Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)

Director:

Martin Davidson

Writers:

Martin Davidson (screenplay) &
Arlene Davidson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 September 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Music

Tagline:

Rebel. Rocker. Lover. Idol. Vanished.

Plot:

Maggie Foley is a reporter who's interviewing the surviving members of a band who's music is being revived...

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Missing Person | Rock 'n' Roll | Fictional Band | Automobile Accident

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Jan. 11

12:15 PM

AMC

Cast

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 Elson
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
Bruce Brown	...	M.C. at El Marko
Robin Karfo	...	Joann's Replacement
Rufus Harley	...	Wendell's Replacement #2
Louis D'Esposito	...	Guitar Player at El Marko
Michael Toland	...	Kenny's Replacement
Bob Garrett	...	Frank's Replacement
Joanne Collins	...	Piano Player at El Marko
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Hagy	...	Patron In The Bar (uncredited)
Bob Kirsh	...	Student (uncredited)
Roberto Lombardi	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Raymond Mamrak	...	Student (uncredited)
Frank Patton	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Christopher Stryker	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Davidson

Writing credits
Martin Davidson		(screenplay) &
Arlene Davidson		(screenplay)
P.F. Kluge		(novel)

Produced by
Joseph Brooks	....	producer
Arlene Davidson	....	associate producer
Rich Irvine	....	executive producer
Robert K. Lifton	....	producer
James L. Stewart	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Cafferty

Cinematography by
Fred Murphy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Priscilla Nedd-Friendly		(as Priscilla Nedd)

Casting by
Nancy Klopper

Art Direction by
Gary Weist

Set Decoration by
Chris Kelly

Costume Design by
Sandy Davidson		(as Sandra Davidson)

Makeup Department
Steve Atha	....	key hair stylist
Steve Atha	....	key makeup artist
Kathryn Bihr	....	hair stylist assistant (as Katie Bihr)
Kathryn Bihr	....	makeup assistant (as Katie Bihr)
Rita Ogden	....	hair stylist assistant
Rita Ogden	....	makeup assistant

Production Management
G. Thomas Baker	....	executive in charge of production
Robert V. Girolami	....	unit production manager (as Robert Girolami)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry Bronchtein	....	first assistant director
Mindy Ordan	....	dga trainee
Steve Wertimer	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Dimitri Apletchef	....	property assistant (as Dimitri Apletcheff)
Charles Cecil	....	carpenter (as Charlie Cecil)
Fred Chalfy	....	set dresser
Michael Curry Jr.	....	carpenter (as Mike Curry Jr.)
Michael Curry Sr.	....	construction carpenter (as Mike Curry Sr.)
Peter K. Dunbar	....	property assistant (as Peter Dunbar)
Harold Farrington	....	scenic artist
Ken Nelson	....	carpenter
Joe Petruccio Jr.	....	property master
Joseph Petruccio Sr.	....	construction coordinator: Palace Depression (as Joe Petruccio Sr.)
Thomas Hudson Reeve	....	set dresser (as Tom Reeve)
Michele Sommer	....	set dresser
Ernest W. Southern	....	chargeman scenic artist (as Ernie Southern)
Thomas M. Southern	....	scenic artist (as Tom Southern)

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recordist
Charles L. Campbell	....	sound editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Bill Daly	....	sound playback
Mike Getlin	....	sound recording engineer
J. Paul Huntsman	....	adr editor
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recordist (as Christopher Jenkins)
Maryte Kavaliauskas	....	sound mixer
Lawrence Loewinger	....	sound playback (as Larry Loewinger)
Chuck Neely	....	assistant sound editor
David Pettijohn	....	supervising sound editor (as David A. Pettijohn)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist
Larry Stensvold	....	sound re-recordist
Maggi Travis	....	boom operator
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Baker	....	grip
Jim Bekiaris	....	electrician
Roger Dean	....	camera operator
Daniel Ehrenbard	....	electrician (as Dan Ehrenbard)
Bill Farber	....	best boy
Richard Felber	....	still photographer
James P. Gruebel	....	key grip (as Jim Gruebel)
Ed Newins Jr.	....	grip (as Eddie Newins)
Bill O'Leary	....	electrician
Carl Peterson	....	grip
Peter Reniers	....	electrician
Lisa Rinzler	....	second assistant camera
Marc Rogers	....	gaffer
John Sosenko	....	assistant camera
Robert Stevers	....	electrician (as Bob Stevers)
Dan Mahoney	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sherry Lynne	....	extras casting (as Sherryi Lynne)
Chris Stevens	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Hause	....	wardrobe supervisor
Elaine Saussotte	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Sonny Baskin	....	assistant editor
Susanne Gervay	....	negative cutter
Jacque Elaine Toberen	....	assistant editor (as Jacque Toberen)

Music Department
Joseph Brooks	....	musical advisor
Phillip Namanworth	....	music contractor
Curt Sobel	....	music editor
Kenny Vance	....	music producer
Kenny Vance	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
James Giblin	....	transportation captain (as Jim Giblin)

Other crew
Diana Adams	....	auditor (as Diana Johnson)
Vebe Borge	....	production assistant
Mary Ann Braubach	....	production assistant
Jack Brubach	....	auditor
Sarah Carson	....	production coordinator
Lesley Crowther-Smith	....	assistant: the Davidsons
Louis D'Esposito	....	production assistant
Joanne DiVito	....	choreographer (as Joanne Di Vito)
Eugene Fasano	....	production assistant
Michael Fiorello	....	production assistant
Caren Fleck	....	bookkeeper
Elizabeth Gazzara	....	production assistant (as Liz Gazzara)
Larry Kaplan	....	unit publicist
Douglas J. Kenny	....	location manager (as Doug Kenny)
Joe Litto	....	production assistant
Southside Johnny Lyon	....	technical advisor (as John Lyon)
Janet Merwin	....	script supervisor
Tom O'Neill	....	production assistant
Randi Rosen	....	production assistant
Amy Sayres	....	location scout
Rent Sidon	....	production assistant
James W. Skotchdopole	....	production assistant (as Jim Skotchdopole)
Doug Stewart	....	production assistant
Bette Ann Wasiellewski	....	production assistant (as Bette Ann Wasielewski)

Production Companies

• Aurora

Distributors

• Embassy Pictures Corporation
• Mundial Filmes (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Studio Canal

Other Companies

• CBS Records  soundtrack distributor
• Intralink Film Graphic Design  main titles (as Intralink Graphic Design)
• La Da Productions  music editing
• Modern Film Effects  opticals
• Scotti Brothers  soundtrack
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recording (as Todd-AO)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Norway:12 | Sweden:7 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | USA:PG (certificate #26935) | UK:PG | Australia:M (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Atco, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Aurora

Trivia:

The fraternity house is actually the home of the Haverford College president. Haverford, where the college scenes were shot, has no fraternities or sororities.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: In the scene where Frank (Tom Berenger) is watching Sal (Matt Laurence) at the night club, Sal's band is playing "Betty Lou". Sal takes his hand off of his bass guitar and even slaps it but we still hear bass lines being played.

Quotes:

Frank Ridgeway: [Band is at college where Frank graduated from] We've played at colleges before.
Eddie Wilson: Sure, we played at "St. Something" down in Delaware and "Fairly Ridiculous" up in Madison, but we never played at no finishing school like this before.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "TCM Underground: Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains/Eddie and the Cruisers (#1.60)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Season in Hell (Fire Suite)

Great for the Rock'n Rollers

Basically this film is a nostalgic musical for all Rock'n Roll fans. There are some good numbers that will set toes tapping and hands clapping while Eddie belts out lyrics such as "On the dark side" of "Betty-Lou's got a new pair of shoes". But as a bonus and for those not so interested in the beat, the writers have thrown in some drama with a touch of mystery.

When Eddie Wilson crashed over a bridge in his car, his body was never found. Could that mean he is still alive? He certainly lives on in the hearts of the Cruisers. And what's more, there are unexpected phone callers that sound like Eddie and there's a car like Eddie's that dips its lights in the same way that Eddie used to do. The belief that he may still be alive is reinforced, even though Eddie died some 18 years ago. An intriguing situation!

Much of the film is in flash-back, jumping to & fro between the band of to-day and the band of years gone by. One adjusts quickly because Eddie it seems always wears a black leather jacket.

In a particular interesting scene Eddie takes his girl friend to an old junk yard one night. He explains that as a kid he used to hang out there. One of the workers at the yard built a castle of steel from bits and pieces selected from the dump. Eddie in a growing mood of despondency explains it is a memorial to nothing. Much like the boys from Jersey, they built up a band from nothing. I liked the analogy. "Long live nothing" he screams below the huge junk heap now illuminated with a million light bulbs.

It is interesting that fans refuse to let their rock stars die. I guess it is true that they really do live on in the songs that they created.