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An opening sequence, shot in sepia-toned black and white, dramatizes Johnson's own supernatural encounter, as well as one of the bluesman's historic Texas recording sessions, and Hill's visuals combine with frequent collaborator Ry Cooder's reliably authentic slide guitar to offer a promising glimpse of cinematic conjury. Even the satanic villain--a grinning huckster named Scratch--honors the trickster figure familiar to African American superstitions, rather than a generic devil. Willie Brown (Joe Seneca) is likewise a convincing link to the blues past, but Hill's central casting choice--Ralph (The Karate Kid) Macchio--sacrifices all for marquee value, a Hobson's choice that casts a shadow of unintended parody across the film. Macchio's earlier character, not Scratch, haunts this film, and even a nifty duel between Eugene, his slashing fretwork supplied off-camera by Cooder, and Scratch's ax-wielding henchman, heavy metal virtuoso, and one-time Frank Zappa protégé Steve Vai, can't safely rescue the film. --Sam Sutherland
| ACTORS: | Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca |
| CATEGORY: | Video |
| DIRECTOR: | Walter Hill |
| THEATRICAL RELEASE DATE: | 14 March, 1986 |
| MANUFACTURER: | Columbia/Tristar Studios |
| MPAA RATING: | R (Restricted) |
| FEATURES: | Color, Closed-captioned, NTSC |
| TYPE: | Feature Film-drama |
| MEDIA: | VHS Tape |
| # OF MEDIA: | 1 |
| UPC: | 043396606654 |
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Customer Reviews of Crossroads
Thin plot as an excuse for the best soundtrack I've heard As a cinematic work, Crossroads is nothing special. Except for Joe Seneca who was great as the aging blues-legend on the run from the devil, the acting is awful. Ralph Macchio is decent, except that he's doing the EXACT same character he did in Karate Kid. The love interest between Eugene and Frances is silly, shallow and simply doesn't work. The screenplay, above all, is terrible. The directing and photography are good, which makes the film at least bearable.
But the film is just an excuse for one of the most amazing soundtracks I've ever heard. Classical guitar, Robert Johnson classic blues, Muddy Waters electric blues and hard blues rock run throughout this film wonderfuly; for bluesmen and guitar lovers, Crossroads is a must. The ending with Steve Vai, above all, is one of the greatest scenes I've seen and makes the whole movie worthwile - and both Vai and 'Eugene' play a KILLER guitar (I think Stevie Ray Vaughan plays Eugene's part). Overall, a very mediocre movie and for many probably boring, but a cult classic and a musical masterpiece.
Bring on the BLUES
This is the first (and so far, ONLY) movie to successfully profile the history of Blues music, as well as the legend of Robert Johnson and his deal with the devil. The story has several underlying plots, including coming of age, facing hard times, and redemption.
While Ralph Macchio shows some slight mechanical flaws, he can (for the most part) successfully pull off guitar-playing abilities. Joe Senaca is great as an elderly Willie Brown, trying to deal with his own demons (although one can't help compare the character to Miyagi, given Macchio's presence).
The number one reason for watching this film, above anything else, is the music. It's Ry Cooder's guitar playing and the delta-blues soundtrack that makes this movie, even when the plot itself seems a bit slowed.
All in all, this is a GREAT movie!
Just a few corrections.....
Just a couple corrections. Eugene's guitar parts were played by Ry Cooder and Steve Vai. Ry handled all of the delta blues parts, with Vai contributing Eugene's Trick Bag at the end of the film. Arlen Roth was Ralph Macchio's guitar coach.