Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives!

Have watched both Eddie & the Cruisers movies and I really enjoyed them. The storyline might be a bit thin, but the sincerity of the 2nd film really shows through. The best part of both films though is the music, I have both soundtrack CD's and the extra CD released a few years later and I play them regularly. It's a pity John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band never got to Perth, I would certainly have gone to see them on the strength of the music from these films. If you haven't seen either of these films, don't take any notice of the bad reviews you hear or read, take the time to watch them both, you will come away feeling good (and loving the music).

The production could have been a lot better but the story is a universal one, and this is what pulls you into this film along with a nice soundtrack. Premise: A rock star dies tragically at the peak of his career/life. But what if he didn't really die in that car crash? what if....?

Eddie and the Cruisers II tries, with good intentions, to tell that story. The story of Eddie Wilson, a boy from the north jersey shore who in the late 1960s became the greatest rock star to ever live, and who was believed to have been dead for the past twenty years, suddenly re-emerges when he finds out that his former record label is about to release the unreleased last album tracks that he allegedly lost his life over. The album that the record label would not release in 1969, because the execs thought the tracks were trash, are now thought to be a work of genius. -- Ironically, not because of the rock star's alleged death, but because 20 years later the album tracks that were recorded in '69 are now thought to be visionary of what rock n roll would eventually evolve into (heralding of Sid Viscious/Bruce Springsteen). Eddie puts together a band of musicians from the small Montreal community he has been "hiding out" in for the past twenty years under an assumed name. And along with his girlfriend, a struggling little rich, french canadian artiste [grin], hits the road on a northern U.S. tour that will culminate in the return of Eddie Wilson and the New Cruisers at what I believe was suppose to be Madison Square Garden (most of the film, with the exception of a few exteriors, was shot in Canada). In the beginning, the girlfriend and one of the new band members are the only two who know that "Joe" is really Eddie Wilson. Along the way Joe/Eddie has a few demons to put to rest and a couple of burnt bridges to mend (an old best friend and band member back in Jersey that he neglected to inform that he really wasn't dead all these years and a record mogul he would like to see dead). --

Eddie and the Cruisers II: a nice date movie to rent at the local Blockbuster or better yet, catch it on cable. 2 1/2 stars.

I thought this movie was a great sequel. I thought it continued where it left off just fine. I just wish they would put it in DVD format. For god sake they made the Blue Lagoon in DVD format one of the worst films ever made in my eyes. I am a huge John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band fan love the music. Great sound tracks. I hope that are comments will be heard and have some weight to the DVD industry to put it in DVD format I would love have this film on DVD. I really like how it should the frustration it showed. To know you are supposed to be forgotten and not be heard of again. And go and show that people still think of you weather in the past, present or future is a great portrayal of what really goes on in life.

I've seen both "EDDIE AND THE CRUISERS" and "EDDIE AND THE CRUISERS II, EDDIE LIVES" and I rather enjoyed them both. They weren't like ordinary movies that have a beginning, a middle and an end. It was like just being there. You enjoy the characters and the music, at least I did. I think that when an actor takes a role its because he's not expecting the role to help him with his career, but that he can help the role and Michael Pare did exactly that. The moment I can I will be purchasing the movies because they give me an escape of my everyday life. When I watch a movie I don't want to think about what is the character going to do now, or will he get the girl. I just want to watch a movie and not think about the climax of the movie. These movies do just that, I can have a glass of wine or a can of Pepsi and just relax and enjoy.

I started out watching Eddie before I could walk and It is to this day one of my absolute favorite movies. This movie brings back great memories for me and now that my daughter loves this movie as much as I did I hope it will mean as much to her. This is definitely a classic in the making if you ask me. Some of the greatest things didn't get the proper recognition until many years sometimes hundred of years after the fact.A line from the original "the world needs dreamers" and I couldn't agree more. This movie allows that to happen. Who in their life hasn't hoped and dreamed for something and been knocked down? I think this movie gives people that connection to real life but also hope in seeing "Eddie" actually come back from the lowest point in his life. I would recommend this movie to everyone, male, female, young, old and anywhere in between.