruisers [Original Soundtrack] - AllMusic The original structure is supposed to have been rebuilt since it was torn apart by vandals. Frank and Joann go back to the Palace of Depression to retrieve the master tapes. In the early morning hours, Eddie's car crashes through the railing and over the Stainton Memorial Causeway. Then Im looking at Eddie and hes not laughing. She reveals it was in fact she who took the master tapes for the album from Satin Records, hiding them in the Palace of Depression, where she felt they belonged. This scene happened after Joann saw and heard Frank playing the piano at Tony Marts. Vance asked Davidson to describe his fictitious band and their music. Eddie's music sounds good, but it also sounds a lot like Bruce Springsteen's, and it would not have been the rage in 1963. Ellen Barkin, as the reporter, has the film's most awkwardly written role. In September 2018, Tommy Marz released a series of interviews he conducted with members of the film's cast, as well as members of the production team. "[20], In her review for The New York Times, Janet Maslin wrote, "Some of the details ring uncannily true, like the slick oldies nightclub act that one of the Cruisers is still doing nearly 20 years after Eddie's supposed death. Im looking at it. Eddie and the Cruisers didnt actually play the songs, they were played by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. He talked to George Thorogood and the J. Geils Band before finding Kenny Vance, who then found Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band. He was really worried because, you know, if Eddie Wilson didnt work, he didnt have a movie. At one point, the Cruisers got word that Pars spot was in jeopardy. My agent said Eddie II was my way back to studio movies, Par says. Hes taking it seriously.. Frank Ridgeway, Tom Berenger Eddie Wilson, Michael Pare Doc Robbins, Joe Pantoliano Sal Amato, Matthew Laurance Joann Carlino, Helen Schneider Kenny Hopkins, David Wilson Wendell Newton, Michael (Tunes) Antunes Maggie Foley, Ellen Barkin Lew Eisen, Kenny Vance Keith Livingston, John Stockwell Lois, Joe Cates Barry Siegal, Barry Sand Gerry Rivers, Vebe Borge, See the article in its original context from. [3], The film was a box office flop, receiving many negative to mixed reviews from critics. Sesame Street Takes on Game of Thrones and Westworld in Awesome New Videos, Everything We Know about Marvels The Eternals Movie So Far, Everything We Know about The Alienist Season 3, Quentin Tarantino Is Now Bashing the MCU. But "Eddie" got a second life during the summer of 1984 on HBO. At Loews State, Broadway and 45th Street; New York Twin, Second Avenue and 66th Street; 34th Street Showplace, near Second Avenue, and other theaters. A Season in Hell is rejected by Satin Records on the grounds that it is "dark and strange". Wilson and Laurance say theyve got no reservations. Maggie is seen watching old tape of Eddie and the band sing "On the Dark Side", at Frank's college. [13] Embassy Pictures re-released the film for one week based on successful summer cable screenings and a popular radio single, but it once again failed to perform at the box office. We'll just say it was your first movie and they just didn't release it." The radio station used wasnt realistic in its range. Marty and I were not friends. Search the history of over 806 billion It would have been daring and edgy.. Great Scene From Eddie and the Cruisers 'On The Dark Side' | Our favorite scene from Eddie and the Cruisers 'On The Dark Side'! arrived in April. ", The rise and violent demise of pro-Russian war blogger Vladlen Tatarsky, Ukraine live briefing: Russia blames Ukraine for drone attack on Crimea fuel depot, Britons asked to swear oath to Charles III from couch, a royal first. A television newswoman picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader Eddie Wilson may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released album. A homeless drifter built it out of junk, sand and clay, then charged admission for visitors. Leaning over Frank, Eddie said, "What I want is songs that echo. Almost 18 years later, Satin re-releases the band's first album, which charts even higher than it did originally. And Eddie and the Cruisers, which was about music anyway, really became some version of a really great song., It came onto HBO, and I remember hearing immediately about sales of the album, says Matthew Laurance, who played band member Sal Amato. And Helen Schneider, as the tambourinist, looks sultry but distinctly out of place, since she's a young woman playing what was then - and still is, for the most part - very much a young man's game. However, they had no prior experience in distribution and were unable to properly release it in theaters. 5. Rounding out the Cruisers are saxophonist Wendell Newton, background singer and Eddie's girlfriend Joann Carlino, and drummer Kenny Hopkins. It wasn't a script I liked, but I remember my agent at the time saying, "Look, you only have to work two weeks, and they're going to pay you a lot of money. "[7] Additionally, New Jersey musician Southside Johnny was hired as a technical advisor for the film.[8]. Those moments are sometimes more meaningful without a bunch of dialogue. He had decent roles in Streets of Fire and The Philadelphia Experiment in 1984, but by 1989, he admits, his desperation to get back into film led to his agreeing to star in the ill-conceived Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! In that film, which Davidson, Barkin and Berenger stayed away from, Eddie is living in Canada as a construction worker named Joe West. But as Eddie drove off, I knew, I knew it then, it wasn't gonna be any future. Plot [ edit] Instead of coming out as originally scheduled during the summer of 83, Eddie got a late September release when kids were back in school. The band gets its start at a club in Somers Point, New Jersey named Tony Mart's. [16], Eddie and the Cruisers was originally intended to open during the summer, but a scheduling error resulted in a September release, when its target audience - teenagers - were back in school. I was at this very college Im teaching at now when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, he says. The filmmaker told Vance to find him someone that could produce music that contained elements of these three bands. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. He remembered, "That was in my head: the search."[5]. A lover of great stories and epic tales, Tom is a fan of old and new-school ideas. We are working with the actual locations managers or other crew where possible. But Brooks wanted Rick Springfield, the heartthrob hot on the heels of Jesses Girl. Rick came over one day, says Davidson, and he was very nice. Like what? The other Cruisers members share similar stories. Eddie and the Cruisers is a 1983 American musical drama film directed by Martin Davidson with the screenplay written by the director and Arlene Davidson, based on the novel by P. F. Kluge. I am crazy enough that I probably would, he says. Videocassette recorders, in just 1 percent of American homes in 1980, were in 20percent by 1985. I like a big boss. A new Blu-ray edition featuring "Eddie" and the much-maligned 1989 sequel, "Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!" ''Eddie and the Cruisers,'' which opens today at the Loews State and other theaters, attempts to enliven the rock-history formula by adding new elements of pretension and mystery. It's a really weird high. Alright? The person that wanted the role, Rick Springfield, wasnt believed to have the right look or the capability of playing Eddie Wilson. I had a line when I say, Were not great, were just some guys from New Jersey. Ill be walking down Fifth Avenue and someone will yell at me, Sal, Im from New Jersey., Early on, director Martin Davidson had been struggling to raise money to adapt Kluges book. The passage of time has kind of allowed people to forget about it again. [13] The eventual project, which had no link to the Kluge source novel, was released as Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! :), There are certain movies out there that hit harder and carry more of an emotional, In many cases, actors have to go through several small roles before they finally get, Starting a new career path can be very intimidating. Do You Believe The Theory That Arthur Fleck Wasnt The Real Joker? [5] However, Davidson did not want to lose sight of the fact that the Cruisers were essentially a Jersey bar band, and he thought of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. , I watched it maybe a year and a half ago, Berenger says. All of a sudden, groans Vance, Eddie lives, and hes Robert Goulet., As Berenger remembers it, a scene filmed in a roadhouse features the Cruisers watching TV as the Fab Four lands in the United States. 10 Things You Didn't Know about Eddie and the Cruisers - TVOvermind The whole thing will be very interactive and you will, of course, be able to update everything. Spot-on perfect, she said. [5] He showed Davidson his scrapbook, the places the band performed, the car they drove, and how they transported their instruments. Kluge Stars Tom Berenger Michael Par Joe Pantoliano Tom is out of his f---ing mind., The 1989 sequel annoyed everyone involved in the original. Eddie & the Cruisers [Original Soundtrack] Review by William Ruhlmann There was a year's delay before this film, which concerns the mysterious death of a fictional '60s rock star, took off via video and cable TV, but when it did, the soundtrack album, featuring such songs as "On the Dark Side" and "Tender Years" by John Cafferty & the Beaver . 4. As directed by Martin Davidson, who directed ''Hero at Large'' and who is also co-author of this script with Arlene Davidson, ''Eddie and the Cruisers'' is vivid, full of conviction and more than a little foolish at times. Filming & Production ", Where: "Eddie and the Cruisers" can be seen on streaming services or on DVD. A television newswoman picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader Eddie Wilson may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released albu Read allA television newswoman picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader Eddie Wilson may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released album.A television newswoman picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader Eddie Wilson may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released album. ", The film release was bungled. "[21], Gary Arnold for The Washington Post wrote, "At any rate, it seemed to me that what Eddie and the Cruisers aspired to do was certainly worth doing. Davidson admits he pushed his star. Vandals destroyed the Palace after his death, but the original ticket booth still stands. In a surprise reveal at the ending, a bearded, much older looking Eddie is shown alive, watching the multiple televisions in the window of an appliance store, where the ending credits of Foley's documentary tribute to him and the band roll. [12] Nine months after the film was released in theaters, the main song in the film, "On the Dark Side", was the number one song in the country on Billboard's Mainstream, Rock, and Heatseeker charts;[13] and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Palace of Depression was a real place in Vineland, New Jersey. The band is left to break up and go their own way. Davidson was offered the job of directing a sequel to the film, but he was not keen on the idea and wanted no participation. It made me remember when I got the script and thought, This is superb. , Kluge, who took issue at the time with some of the plot decisions, has come to appreciate Eddie, even calling it a rock-and-roll Citizen Kane. So many lines from his book were taken verbatim. in 1989. But Par, now 56 and acting regularly, has worked up a script for Eddie III with a friend. Joann is able to complete the one piece of the puzzle that Frank could not: revealing what happened to the band's second album. "It was haunting and it was about two things," he says. I said to John, Without these two songs, you can go home. He said, No, these are my songs. I love Eddie and the Cruisers and plus I love the music in this film. followed in 1989. The fraternity house is actually the home of the Haverford college president. We thought the present was so fine, why ruin it by planning ahead? A mystery man driving a blue 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible identical to Eddie's arrives at the house and calls to Joann. During the documentary interviews, the band expresses a desire to relive the past, but many of their memories are humiliating. The behind-the-scenes drama - the wild ambition, the wheeling and dealing, the image making - convey such different sentiments from the music's explosive, euphoric feeling that there's bound to be a built-in incongruity, for one thing. Ridgeway is a high school English teacher in Vineland, New Jersey. "New Jersey and music and rock and roll and bands and that life. Similarly, Eddie's final declaration, ''If we can't be great, then there's no point in ever playing music again,'' stretches the material's potential for melodrama to its limit, and beyond. It's scary, a dangerous feeling. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. As of October 2018, the film holds a rating of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 16 reviews. There is only one problem, Davidson says. The building used is a school for the mentally challenged and existed as such for a while. See production, box office & company info, Tony Mart's, Somers Point, New Jersey, USA. Eddie and the Cruisers II Eddie Lives. Eddie and the Cruisers is the story of a band and a man that were striving for greatness but hit a serious pitfall on their way up. Uploaded by But, you know, what was always inspiring to me was the whole through line of Rimbaud and the poet and the fake suicide, that was the only way to sort of have artistic freedom. Vineland is currently trying to rebuild the Palace of Depression. | Eddie read enough of Rimbaud to make an album called ''Season in Hell,'' and his friends wonder if he didn't, like the poet, willfully vanish. Like, when I'd go, I'd thinkI like to make a movie where I know who the boss is. I don't know. No body is found and to make matters worse the master tapes to the second album mysteriously disappear shortly after. There are no fraternity or sorority houses at Haverford college so they had to improvise a bit. Unlike the other Cruisers, who include Matthew Laurance and Joe Pantoliano, he isn't forced to shift frequently from 1963 to the present and back again; as a result, they all seem old for the early scenes and not old enough for today. "[7] Davidson recalls, "One by one, kids began standing up in their seats, screaming and raising their hands in rhythmic applause. [2] The article highlighted the 35th anniversary of the film and details how life changed for the people involved. Eventually they get back together and decide that they want to achieve the greatness they were once seeking, but only one person knows where the master tapes to the second album are. My favorite scene is where Ellen Barkin is talking to Tom Berenger, trying to do the reporter thing, and he says, I knew him a long time. Essential reporting from around the world. In addition, the music producer/supervisor for the film, Kenny Vance, appears on screen as Lew Eisen, the 1964 record company executive who refuses to accept the band's second album. Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Martin Davidson Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) verified as complete Produced by Music by John Cafferty Cinematography by Fred Murphy . Thanks for reading! [6] Matthew Laurance actually learned how to play the bass through rehearsals. Eddie and the Cruisers is the story of a band and a man that were striving for greatness but hit a serious pitfall on their way up. Eddie makes it clear that if the band cannot be great, there is no reason to ever play music again. This post is not to review or rate "Eddie", but to explain the background of the plot for other posters who seem confused on this. The film bombed at the box office, grossing less than $4 million during a short run in 1983. He said of his role in the film that it was "a thrill I've never experienced. It was just one of those situations in which he didnt have to say anything, he just had to be there. But is Eddie dead? [4] He told her what had happened to his film, and she gave his script for Eddie and the Cruisers to her business partners. Please come back again soon to check if there's something new. He has to break down. The others are now living ordinary lives: Sal Amato fronts a Cruisers tribute band. Man o man, I wanna thank whomever uploaded this movie. Doc works as a radio disc jockey in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Was Two-Face Treated Properly In The Dark Knight? The problem is that it finally lacks the storytelling resources to tell enough of an intriguing story about a musical mystery man. In order to get a credible looking and sounding band for the film, Davidson hired Kenny Vance, one of the original members of Jay and the Americans. Not adept at writing lyrics, Eddie hires Frank Ridgeway aka "Wordman" to be the band's keyboard player and lyricist, over the protests of band manager Doc Robbins and bassist Sal Amato. FILM: EARLY ROCK DAYS, 'EDDIE AND THE CRUISERS' - New York Times Eddie and the Cruisers was not well received by critics. He smiles serenely, proud to know that his work is finally being heard, and then disappears into the night. The sequel Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! But when it was over, we hugged, and I knew I had a scene which would work in the movie., Barkin, a late bloomer nearing 30, played the hard-smoking reporter. Release Dates So the anachronisms are a greater mystery than that of Eddie's disappearance. I think people were all fucked up on drugs. [23] Looking back, Davidson said, "that picture should have been a theatrical success. While the mystery works its way toward a somewhat unsurprising and positively Gothic denouement, the film goes about its real business: re- creating the heyday of Eddie and the Cruisers, and contrasting that time with the present. Ive now had these amazing experiences of people talking about that movie even now. Not even the better efforts in this genre, from ''Stardust'' and ''The Idolmaker'' to ''The Buddy Holly Story,'' have captured anything akin to the excitement of the music itself. Eddie and the Cruisers is a 1983 American musical drama film directed by Martin Davidson with the screenplay written by the director and Arlene Davidson, based on the novel by P. F. Kluge. However, it quickly left the business after making two films that were not financially successful. A few girls made a dash for the stage, tearing at Michael's shirt. Then, as the music heated up, so did the audience. A scrappy, feather-haired TV reporter played by Barkin works the story. (as Priscilla Nedd) Casting By This article was published more than8 years ago, Eight Degrees of "Eddie and the Cruisers": What you need to know about the seemingly ignored 1983 film about fictitious rock god Eddie Wilson, What:The film stars Michael Par, Tom Berenger, Ellen Barkin and Joe Pantoliano. That scene never happened. Cut to New Jersey shore, 1963, Par in sleeveless T-shirt as rock hero Eddie Wilson. That sparked the soundtrack, recorded. He wrote, despite a good cast, "terrific" music and an intriguing concept, "the ending is so frustrating, so dumb, so unsatisfactory, that it gives a bad reputation to the whole movie. the music. They weren't play-acting anymore. Running time: 94 minutes. INTERVIEW: Michael Par talks with TV STORE ONLINE about the cult classic STREETS OF FIRE", "Eddie and the Cruisers 35th Anniversary", "Ellen Barkin on great directors and her favorite roles, from Diner to Buckaroo Banzai", "Casey Kasem's American Top 40 10/27/84", "Casey Kasem's American Top 40 11/3/84", "Casey Kasem's American Top 40 1/12/85", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eddie_and_the_Cruisers&oldid=1148799347, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 April 2023, at 12:01. Theyre sort of staring at me, Oh, another bull---- story. I dont know what to think of it. "Tom Cody, Pleased To Meet Ya! Rehearsals were tough. I put him through hell, he says. Official Sites I used the situation to bring him to tears. To get him to where he had to be, Ive never had to work quite as tough. In one scene, Eddie takes the stage after a friend has died. This is done through the character of Frank Ridgeway (Tom Berenger), nicknamed Wordman, who joined the Cruisers as a foil to the visceral, hard-rocking Eddie. Davidson, the director, didnt coddle him. "[3] He optioned P.F. I was a little removed, because I wasn't on the movie the whole time, but it seemed like it was just a mess. How did it become a beloved cult film? Watch Eddie and the Cruisers Full Movie - Video Dailymotion 2023 JustWatch - All external content remains the property of the rightful owner. "[22], In 1984, Eddie and the Cruisers was discovered by additional audiences during its first pay cable run on HBO. honorable & thoroughly entertaining film, with a final scene that still has the . Eventually it became a cult classic when it was aired on cable. The VCR turned movies into songs, into hit songs, says author Sherman Alexie, a huge fan of the book and film. Moved by his story, Frank and Joann give him the master tapes. 'Eddie and the Cruisers' was a massive '80s flop. How did it become a If you know of a good link for Eddie & The Cruisers locations, please let us know. Director Martin Davidson Writers Martin Davidson Arlene Davidson P.F. We try to add new providers constantly but we couldn't find an offer for "Eddie and the Cruisers" online. The film was released in theaters on September 23, 1983, and grossed $1.4 million on its opening weekend. That sparked the soundtrack, recorded by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, to become an unadulterated smash, rising into the Top 10. Eddie and the Cruisers - Wikipedia There was an audience for it. I said, Marty, you bag him, were all going, Wilson remembers. LX is our radical new locations feature that we've been beavering away on.. For years!Each location will have it's own page with then/now pictures, maps, StreetView, discovery story and the most detailed explanations on how the location was used. Pare remembers, "The first time we played together - as a band - was a college concert. ilm stars Michael Par, Tom Berenger, Ellen Barkin and Joe Pantoliano.