That was an excellent one.

Simply A Masterpiece

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

If you don't mind the anachronistic approach the movie takes it can be fairly entertaining. The music is upbeat and designed to move your feet, but the whole time I listened to the Cruisers of 1963 I couldn't help but think about the actual music of the era bearing no relationship at all to what the band was playing. OK, it was mentioned that their music was ahead of it's time, but it actually took twenty years for Springsteen, Southside Johnny and John Cafferty to make their mark with the Asbury Park sound. This movie had it up and running during the Dion and Elvis era, and even before the Beatles led the British Invasion to the States which occurred a year later. So that part of the movie didn't work for me.But if you were born in the Eighties and watch this film today, not having the perspective of growing up with the music of the Sixties probably won't make much difference. The hunt for the missing 'Season of Hell' recordings drives the story as former members of the Cruisers make an attempt to relive past glory without their leader, who mysteriously disappeared in a car wreck following a recording session. When Doc Robbins (Joe Pantoliano) was exposed by Frank (Tom Berenger) for running the Eddie scam on Joann (Helen Schneider) it solved one mystery, but who was it that went around wrecking the rooms of the other band members looking for the missing tapes? That was never adequately addressed, and if it was Doc himself, he got a much bigger pass for being a jerk than the story allowed.At least in keeping with the spirit of the Sixties, there's a handful of tunes like 'My Little Runaway" and 'Run Around Sue' to keep things anchored in the proper time frame, and that song about Betty Lou and her new pair of shoes would have been right up Jerry Lee Lewis's alley. I see the movie has it's base of fans on this board, including some who regard it as one of the best music films ever. But writing today, when I plug the picture into my list of 'Concert and Music Movies' I've reviewed here on IMDb and run the list in ranking order, it comes out #45 out of fifty seven films. That places it one notch above the Four Seasons flick "Jersey Boys" - who would have come up with that coincidence?

A television newswoman (Ellen Barkin) picks up the story of a 1960s rock band whose long-lost leader Eddie Wilson (Michael Pare) may still be alive, while searching for the missing tapes of the band's never-released album.The 1980s, among many other great things in the movie world, were apparently the decade of music films. We really do not see them anymore, but the 80s brought us this film (1983) "La Bamba" (1987) and this film's sequel (1989), just to name a few. Apparently it was also the decade where Joe Pantoliano appeared in music films, because he is both here and in "La Bamba". Roger Ebert wrote at the time that the film was "so frustrating, so dumb, so unsatisfactory", but he was so wrong. This may not be high art, and it may be odd to hear Springsteen-esque music allegedly being played in 1963, but it is a darn fun film.Although the film had a strong cult following when it was played repeatedly on HBO, those under 30 today may not remember the movie. Yet, the hit single "On the Dark Side" still receives regular radio play, so it is anything but forgotten. This might be the time to visit (or revisit) the film, especially now that we have had thirty years to reflect on the careers of Michael Pare, Tom Berenger and Joe Pantoliano.Hats off to Shout Factory for releasing this as a double feature on Blu-ray. Unfortunately, it comes as bare bones release, with only subtitles to speak of. Michael Pare was not asked to do a commentary (though he probably would), and it would have been a really cool thing to include a remastered soundtrack CD. Maybe we have not seen the final release of this film yet.

Let me preface this by saying that I was born in 1949. I have lived through the evolution of rock 'n roll. Beginning with my older (7 yrs) sister's obsession in the 50s and watching American Bandstand as a child. Although Perry Como was my first idol, that quickly evolved. And, yes, I am still a Beatles Girl. I think that I was one of the few people that actually saw this movie (twice) in its original theatrical release in 1983. I was mesmerized. Yes, it could have been the combo of Pare and Berringer, et al. Truthfully, it is THE perfect blend of music, characters, mystery (Old Nancy Drew enthusiasts do not fade away), add a dash of "chuck it all, I am out of here" - and who among us has not entertained THAT idea? -class distinction (college kids and working class) you have the perfect recipe for a kick arse movie. I think it is significant that it is set in 1963, in that tiny little sliver of time that was post JFK election (change and youth), his assassination (November 1963) and before The Beatles/British invasion (February 1964). When this movie was made, MTV was barely a toddling toddler (born 1981) and they actually played music. Anyway, here it is thirty years later and I am accidentally catching this movie again on AMC. The music, characters, and story line are still viable. Even the onslaught of 30 years of "life is what happens when you are planning something else", this movie still mesmerizes me.

Eddie and the Cruisers is a incredible time capsule of a movie. It captures the era so incredibly and it gives us a mystery story as well. in 1961 Eddie Wilson formed his band the Cruisers after playing beach bars and other Jersey establishments they meet Frank Ridgeway a drop out from college tending bar.Frank captures Eddie's attention because Frank is smart he's educated and he can write songs like nobody else is doing. Eddie wants to be great and he sees that with him and Frank writing the songs the Cruiser's making the music that they'll go places and be Big. When frank joins things start breaking big for them one of their songs ON THE DARK SIDE is a hit. Satin records wants more and so Eddie goes back into the studio with the Cruisers and makes a record Satin considers horrid .Eddie storms off and the next day his car is fished from the ocean the viewpoint is Eddie is dead. Flash forward 20 years later Eddie and the Cruisers are white hot their music is in a revival and interest in Eddie is mounting. When Frank now a teacher starts exploring their history he finds out that someone is looking for the lost tapes and murder might be a option for them to get their hands on the tapes. the movie is told in flashbacks mixing it with the present and giving us a wonderful gem of a movie that rocks.