Eddie and the Cruisers
The film is about two dissimilar stories, one told in real time, and one told in flashbacks. The present day story concerns television news reporter Maggie Foley (Ellen Barkin) investigating the myste…
Eddie and the Cruisers
The film is about two dissimilar stories, one told in real time, and one told in flashbacks. The present day story concerns television news reporter Maggie Foley (Ellen Barkin) investigating the mysterious disappearance of cult rock star Eddie Wilson (Michael Pare) and the search for his band's second album, which disappeared from the vaults of Satin Records the day of Eddie's supposed demise. The story told in flashbacks portrays a 1960s rock 'n' roll band called Eddie and the Cruisers. The band makes a name for itself while regularly at a club called Tony Mart's in Somers Point, New Jersey. It is there that they meet Frank Ridgeway (Tom Berenger), whom Eddie hires to be the band's keyboard player and lyricist, and whom he nicknames Wordman. Band manager (Joe Pantoliano) and bassist Sal Amato (Matthew Laurance) are skeptical of hiring Frank, who is not a trained musician or experienced songwriter, but Eddie believes that Frank crucial to the band's development. Rounding out the Cruisers is sax player Wendell Newton (Michael "Tunes" Antunes), backup singer and Eddie's girlfriend Joann Carlino (Helen Schneider), and drummer Kenny Hopkins (David Wilson). With Ridgeway's help, the band stops playing cover songs and releases "Tender Years", an album of original material that instantly became a surprise hit, especially with the songs "On the Dark Side", "Wild Summer Nights", and the title track. The band members spend a year recording their next album "A Season in Hell" during which Eddie's artistic and creative talents often are buried beneath his arrogant and rebellious trends, leading to arguments between him and Robbins. At one point, Amato tells Eddie he doesn't know what he's looking for, to which Eddie responds that he wants to be great. Sal replies "We ain't great. We're just some guys from Jersey." Eddie makes this clear that if the band can't be great, then there is no reason to ever play music again. Inspired by the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, the band's second album is a culmination of everything that Eddie had ever hoped to do with music, dissimilar from anything that anyone else had ever done to that point, and he was satisfied with this. However, the album is controversial and considered dark and strange by the record company, Satin Records. The record company rejects the album, saying this will not be released to the public. In the early morning hours after Satin Records refuses to release the new album, Eddie's convertible crashes through the railing and going over the Stainton Memorial Causeway. Eddie vanishes without a trace, his body was never found. Almost 20 years later, Satin Records re-releases the band's first album, which becomes a surprise hit, climbing higher on the charts than this originally did. The producers of a television show decided to produce a documentary on the band, with an attempt to bring light to the band's second album, which disappeared from the vaults of Satin Records the day after Eddie's supposed demise. Through the namesake of the documentary is the band's lead singer, this revolves around the other members of the Cruisers, especially Ridgeway and their memories of the band. Most of the original Cruisers have moved on with their lives except Wendell Newton who had died of an overdose (reported as a heart attack) in August 1963 at age 37. Only Sal Amato remained in the music business, leading a new lineup of the Cruisers. Ridgeway is now working as a high school teacher in Vineland. Doc is a local radio disc jockey in Asbury Park. Joann is a stage choreographer in Wildwood and Hopkins works in a casino in Atlantic City. Much of the story takes place in flashback, prompted by Foley's interviews with the band members. Tensions building within the Cruisers during the flashback sequences coincide with Frank's willingness to be more open with Maggie. During the interview, Frank recalls that he suggested the band play at Benton College where Frank was a student, but Eddie feels uncomfortable there, stating that they would no be accepted because this was "not their kind of place". Although Eddie reluctantly agrees, he gets back at Frank by referring to him as "Toby Tyler" to the audience when naming his band members in an attempt to make Frank look bad. When Frank tries to leave, Eddie realizes his error and reconciles with him, telling Frank that they need each other. The story climax involves Joann, completing the one piece of the flashback puzzle that Frank could not; what happened the night that Satin Records refused to release the band's second album. After storming from the studio, Eddie brought her to the Palace of Depression, a makeshift castle made of garbage and junk that he often visited as a child. She reveals that this was actually she who took the master tapes for the album from Satin Records, hiding them into the Palace of Depression, where she feels they belong. Frank and Joann return to the Palace of Depression to retrieve the master tapes. After returning to Joann's house, she receives a phone call she believes to be from Eddie, who had been missing for almost 20 years, and with whom she remains in love. Frank does not believe this to be Eddie who called her, and he hides outside as he watches a blue 1957 Chevy, identical to Eddie's, arrives at the house, and a voice that sounds like Eddie's calls to her. Before Joann can reach the convertible, Frank pulls the driver behind the wheel, who reveals himself as Doc, who was using the deception to obtain possession of the master tapes. They nonetheless give him the master tapes, which he promises to release under a deal that will benefit most of them. The film closes with Maggie's story about the band, being viewed on multiple televisions in a store window and watched by a crowd outside. The ending credits roll as a song from "A Season in Hell" is played for the first time, and as the lights from the television become darker, the crowd walks away, leaving only one person standing at the window. The reflection appears in the store window, revealing this to be a much older and long-lost Eddie Wilson. He smiles serenely, proud to know that his work, misunderstood all those years ago, is finally bring heard, and then disappears into the nighttime.
Eddie and the Cruisers
Drama,Music,Mystery
Film Details
The film is about two dissimilar stories, one told in real time, and one told in flashbacks. The present day story concerns television news reporter Maggie Foley (Ellen Barkin) investigating the mysterious disappearance of cult rock star Eddie Wilson (Michael Pare) and the search for his band's second album, which disappeared from the vaults of Satin Records the day of Eddie's supposed demise. The story told in flashbacks portrays a 1960s rock 'n' roll band called Eddie and the Cruisers.
The band makes a name for itself while regularly at a club called Tony Mart's in Somers Point, New Jersey. It is there that they meet Frank Ridgeway (Tom Berenger), whom Eddie hires to be the band's keyboard player and lyricist, and whom he nicknames Wordman. Band manager (Joe Pantoliano) and bassist Sal Amato (Matthew Laurance) are skeptical of hiring Frank, who is not a trained musician or experienced songwriter, but Eddie believes that Frank crucial to the band's development.
Rounding out the Cruisers is sax player Wendell Newton (Michael "Tunes" Antunes), backup singer and Eddie's girlfriend Joann Carlino (Helen Schneider), and drummer Kenny Hopkins (David Wilson). With Ridgeway's help, the band stops playing cover songs and releases "Tender Years", an album of original material that instantly became a surprise hit, especially with the songs "On the Dark Side", "Wild Summer Nights", and the title track. The band members spend a year recording their next album "A Season in Hell" during which Eddie's artistic and creative talents often are buried beneath his arrogant and rebellious trends, leading to arguments between him and Robbins.
At one point, Amato tells Eddie he doesn't know what he's looking for, to which Eddie responds that he wants to be great. Sal replies "We ain't great. We're just some guys from Jersey." Eddie makes this clear that if the band can't be great, then there is no reason to ever play music again.
Inspired by the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, the band's second album is a culmination of everything that Eddie had ever hoped to do with music, dissimilar from anything that anyone else had ever done to that point, and he was satisfied with this. However, the album is controversial and considered dark and strange by the record company, Satin Records. The record company rejects the album, saying this will not be released to the public.
In the early morning hours after Satin Records refuses to release the new album, Eddie's convertible crashes through the railing and going over the Stainton Memorial Causeway. Eddie vanishes without a trace, his body was never found. Almost 20 years later, Satin Records re-releases the band's first album, which becomes a surprise hit, climbing higher on the charts than this originally did.
The producers of a television show decided to produce a documentary on the band, with an attempt to bring light to the band's second album, which disappeared from the vaults of Satin Records the day after Eddie's supposed demise. Through the namesake of the documentary is the band's lead singer, this revolves around the other members of the Cruisers, especially Ridgeway and their memories of the band. Most of the original Cruisers have moved on with their lives except Wendell Newton who had died of an overdose (reported as a heart attack) in August 1963 at age 37.
Only Sal Amato remained in the music business, leading a new lineup of the Cruisers. Ridgeway is now working as a high school teacher in Vineland. Doc is a local radio disc jockey in Asbury Park.
Joann is a stage choreographer in Wildwood and Hopkins works in a casino in Atlantic City. Much of the story takes place in flashback, prompted by Foley's interviews with the band members. Tensions building within the Cruisers during the flashback sequences coincide with Frank's willingness to be more open with Maggie.
During the interview, Frank recalls that he suggested the band play at Benton College where Frank was a student, but Eddie feels uncomfortable there, stating that they would no be accepted because this was "not their kind of place". Although Eddie reluctantly agrees, he gets back at Frank by referring to him as "Toby Tyler" to the audience when naming his band members in an attempt to make Frank look bad. When Frank tries to leave, Eddie realizes his error and reconciles with him, telling Frank that they need each other.
The story climax involves Joann, completing the one piece of the flashback puzzle that Frank could not; what happened the night that Satin Records refused to release the band's second album. After storming from the studio, Eddie brought her to the Palace of Depression, a makeshift castle made of garbage and junk that he often visited as a child. She reveals that this was actually she who took the master tapes for the album from Satin Records, hiding them into the Palace of Depression, where she feels they belong.
Frank and Joann return to the Palace of Depression to retrieve the master tapes. After returning to Joann's house, she receives a phone call she believes to be from Eddie, who had been missing for almost 20 years, and with whom she remains in love. Frank does not believe this to be Eddie who called her, and he hides outside as he watches a blue 1957 Chevy, identical to Eddie's, arrives at the house, and a voice that sounds like Eddie's calls to her.
Before Joann can reach the convertible, Frank pulls the driver behind the wheel, who reveals himself as Doc, who was using the deception to obtain possession of the master tapes. They nonetheless give him the master tapes, which he promises to release under a deal that will benefit most of them. The film closes with Maggie's story about the band, being viewed on multiple televisions in a store window and watched by a crowd outside.
The ending credits roll as a song from "A Season in Hell" is played for the first time, and as the lights from the television become darker, the crowd walks away, leaving only one person standing at the window. The reflection appears in the store window, revealing this to be a much older and long-lost Eddie Wilson. He smiles serenely, proud to know that his work, misunderstood all those years ago, is finally bring heard, and then disappears into the nighttime..