Le temps du rock'n'roll

This was such an engaging film, the more so because of it's basis in fact. I saw this first around 1981 or 82 on cable tv, which I recorded, but had stolen by a guest. I still have the audiocassette recording I made from the vinyl record and listen to it often. Recently, I obtained the DVD through Barnes and Noble (request services). All of the stage performances are riveting and they culminate in that spellbinding finale down in Tennessee. I too cannot fathom why it never hit the bigtime. If it were to be re-released in theaters today it could still be a minor hit.

I remember going to see this movie when it first came out. It's sort of a formula picture with the struggle to get to the top, the fame/power corrupting, the fall, then the redemption. Two things made this work, first the musical numbers were very good. This is a very difficult thing, making a movie about hit records and having to write original music that sounds like a hit. The movie shows how much work goes into the preparation and planning required to make it. This aspect was surprisingly good.

The main thing that holds your attention though is Ray Sharkey. I just saw it again on Encore. I knew Sharkey was good in the part but looking back now I can see he is very good. It almost seems that Bruce Willis copied Sharkey's style from this movie in several of his own. I could see Sharkey in the "Die Hard" movies. He brings so much energy to the part and is totally believable as wise guy with a quick temper.

When I first saw this movie I thought Sharkey was going to have a great career. I don't know if it was the drugs, a poor choice of parts or both but he really had talent and charisma. If he hadn't gotten hooked on drugs and contracted AIDS he could have been a Joe Pesci if not a Jr Robert DeNiro. If you think I am making this up get a copy of this movie and take a look. He did show flashes of what he could do in some television work but just couldn't keep it together for any length of time.

If you have any interest in the pop music of the late fifties early sixties or just want to watch what a talented actor can do with a formula picture take a look at this.

My brother and I are in our 40's and have been watching, and STILL talk, about this movie and how great it is all the time. We call this movie a "chorestopper" meaning no matter what chore you are doing when you see this movie on t.v., you must stop immediately and watch it, again. The music is wonderful and I am constantly telling people to watch it. I hope at least one person did. In a time where there is so much garbage on t.v., this movie makes me feel great when I finish watching it. I am a huge fan of Peter Gallagher and only watch him on t.v. now because it reminds me of this movie. The cast was wonderful, the music was great and I will forever be a fan of this movie.

This movie is the ultimate sleeper for me. What kept this movie from exploding into the theaters ? It has great direction, outstanding music, and career-defining performances !

"The Idolmaker" truly has everything. It is set during the time when Elvis was in the Army and everyone was looking for the Next Big Thing (Fabian, Frankie Avalon etc.). It shows how a man who is a great songwriter can turn guys who "have the look" into superstars.

This is the role that Ray Sharkey was born to play. It is almost as though he was the person who wrote the script, and had himself in mind for the role all along. You can just see the way he delivers his lines, dances to the music, and sings, that he truly is Vincent Vacarri.

Besides the fact that the acting is great, the musical performances are flawless. The songs just explode from the screen with catchy tunes. It gets especially interesting towards the end when Caesare (Peter Gallagher) gives his giant production live number.

Folks, if you haven't seen this movie (and I highly doubt that you have) - do yourself a favor and see it ! Like I said, it is a hard to find movie - but it is worth the time to track it down.

This is what happens if all the elements are clicking properly for a film with musical numbers.

Like I said, it's the biggest secret in film. Now that you know the secret, do yourself a favor and rent it. You'll thank me afterwards !

Tragically, released at a time when United Artists was busy going bankrupt making "Heaven's Gate" (see book FINAL CUT), this film was lost among a number of gems (Rich Kids; Pope of Greenwich Village; TrueRomance), "Idolmaker" is truly in a class by itself. Its acting is uniformly impeccable, direction, cinematography and both writing and song score--by the legendary Jeff Barry--of Barry and Cynthia Weil fame, the film is refreshingly bereft of dead spots,contrived moments and false notes (and I'm not just talking about the music).Ray Sharkey is at his volcanic best. JOE PANTOLIANO is cast against character as (no kidding) Sharkey's milquetoast songwriting partner--and acquits himself magnificently. Olympia Dukakis gives a FINE performance as Sharkey's mother--and Peter Gallagher does his own singing--while delivering the performance of a lifetime as the naive-turned-meglomaniacal Avalon character.Due to his heroin addiction, Sharkey's career floundered in years following this star-making role... lowering him to parts in the likes of "Hellhole" with Marjoe Gortner. He ended up flat broke, living with his mother in NYC.What followed was bittersweet and merits extra attention to a wonderful First Act scene: While watching the movie on TV, he was struck by scene where his mother urges him to swallow his pride and ask his estranged father to finance his start in show business.Seeing That one scene years later restored his self-esteem and inspired him to get clean and sober and get back into the game. He was barely out of rehab when he landed the role of Atlantic City mobster Sonny Steelgrave in TV's"Wiseguy"'s very first story arc. Those episodes remain cult classics,and are available on DVD. Loosely based on the career of Bob Marcucci, and his protégés Fabianand Frankie Avalon, this movie truly has it all: pathos, humor, an unflinching look at the free-for-all pre-Beatles Teen Idol gap that resulted from Elvis' stint in the Army.