Blyss's Review For:
Main Cast of Characters
Michael Paré.............Eddie Wilson
Tom Berenger........Frank Ridgeway
Joe Pantoliano.............Doc Robbins
Matthew Laurence...........Sal Amato
Helen Schneider............oann Carlino
David Wilson............Kenny Hopkins
Michael Antunes........Wendell Newton
1983. Rated PG. Genre: Drama; 95 minutes
"On the Dark Side"
In 1963, "On the Dark Side" is the #1 song in America. Also in the same year the saxophone player in the band dies. Then a year later the brooding leader of the group runs his car off of a bridge and is presumed dead. Now in modern times, record executives want to promote that Eddie Wilson, the lead singer, really did not die and "Eddie Lives" campaign begins. All of the members of the group have different lives now and most of them don't want to try to go back to the way things were before Eddie died. Frank Ridgeway, the "song man", is now a teacher. Kenny works in a hotel. Joann is a dance teacher. Sal is the only one who wants to capitalize on the whole affair but only wants himself in the spotlight and not Eddie's memory. Then strange things start happening. Members of the group's houses begin getting ransacked. Everything that is happening causes the members, mostly Frank, to remember the past and to tell the story of Eddie Wilson and how they came to be great rock stars. It is revealed that the night he died he was coming from a recording in which they had finished their last record together, "A Season in Hell" and no one wanted to buy it. He leaves with Joann, his girlfriend, and drops her off somewhere that night before the accident. The search is on now for those lost tapes. Who has them? And who would want them so bad that they start disgracing Eddie's memory? Or could it be that Eddie Wilson is still alive? Watch and see!
This was the first movie I had ever seen Michael Paré in and I never stopped loving it! I loved the mixture of music and drama in this movie and how well that it balanced out. There were also many points of interest in the plot as Frank's memories unfold. Eddie was a great rock star yet it still seemed that there was something about Ridgeway that he was jealous of. This showed especially when they went to Frank's old school and they played their dance. He introduced Ridgeway with a stage name like Frank was ashamed of where he came from and that was so disgusting. Also, why did Eddie just want to die and disappear? They could have kept going from record company to record company, sooner or later I am sure someone would have bought the record since music was beginning to change at that time. One big point of interest was the apparent attraction between Joann Carlino, Eddie's girl, and Frank Ridgeway. Maybe Eddie saw them and knew she was in love with Frank but never said anything to him. Perhaps that was the cause of jealousy. And come on, who would have wanted Ridgeway over Eddie? I know I would not have.
A drama that really makes you think about different issues and brings up the subject of the media's obsession with rock stars. A great movie.
I rate this movie: 8
Blyss