Crossroads

Walter Hill is the director of some of my all time favorite movies. His films tend to be more action oriented, rather than character-driven, which is surprising since I normally don't like action films. He tends to establish the characters just enough for you to care about them before throwing them headfirst into the fireworks. Movies like "The Warriors", "48 Hours", "Southern Comfort", and "The Long Riders" all left their mark and set standards for their genre. It's a little strange that he would sign on to do a movie like this, but he somehow pulls it off.

This kid Eugene (Ralph Macchio) is a classical guitar student with an obsession with the blues. Despite the disapproval of his teacher, he longs to be a bluesman just like his heros of the 30s and 40s. When he gets word of a lost song by the late, great Robert Johnson, he hunts down Johnson's still-living harp player, Willie Brown (Joe Seneca). Willie is a cantankerous old man who spends his days rotting away down at the nursing home. It doesn't take the kid long to track down the old man and make a little deal: If he helps the geezer bust out of the old-folks home, then the geezer will in turn, teach the kid the long lost song. You see, they're in New York and the old man has to get home to the delta to settle an old score. Thus, the road trip begins...hobo-style.

To give much more away would be a crime, but the kid and the geezer are well matched and this gives the movie a lot of laughs and LOADS of memorable quotes from the old man. Joe Seneca was a great actor and I believe this was one of his best performances. Ralph Macchio is perfect as the kid and we really do believe that he is obsessed with the blues. Jami Gertz also gives a credible performance as the temporary love interest. She's perfect for the part.

I really can't praise this movie enough. The music alone, is enough to reccommend it (Ry Cooder rocks as always) and if you're into the blues, chances are you've already seen it. If you can find this one, it's well worth a rental. I guarantee that you won't watch it just once. I can't wait for the dvd. 10/10

* Minor Spoilers *

Eugene Martone, the 'Lightening Boy' (Ralph Macchio, an actor who presently 'disappeared' from the big screen) is a lover of blues. He studies guitar in Julliard, but he indeed is looking for the thirtieth unknown song of Roberto Johnson. One day, he meets Willie Brown, the 'Blind Dog Fulton' (Joe Seneca) in an old folk's home and is convinced that he possess the lost song. Eugene helps Willie to escape the asylum and goes with him to Mississippi. They can just afford a bus ticket from New York to half way to Mississippi, so the rest of their journey is hitchhiking. In the way, they meet Frances (Jami Gertz, also vanished from the screen), a girl who left home and wishes to be a dancer in Los Angeles. They three together will pass through many strange adventures and situations. The climax of the movie is the guitar duel between Eugene and Jack Butler (Steve Vai).

This movie is the most wonderful tribute to blues ever made. The cast, direction and soundtrack are perfect. Thank you Walter Hill and John Fusco for such a delightful film. The astonishing music of Ry Cooder is spectacular. If the viewer loves blues like me, will certainly not get tired of watching this movie and listen to the CD with the marvelous soundtrack. In Brazil, this movie has not been released on DVD (only in VHS and the soundtrack on CD). This movie is completely underrated in IMDb. I do not agree with the 6.1 user rating in IMDb. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Encruzilhada" ("Crossroads")

Note: On 08 January 2012, I saw this wonderful film again on an imported DVD.

Okay, we have all seen the final scene in the movie, and it is a tremendous scene that would be cool in just about any decade. Who would have guessed the rest of the movie was pretty decent.

So the story plays on the old "deal with the devil" trope that we have seen since Faust. The interesting detail is how they incorporated a new wrinkle to the story. While some might say there are too many holes in the story, I don't think it detracts too much from the overall story (like what is the deal with Eugene's parents).

All I can say is stay for the music, enjoy the fun and drink some whiskey.

I feel something for Ralph Macchio, and it is not love. The first time I ever saw his face, I can swear it inspired greatness. Then he talked, he act, he spread his talents all around, and no person can deny he was a natural. The character he created and developed in the first three "Karate Kids" (the first one is one of my favorite films) was sing of commitment and skill.

I was experiencing the hilarious "My cousin Vinny" the other day and he played another original character, being that one of his last important roles. Maybe what I feel is compassion because he couldn't make it as an elder man, and I really wanted to watch him grow. Maybe I miss his first and few big breaks, where he literally knocked me down; one of those being "Crossroads".

He was 25 at that time, but still had that 17-year old look, where you would have said: "Wow, he's 17 and in main role"…Well, I'd have said that. "Crossroads" is an inspiring tale about life and music; blues. It was not the first time that a filmmaker tried to relate music with life. I have personally never had doubts about it, because music is life for me; but in this film, for writer John Fusco it was about growing up, understanding the gift and use it for good.

Macchio portrayed Eugene Martone, a naive guy, gifted guitar player, crazy driven by the magic of blues. The love for music makes our mind think unconsciously about getting far, being big; and Eugene wants to go to Mississippi to get his chance, but needs someone who knows Robert Johnson's lost melody, knows the way, and has even lived it, if you know what I mean. In this story, that character is blues master Willie Brown (a tremendous Joe Seneca), now forgotten in an asylum, probably crazy (although he says he isn't but some brilliant sequences show him out of place) and without his car. But Eugene will get him out of there and they'll both start that journey together.

What happens next, including the various stops, problems, Ralph Macchio's wonderful guitar playing abilities and encounter with beautiful girl Frances (radiant and talented Jami Gertz) is for the viewer to discover. Now, how the title relates it's touching and interesting, but where director Walter Hill triumphs (and this is something that should never be forgotten for music movies nowadays) is in knowing that the story is there. The heart of his film lies in the development of the kid's and the old man's relationship.

When we now see movies about music that sometimes don't even have a clue "musically" and most of the times there is music to promote an artist in the film, because he/she sings; in Hill's "Crossroads" and in the relationship I was talking about, the discussions, conversations, walks and even music playing, hide some of life's deepest interrogations. And I regret saying blues is always the same, because even when it is, it is one of those musical styles, like jazz, that not many listen but when they do discover their power. It's in the eyes of the musicians when they play where you can see it; they love being in that scenario, and that's just magical.

This movie starts slow and begins moving quickly as we see an outstanding modern version of faust (more like the Devil went down to Georgia). The end is a spectacular show down between Ralph Machio on a classic guitar vs. A rock & roll demon.