Eddie and the Cruisers

Rating:
Summary: still entertaining...
Review: Saw this movie in theaters and then on video and it still entertains. Recently introduced it to my daughter and now she wants to see the sequel. I guess you could say that the film holds up, even to today's generation. I'm digging thru the VHS library trying to find II so that she can see it.

Rating:
Summary: Buyer beware
Review: Didn't MGM receive some flack about their "Escape from New York" DVD last year? You betcha. A lousy transfer and one theatrical trailer to constitute the "Special Bonuses". Last I heard, they stopped production of it out of embarrassment. I wish someone would raise a red flag about "Eddie and the Cruisers". MGM's DVD release of this movie is a rip-off (specifics below in another review). It makes you wonder just how many of their DVD's they're shortchanging everybody on without the buyer knowing it. The "Cruisers" movie is still wonderful to watch(I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching it), I just hate being misled with my own money.

Rating:
Summary: eddie and the cruisers
Review: I think this DVD and the one by the Comittments are possibly the most watched movies in our home. My VHS copy of Eddie and the Cruisers II (which I think is superior to Part 1) is almost worn out and I wish I could also buy it on DVD. But, which ever edition of Eddie that you buy, if you like rock and roll you can't go wrong.

Rating:
Summary: Words and Music
Review: I love the "words and music" because I can relate to a most of them. When "words and music" can make me cry and make me laugh, then you are saying something. And that's what the Eddie Wilsons of music are trying to do. They want you to wrap yourselves up in their music forever. Well the "words and music" definitely wrapped me up forever, and after dozens of times, I'm still listening to "Eddie and the Cruisers."

Rating:
Summary: Classic B+
Review: Yes, it's worth seeing several times.

Then you can ignore the silliness of the plot (Would anyone have concocted such an implausible scheme to get the tapes back? Still, it's better than the original book which had Doc going around killing off the rest of the Cruisers.

You can start to enjoy what American B+ movies do so well: snappy vignettes, like the scene when Joanne Carlino comes slinking into the bar where Frank, in perfect teenage nerd shirt, is sweeping the floor, his arousal & his nervous glances as the Cruisers come strutting in behind her to announce "Tell Tony, Eddie and the Cruisers are here!" That says it all! And the shouting match at the recording studio:
Sal Amato: We're not great, we're just some guys from Jersey.
Eddie: If we can't be great, then there's no sense in ever playing music again.
Like medieval church portraits, the characters in B movies are painted in two dimensions, and their iconic status shines through.

You can pick up on the effortless play upon the archetypal themes of our society: the intersection of success and Eden and what happens after the dream fails. It's a trope that goes all the way back to the Pilgrims who came to America seeking the Earthly Paradise. Indeed, much of the matter of the movie is how the Cruisers survived after the Fall of Eddie, how they each find a niche that suits your personality and try not to look back but can't help it.

F Scott Fitzgerald said "There are no second acts in American lives, " but the rules of the race dictate that there will be many more losers than winners. We're told we can succeed at anything we want to. But then we grow up and discover the our own limitations, our own mortality. We can't all play in the World Series or become prima ballerinas. We mature and most American lives will necessarily be second, third, fourth acts, and so on. And Doc, the sleazy entrepreneur, is the eternal dreamer.

There's also a strange reversal of religious symbolism here. As Sal points out, it's the innocent one, Frank who's the corrupter, the snake in the Garden (State). Is this too much baggage? Who resurrects the Cruisers. with a corpse-like Eddie? Salvatore Amato whose name means "beloved saviour"

Finally there's the music. Sure it's easy to make music that's ahead of it's time, 20 years after the fact, to create a proto-Springsteen after you've seen the full-blown original. Still there are great songs by John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band who were otherwise totally forgettable. Wendell, the sax player for the Cruisers, was the actual sax player in John Cafferty's band.

Appropriately enough the other actors had widely varying careers after achieving cult status in "Eddie". Tom Berenger went on to a successful movie career as a dramatic actor giving an emotional dimension to a series of military roles. Michael Pare never got beyond his good looks in a string of 2nd & 3rd rate movies (including the gawdawful "Eddie II"). Ellen Barkin has some talent for comedy, but again was cast mostly the blonde sexpot. Helen Schneider (Joanne Carlino) became an accomplished cabaret singer showing talents only briefly exhibited in "Eddie" Matthew Laurance (Sal) does commentary on Fox Sports Detroit for the Detroit Shock (WNBA). Joe Pantoliano (Doc) has appeared in literally dozens of movie, tv and stage roles.

And, finally he's writing a book about growing up in Hoboken..

Rating:
Summary: Still a great movie--same old format
Review: 'Eddie and the Cruisers' has been my all-time favorite movie since I first watched it back in '83. I've seen it dozens of times since then and have worn out two VHS copies. That's why I was delighted to learn that it was finally being released on DVD, which meant, obviously, a few extras and surprises that the format affords (widescreen, theatrical trailers, deleted scenes, etc.) Boy, was I disappointed. First and foremost, it is NOT in the widescreen format, despite what the packaging says. I repeat, THIS IS NOT IN THE WIDESCREEN FORMAT. This is the pan and scan, or full-screen version, with black bars superimposed over it. I ran the DVD simultaneously with the VHS version, freezing frames and comparing. Call me obsessive, but I had to make sure. It was so obvious. Things at the top and bottom of the screen on the VHS version were covered by the bars on the DVD, while the sides of the screen yielded very little extra, if anything, on this so-called widescreen version. As far as the picture itself, the DVD does produce a better quality of this movie than I've ever seen before. However, that's the only plus. Since it is not in widescreen, the only extra is one theatrical trailer. No wonder MGM is selling this at below cost. A disgrace and a scam. Unless you just absolutely, positively have to have this movie on DVD, don't waste your money.

Rating:
Summary: Eddie Lives !!
Review: Hey this is what a rock-n-roll movie should be about....the music. Eddie and the Cruisers is a great movie. After watching the movie for the first time I felt like it was more of the history of Eddie and the Cruisers and he really was out there somewhere. Sometimes critics just don't have a clue, there are other factors besides acting, not to say that the acting is not good, but this movie has heart and lots of it. I was glad to see that it was being released on dvd. This movie is excellent and the music is great. Check it out !
retro

Rating:
Summary: Best cult classic !
Review: This a "must see" movie with great music and acting. Michael Pare' is outstanding and so is the supporting cast. The soundtrack is also a wonderful!

Rating:
Summary: No other word but GREAT!
Review: Have seen both Eddie and the Cruisers I & II Eddie Lives. I never get tired of watching either one! Hope they come out with Part III. Awesome!

Rating:
Summary: theoretically eddie
Review: the real reason i am writing this is two. #1 Eddie and The Cruisers made perfect sense to me. #2 i believe i am in love with Ellen[Carlina] *****