Willis plays the title guy, a here-to-fore unknown seminal influence on rock history. Played quiet, with 'interviews' and 'archival footage' of Bruno's brushes with the greats and greatness, it's done quite well. The "documentary" finishes up with a real concert with Bruce backed up by a kick-ass blues band doing various "Bruno" songs and some standards that even wound up being released as a CD (still available as I write this). Their version of "Secret Agent Man" is particularly recommended.
7 Reviews
ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS...BRUCE IS A GENIUS
marina-sanchez26 March 2003
I have seen this and it is great, Bruce is a genius. It kept me laughing all the way through. I absolutely love Bruce Willis and this is one of my favorites. If you have never seen it...I recommend renting or purchasing it and have a laugh riot.
So yeah, 1987 and all...
BandSAboutMovies5 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
There comes a time in every star's career when they decide to do something beyond what you know them for. Usually, that means putting out an album. Bruce Willis was a security guard and a bartender - where he had the nickname Bruno - before he became the biggest TV star in America and then a huge movie star thanks to Die Hard. But before that, well, he somehow got signed to Motown and put out The Return of Bruno.
But what if it wasn't really Bruce Willis but instead his Eddie Wilson-like alter ego Bruno Radolini, the legendary blues singer who influenced everyone. Yes, as if Marty McFly invented rock and roll wasn't enough, now Willis would take the rest of the credit and bring along tons of musicians along for the ride like Phil Collins, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Grace Slick, Joan Baez, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Melvin Franklin, Jon Bon Jovi, Freddie Garrity, The Bee Gees, Paul Stanley and Bobby Colomby to play along. I mean, they got Brian Wilson out of his sandbox to speak about how influential Bruno was. The cherries on top are getting Bill Graham, Wolfman Jack and Henry Diltz to do the same, as well as the aforementioned Michael J. Fox and to ice the cake, as it were, Clive Davis and Don Cornelius, with "America's teenager" Dick Clark providing the narration.
The album that came out of this has Booker T. Jones, The Pointer Sisters and The Temptations, with material including covers and songs like "Respect Yourself," (which hit number 5 on the Billboard chart in American and number 7 in the UK) "Under the Boardwalk," (the 12th biggest selling UK single of 1987 that hit number 2 on their charts; "Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)" and "Secret Agent Man / James Bond Is Back," which peaked at number 43 in the UK.
Yes, this album was so successful that Willis had a second Motown album, If It Don't Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger, which is a Nietzsche quote that I assume applies to anyone that makes it through the entire ten songs.
I kid! I have always been a huge Willis fan and when I was a kid I was totally enamored of his Seagram's wine cooler commercials to the point that I would drink the Seagram's seltzer and pretend that I was him, rocking sunglasses and performing the kind of white soul that would cause even the Blues Brothers to tell him that this was kind of cringe.
The director of this made for HBO special, James Yukich, has had quite the career. He did music videos like Iron Maiden's "Flight of Icarus," "Running Free," "Wasted Years," "Ace's High" and "Two Minutes to Midnight;" Bowie's "Modern Love;" the "Land of Confusion" and "That's All" videos for Genesis; "The Flame" for Cheap Trick; "Always There for You" by Stryper, "The Real Me" by W. A. S. P. and Nelson's "After the Rain" and "Love and Affection." He also made Double Dragon, which is amazing to me that a Bruce Willis movie doc was made by the very same individual.
It took three people to write this: Paul Flattery, whose career has mainly been in award shows; Bob Hart and, of course, Willis himself, who couldn't even make it to some of the filming of his own special, so his brother David played him in the Whiskey scene. Willis also is merely acting like he's playing the harmonica; mostly it's Bruce DiMattia.
Man, this entire thing is...very 1987. I was in a bunch of high school garage bands then that all wanted to be hair metal bands and always wanted me to write about parties when all I wanted to be was Danzig in the Misfits. One of Bruno's songs, "Funtime," feels like lyrics I was forced to write:
"Oh yes, it's fun time (Fun time) Fun time (Fun time) Let yourself be happy, it's fun time"
I definitely watched this enough that I had it on a taped from HBO VHS.
Oh 1987 Sam. You knew so little, you little chubby movie geek in the making.
But what if it wasn't really Bruce Willis but instead his Eddie Wilson-like alter ego Bruno Radolini, the legendary blues singer who influenced everyone. Yes, as if Marty McFly invented rock and roll wasn't enough, now Willis would take the rest of the credit and bring along tons of musicians along for the ride like Phil Collins, Elton John, Ringo Starr, Grace Slick, Joan Baez, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Melvin Franklin, Jon Bon Jovi, Freddie Garrity, The Bee Gees, Paul Stanley and Bobby Colomby to play along. I mean, they got Brian Wilson out of his sandbox to speak about how influential Bruno was. The cherries on top are getting Bill Graham, Wolfman Jack and Henry Diltz to do the same, as well as the aforementioned Michael J. Fox and to ice the cake, as it were, Clive Davis and Don Cornelius, with "America's teenager" Dick Clark providing the narration.
The album that came out of this has Booker T. Jones, The Pointer Sisters and The Temptations, with material including covers and songs like "Respect Yourself," (which hit number 5 on the Billboard chart in American and number 7 in the UK) "Under the Boardwalk," (the 12th biggest selling UK single of 1987 that hit number 2 on their charts; "Jackpot (Bruno's Bop)" and "Secret Agent Man / James Bond Is Back," which peaked at number 43 in the UK.
Yes, this album was so successful that Willis had a second Motown album, If It Don't Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger, which is a Nietzsche quote that I assume applies to anyone that makes it through the entire ten songs.
I kid! I have always been a huge Willis fan and when I was a kid I was totally enamored of his Seagram's wine cooler commercials to the point that I would drink the Seagram's seltzer and pretend that I was him, rocking sunglasses and performing the kind of white soul that would cause even the Blues Brothers to tell him that this was kind of cringe.
The director of this made for HBO special, James Yukich, has had quite the career. He did music videos like Iron Maiden's "Flight of Icarus," "Running Free," "Wasted Years," "Ace's High" and "Two Minutes to Midnight;" Bowie's "Modern Love;" the "Land of Confusion" and "That's All" videos for Genesis; "The Flame" for Cheap Trick; "Always There for You" by Stryper, "The Real Me" by W. A. S. P. and Nelson's "After the Rain" and "Love and Affection." He also made Double Dragon, which is amazing to me that a Bruce Willis movie doc was made by the very same individual.
It took three people to write this: Paul Flattery, whose career has mainly been in award shows; Bob Hart and, of course, Willis himself, who couldn't even make it to some of the filming of his own special, so his brother David played him in the Whiskey scene. Willis also is merely acting like he's playing the harmonica; mostly it's Bruce DiMattia.
Man, this entire thing is...very 1987. I was in a bunch of high school garage bands then that all wanted to be hair metal bands and always wanted me to write about parties when all I wanted to be was Danzig in the Misfits. One of Bruno's songs, "Funtime," feels like lyrics I was forced to write:
"Oh yes, it's fun time (Fun time) Fun time (Fun time) Let yourself be happy, it's fun time"
I definitely watched this enough that I had it on a taped from HBO VHS.
Oh 1987 Sam. You knew so little, you little chubby movie geek in the making.
Best mockumentary ever
HotToastyRag3 July 2019
Mockumentary fans will be in Heaven when they rent the hilarious The Return of Bruno, an HBO special starring Bruce Willis as a rock icon. Decked out in different wigs and costumes, and spliced into footage from Woodstock and The Dick Clark Show, Bruce Willis is shown in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s, as his talent adapted to the changing times and his backup singers changed. Interspersed with the musical entertainment are commentary from musicians of the eras talking about how they knew "Bruno" and how he influenced them. For example, Ringo Starr tells the audience Bruno is responsible for the creation of the Beatles, and Elton John credits him with "Bennie and the Jets." Crosby, Stills, and Nash, The Beach Boys, Bon Jovi, Joan Baez, The BeeGees, all have stories to share about the imaginary rock star, and Michael J. Fox is also interviewed as Bruno's #1 Fan with a collection of memorabilia.
The last part of the movie uses the album Bruce Willis released, of the same name, as a soundtrack to the live concert. It's extremely fun to watch, and he's got such great energy as a performer! When Dick Clark, the host of the film, wraps the movie up, you'll wish it was far longer than an hour. The next best thing is to watch it all over again! Seriously, folks, this is hilarious, and probably the best mockumentary I've ever watched.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. Every scene includes either handheld "rock" footage, tilted angles or swirling motions from music videos, or flashing images, and it will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
The last part of the movie uses the album Bruce Willis released, of the same name, as a soundtrack to the live concert. It's extremely fun to watch, and he's got such great energy as a performer! When Dick Clark, the host of the film, wraps the movie up, you'll wish it was far longer than an hour. The next best thing is to watch it all over again! Seriously, folks, this is hilarious, and probably the best mockumentary I've ever watched.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie will not be your friend. Every scene includes either handheld "rock" footage, tilted angles or swirling motions from music videos, or flashing images, and it will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Amazing cast... Amzing 80's
yusufpiskin30 December 2020
I'm really proud of the fact that Bruce Willis's musical career was such a flop that he decided to turn his concert video into a self-parodying mockumentary about how he influenced all other pop artists and how he invented Gumby. This video helped give us Hudson Hawk and is therefore worth it in every conceivable way.
This film is everything that Bohemian Rhapsody wishes it was.
Watching this on YouTube really cements the fact that you could show this to teenagers and they would absolutely believe it. It is satire done with such precision that it feels so genuine and it's all because of Bruce Willis' joyous performance.
And let's not forget the cameos from literally everyone who matters in rock music. This is such a hidden gem that has aged so well, as it's dated qualities help it feel more authentic.
It's basically rock Zelig.
Springsteen on Broadway go eat your heart out.
Bruce Will...I mean...BRUNO forever!
This film is everything that Bohemian Rhapsody wishes it was.
Watching this on YouTube really cements the fact that you could show this to teenagers and they would absolutely believe it. It is satire done with such precision that it feels so genuine and it's all because of Bruce Willis' joyous performance.
And let's not forget the cameos from literally everyone who matters in rock music. This is such a hidden gem that has aged so well, as it's dated qualities help it feel more authentic.
It's basically rock Zelig.
Springsteen on Broadway go eat your heart out.
Bruce Will...I mean...BRUNO forever!
Timeless comedy
mysafeshop22 August 2020
Hey Bruno!
RainbowVic26 January 2020
After Eugene Martone, the magic boy of the blues, the great Bruce '' Bruno '' Randolini arrives and breaks all the schemes of the classic blues that we all know today.
Randolini is not only a great bluesman, but also a great showman and every time with his shows he makes the audience smile and amuse himself, as Martone did, but in a more professional and serious way.
This documentary is a sweet and affectionate tribute to his art, to his desire to have fun and to make the blues more revolutionary, as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Dexter Gordon have done, as well as being very listenable and nuanced and which still today has his fans and admirers, who will remember Bruno in the future not as a bluesman, but THE bluesman.
This is for mr B. Where he will be still unknown today, but perhaps he will return ...
Randolini is not only a great bluesman, but also a great showman and every time with his shows he makes the audience smile and amuse himself, as Martone did, but in a more professional and serious way.
This documentary is a sweet and affectionate tribute to his art, to his desire to have fun and to make the blues more revolutionary, as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Dexter Gordon have done, as well as being very listenable and nuanced and which still today has his fans and admirers, who will remember Bruno in the future not as a bluesman, but THE bluesman.
This is for mr B. Where he will be still unknown today, but perhaps he will return ...
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