As the legend goes, Robert Johnson stood on the crossroads and sold his soul to the devil. With that contract he wrote twenty-nine songs that defined the blues genre, and
to fit within this storyline
one more tune was written that was never recorded. And this is what a young classical guitarist with a blues itch named Eugene Martone, played by Ralph Macchio, wants to record to make himself famous.
He finds revamped version of "Mr. Miyagi" an eighty-year-old African American blues man stuck in a rest home. He first denies he's Blind Willie Brown (named for wearing glasses), best friend of Robert Johnson; but then cons Martone into breaking him out of the hospital. They go on a road trip that, it turns out, won't be an easy bus ride – and like all dues-paying journeymen, they hitchhike.
Along the way the duo meet a beautiful young runaway who borders on being a prostitute. Jami Gertz's spirited Frances provides not only the necessary love-interest but lights the fuse of a few action sequences. Although the best moments have Martone and Willie alone discussing, and playing, the music director Walter Hill celebrates through a soundtrack by slide guitar virtuoso Ry Cooder – providing each soulful lick Macchio imitates on the fretboard with amazing dexterity.
One can argue this particular casting choice is a bit too conventional, especially given Macchio's mainstream status as a popular young star, but he does a good job. His final guitar duel with heavy metal shredder Steve Vai, so that Willie can get his soul back from an age-old crossroads deal, is reminiscent of both THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA and THE KARATE KID finale: playing his guitar, Macchio does all but a crane kick to literally beat the Devil. Yet with all the town-to-town adventures this is really about the music, not only a character in itself but the reason for the entire trip.
For More Reviews: www.cultfilmfreaks.com
He finds revamped version of "Mr. Miyagi" an eighty-year-old African American blues man stuck in a rest home. He first denies he's Blind Willie Brown (named for wearing glasses), best friend of Robert Johnson; but then cons Martone into breaking him out of the hospital. They go on a road trip that, it turns out, won't be an easy bus ride – and like all dues-paying journeymen, they hitchhike.
Along the way the duo meet a beautiful young runaway who borders on being a prostitute. Jami Gertz's spirited Frances provides not only the necessary love-interest but lights the fuse of a few action sequences. Although the best moments have Martone and Willie alone discussing, and playing, the music director Walter Hill celebrates through a soundtrack by slide guitar virtuoso Ry Cooder – providing each soulful lick Macchio imitates on the fretboard with amazing dexterity.
One can argue this particular casting choice is a bit too conventional, especially given Macchio's mainstream status as a popular young star, but he does a good job. His final guitar duel with heavy metal shredder Steve Vai, so that Willie can get his soul back from an age-old crossroads deal, is reminiscent of both THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA and THE KARATE KID finale: playing his guitar, Macchio does all but a crane kick to literally beat the Devil. Yet with all the town-to-town adventures this is really about the music, not only a character in itself but the reason for the entire trip.
For More Reviews: www.cultfilmfreaks.com