Movie Review – Crossroads (1986)
The movie Crossroads, not to be confused with that Britney Spears pop flop released in 2002, is a movie about music first and foremost. The story starts in New York City at Julliard but moves to Mississippi for some blues laden guitar and intertwines with a boy who is seeking the music in his soul and one man trying to save his.
Eugene Martone, who is played by Ralph Macchio, is a classical guitar player at a prestigious school but he really wants to play the blues. He is fascinated by a man named Willie Brown also known as “Blind Dog” Willie who was associated with Robert Johnson. Legend has it that Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil for fame.
Joe Seneca plays Willie Brown and convinces Eugene to bust him out a state hospital so he can get back to Mississippi to take care of some unfinished business. Eugene is more than willing to help him because he believes there is a missing song that Robert Johnson never finished and Blind Dog will give it to him once they arrive.
I really love this movie because it’s more of a history about music and how it started. There are plenty of people who don’t know that the blues is a foundation for rock n roll and most of the music today came from the south. This movie also has one of my favorite guitar players in it, Steve Vai.
On their travels they met some unsavory characters and Eugene really learns what its like to live on the road, during their journey to Mississippi Willie Brown gets closer to the crossroads where he made his fateful decision. Eugene finds out that Willie has been scamming him the whole time but he is so deep into it he has no choice but to go along and see it through.
Jamie Gertz starts as Eugene’s love interest for a while and leaves him feeling bad which prompts the line from Willie Brown saying, “The blues ain’t nothing but a good man feeling bad.” Once they make it to the crossroads they are confronted by the Devil who wonders why Willie Brown has returned. Eugene isn’t aware of the whole situation and wants to help his friend and agrees to a head-cutting guitar duel. Now Eugene’s soul is on the line too.
Since Eugene plays guitar he thinks it will be easy, little does he know that he has to battle one of the Devil’s best. Enter Steve Vai who plays Jack Butler. He towers over Eugene and after some excellent guitar work on both fret boards, the Devils first chair practically has things wrapped up while the Devil laughs and sports an evil grin. Eugene isn’t beat though, he begins to play some classical music and Jack Butler can mirror his talent.
If you want a movie that has great music in it and not just because of the soundtrack listing, then visit your favorite movie rental place and pick up a copy. The acting is good and the music helps to tell the story.
Here are the links to purchase this movie.
http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6748107
