| An unsung rock 'n' roll classic 1983's Eddie and the Cruisers may have bombed in theatres, but it has since become a cult favourite
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| EDDIE AND THE CRUISERS
Sept. 18, 9 p.m., Cinematheque
While it doesn't rigidly stick to the earlier film's structure, 1983's Eddie and the Cruisers plays like a rock 'n' roll Citizen Kane, 15 years before director Todd Haynes unleashed a similar take in his glam-rock version, Velvet Goldmine. And just like Eddie Wilson's Season in Hell acetates in the film, a rare 35mm print is being unearthed at Cinematheque on Sept. 18 for one night only as part of the ongoing Big Smash! Music Scene series.
Michael Paré is iconic rocker Eddie Wilson, long presumed dead since the early 1960s. He's an amalgam of past and then-current rock legends: the look of Dion from Dion and The Belmonts, the laconic attitude and resurgent popularity of Jim Morrison, and the earthy voice of Bruce Springsteen. As his first album is re-released to monumental acclaim and climbs up the charts, television reporter Ellen Barkin hits upon the idea to do a story: Eddie Lives. She tracks down his former musicians, most notably the band's keyboardist and lyricist, played by Tom Berenger, and back-up vocalist/former Eddie flame Joann Carlino (Helen Schneider). Berenger initially wants nothing to do with the reporter, but his flashbacks reveal the intense dynamics of the band.
Keying into '50s nostalgia with the undeniably '80s music of John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band, Eddie and the Cruisers couldn't help but be a smash success. It's to my utter surprise, then, to find out from Cinematheque's Kier-La Janisse, who selected the film, that it was anything but:
"Eddie is always cited as the film that started the video revolution, meaning it was the first movie that was a flop in theatres but did a complete 180 on video, making a ton of money. This led to the direct-to-video market, which had never even been considered before."
Along with the video flying off rental-store shelves, the soundtrack became a saving grace, with Cafferty's Springsteen-lite On the Dark Side taking over the airwaves a full year after its theatrical exhibition. This catchy number can still be heard on Winnipeg radio stations today; one of those tracks that everybody forgets exactly where it came from.
As for the continuing appeal of Eddie, it may be a case of female admiration for the film's artistically scrupulous, greaser-esque leading man, and the role he incarnates. Just ask Janisse.
"It doesn't get any better than Michael Paré - being able to look at him for 90 minutes can make you forget that you're listening to The Beaver Brown band."
— Aaron Graham |
Uptown
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