Starring: Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, Jami Gertz, Joe Morton, Robert Judd Directed By: Walter Hill Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Sony Pictures Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 99 Release Date: August 10, 2004 Running Time: 99 minutes Theatrical Release Date: March 14, 1986
Product Description: No Description Available. Genre: Feature Film-Drama Rating: R Release Date: 4-SEP-2007 Media Type: DVD
Amazon.com: The legend of Mississippi blues master Robert Johnson has served as a fountainhead for generations of blues and rock musicians, as well as a powerful fable for the dark, often violent mysteries of delta blues. Johnson's mythic deal with the Devil, in exchange for his extraordinary musical gifts, has become a fixture in blues lore and an example of the enduring pull of superstitions that can be traced back to Mother Africa and Yoruba deities. Producer-director Walter Hill (The Long Riders, Streets of Fire) sought to put this uniquely American mystery on film, but when he was unable to secure a script devoted directly to Johnson himself, Hill bravely decided to proceed with a more oblique, allegorical story that retold the Satanic bargain through a fictionalized drama set in the present day. In this 1986 feature, the hero is Eugene, a classically trained guitar virtuoso pulled toward the earthier powers of blues. When he stumbles across a lost blues legend, Willie Brown (a real blues figure and Johnson peer known for his partnerships with Charley Patton and Son House, among others), Eugene begins an odyssey back to the delta country and the crossroads of the title, where both Willie and Johnson had traded their souls for blues power, to help the surviving bluesman renegotiate terms.
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
never received Don't know if this was a good movie or not because I have yet to receive this DVD. I have sent the seller several e-mails, but no one has responded. I purchased it on July 18, 2008, and the estimated arrival date was Aug. 8, 2008. I paid for this DVD with my paypal account so I know they have already gotten my money. Needless to say, I'm not at all happy with the seller at this time.
Some info would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Thanks in advance, Amy
Worth it for great Blues music and a young Jami Gertz I really enjoy this film. The fascinating legend of Blues pioneer Robert Johnson, and his alleged deal with the Devil at the Crossroads, is the backdrop of this story. With fine performances by Ralph Macchio and especially Joe Seneca this movie is a delightfully entertaining journey. Eugene (Macchio) takes Willie (Seneca) down South to Willie's old stomping grounds all in hopes that Willie will teach Eugene the "lost" Robert Johnson song that no one has heard. Willie was a friend of Johnson's in their youth. Eugene is a talented Julliard trained guitarist with an obsession for the Blues. Along the way, they meet Frances, a runaway 17 year old girl who joins them. Played by a stunning 20 or 21 year old Jami Gertz, Frances is determined to get to L.A. to start a dance career. After Eugene falls for her, she then leaves during the night causing Eugene to get the Blues. He then has a guitar battle (with Steve Vai) to retract the contract that Willie also made with the Devil. Entertaining all around.
Crossroads Do not let the mixed reviews about this film deceive you. I would say however, it's wider appeal will be for blues fans and those who are interestd in Robert Johnson in particular. Some parts of the movie are based on either facts or legends of Robert Johnson, mostly on the legend of Johnson selling his soul to the spirit Legba at the crossroads in return for the ability of being the best blues player alive. The same happened to one of his associates, Blind Dog. Blind dog later tricks the young Ralph Macchio to help him escape a nursing home in order to go back to the delta in an attempt to nullify his own bargain with Legba. Short of money, they must play the blues in roadhouses and juke-joints along the way to survive, allowing for many adventures. A surprise ending with a "blues head-cutting contest", giving a great array of guitar licks. If macchio wins, then Blind Dogs gets his deal with Legba nullified, but if Legba's man wins, then Macchio then loses his own soul. This is a must for any blues enthusiast! Find out he outcome!
John Cole
Guitar Hero in real life!! Crossroads is a decent attempt at drama from men (John Fusco and Walter Hill) who are known for anything but drama. However, even if it weren't entertaining, the final scene is worth the price of admission. On the other hand, unless you can ignore Macchio it's basically a reason to punch yourself for two hours, as he plays an extremely unconvincing Julliard-schooled, classicly-trained guitarist with a love of the blues.
Eugene "Lightning Boy" Martone (Macchio) has a gift for classical guitar; only, he's too stupid to take advantage of that fact and run with it. Instead he incessantly harps, whines, and pouts about his fascination with the blues. His teachers hate him. He is so fascinated that he begins to stalk an old blues player named Willie Brown (Joe Seneca), who has a plethora of aliases such as Smokehouse Brown and Blind Dog Fulton. After tormenting the old man who wanted to live the rest of his days in anonymity, Eugene breaks Willie out of an old folks' home. Their mission: walk and hitch-hike (aka hobo-ing) down to Mississippi where Willie promises to teach Eugene a lost song that was written by Robert Johnson. Only, there's no such song.
The real reason Willie leads the naïve, gullible, dumb-as-a-rock Eugene down south is to get out of a deal he made with the devil in the 1930s. It is during this journey that Eugene gets his first sexual interaction with another person (not with Willie, with Jamie Gertz), and "truly" learns what the blues are after she dumps him for a rocker or a drug-dealer. Presumably.
Throughout the entire movie, Eugene made me cringe and wish for Johnny from Karate Kid to come in and dish out a beating. How someone could be so unaware of the world around them is beyond me. I'm completely convinced that if there had been a sequel to this movie - thankfully there was not - it would have been about 45 minutes long, and Willie would have traded Eugene to a garage band for a bottle of whiskey and some smokes.
Anyway, Macchio fumbles through his performance as a blues guitarist so much that the musical scenes alone should have garnered this film an R rating. Don't get me wrong; the music is beautiful. But it's just too hard to overlook the fact that it's Macchio attempting to give off a convincing performance as a blues man. The final scene, however, saves him. In a guitar version of Dueling Banjos - without the inbreeding - Eugene must utilize all of his skills, aided by some slick harmonica work from Willie, to beat the devil's representative, Jack Butler (Steve Vai), in a musical duel for souls.
I ended up being quite pleased with this movie, despite Macchio. It's full of American folklore, good music, a great tale, a nubile Jamie Gertz, and one of the eeriest portrayals of the devil I have ever seen.
awesome music this is definitely a 4 star movie.the plot was good but what made it great was the awesome music that was played...joe senneca and ralph macchio were great together...i would recommend anyone to get this dvd...there is quiet a bit of bad language in this movie,that is why i gave it 4 stars instead of 5...
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