Eddie and the Cruisers (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 album.

Director:

Martin Davidson

Writers:

Martin Davidson (screenplay), Arlene Davidson (screenplay)

Stars:

Tom Berenger, Michael Paré, Joe Pantoliano

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Berenger	...	Frank Ridgeway
Michael Paré	...	Eddie Wilson
Joe Pantoliano	...	Doc Robbins
Matthew Laurance	...	Sal Amato
Helen Schneider	...	Joann Carlino
David Wilson	...	Kenny Hopkins
Michael 'Tunes' Antunes	...	Wendell Newton
Ellen Barkin	...	Maggie Foley
Kenny Vance	...	Lew Eison
John Stockwell	...	Keith Livingston
Joe Cates	...	Lois
Barry Sand	...	Barry Siegel
Vebe Borge	...	Gerry Rivers
Howard Johnson	...	Wendell's Replacement
Joey Balin	...	Eddie's Replacement

Storyline

They say rock 'n' roll never dies, but one dark night in 1963, Eddie Wilson's car took a dive off a New Jersey bridge with the troubled rock idol at the wheel. His body was never found. Twenty years after the lead singer of Eddie and the Cruisers disappeared, the band's songs are hotter than ever. And renewed interest in the band leads television reporter Maggie Foley to pursue a tantalizing mystery: What if Eddie is still alive? The circumstances surrounding his death are just shadowy enough to make it a distinct possibility, and someone (could it be Eddie?) has been ransacking the homes of the surviving band members in a desperate search for tapes of the group's visionary, never-released album. As Maggie interviews the former band members, the pieces of the puzzle start to fit... but only until still deeper mysteries begin to surface.

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Plot Keywords:

reporter | 1960s | rock 'n' roll | bridge | new jersey | 

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Taglines:

In 1964, Eddie Wilson had it all. He had genius. He had vision. He had the hottest rock n' roll band in the country. Then, suddenly one night, his car went off a dark New Jersey bridge. His body was never found. But his dream was never lost. And twenty years later, the mystery of Eddie Wilson begins to unravel.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Music

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 September 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Eddie i krazowniki

Filming Locations:

Highlands, New Jersey, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aurora

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rick Springfield lobbied for the role of Eddie Wilson, but director Martin Davidson who had purchased the rights to the novel didn't think he could be convincing as anyone other than himself. While he "might have been great" in the role, Davidson said, "he wouldn't have spanned the history" of the missing musician.

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Goofs

Wildwood does not have "big motels" or "big hotels" on its boardwalk.

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Quotes

Eddie Wilson: [angrily charges into the soundbooth] What the hell are you doing?
Doc Robbins: [about Eddie's album] There's nothing can't be fixed, am I right?
Lew Elson: This won't fix, this is a disaster.
[sternly to Eddie]
Lew Elson: You want to be a poet? Try Greenwich Villlage.
Doc Robbins: Lew listen, another couple of weeks. We've been working for months.
Lew Elson: Doc, take six weeks. I still wouldn't know what to do with it.
Eddie Wilson: [angrily to Lew, with Sal and Kenny holding him back] You want to know what you can do with it? I'll tell you what you can do with it, ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in TCM Underground: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains/Eddie and the Cruisers (2009)

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Soundtracks

Down on My Knees
Performed by John Cafferty (lead vocal and guitar), Michael 'Tunes' Antunes (saxophone), Gary Gramolini (guitar), Robert Nicholas Cotoia (piano), Patrick Lupo (bass), Kenny Jo Silva (drums)

User Reviews

More Here Than Meets The Eyes Or Ears In One Viewing

Disregard what the big time movie reviewers may say! Despite a poor sound track, there is much more to this film than is obvious within one viewing. It took me awhile to get into it, but once I did, I loved it more with each viewing. The underlying premise of the film, that there was, indeed, a definitive crossover point between the innocent early rock and roll music of the 1950's and the deeper coming of age sounds of the mid to late sixties is quite real. And the charismatic title character "Eddie" has sensed this change in the wind, but is unable to convey his vision to those around him. Yes, there are a little too many flashback scenes for my taste, but all in all the film had something to say that deserves to be heard.