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Not so well known movie about a guy who realizes that"packaging"is the key to pop music success.Made in 1980 at 117 minutes it captures a time just before the Beatles and the English invasion changed the music scene forever.I took 1/2 star of because it falls just short with the ending,but not enough to really harm the film.Some people say this film is really based on the career of the fellow who discovered Fabian and Frankie Avalon.Perhaps,I don't really have that sort of insider perspective. I also couldn't find a real trailer online for the film.
The movie opened with a scene of Ray Sharkey as Vincent 'Vinnie' Vacarri walking down a street in NYC and catching a ball from kids playing "punch ball"in the street and actually punching the ball himself.Believe me if you didn't grow up in NY or some other eastern city,you have no idea what punch ball is,nor will you ever, as the little pink balls used are no longer made .The movie had my attention from that point on.
Vinnie believes that teen idols have to appeal to young record buying girls first and then they will listen to the music.So the film centers on him going to see a fellow small time city kid,Paul Land asTommy Dee,playing in NJ with a band with a blond blue eye lead singer.Vinnie believes because of Tony Curtis the actor success that teen girls want the darker Italian look.Off course Vinnie is Italian himself but believes his only talent is spotting it in others and writing music with his buddy Joe Pantoliano as Gino Pilato.
So when he sees Tommy"warming "up the audience before the lead singer appears on stage he thinks Tommy might be marketable rather than the run of the mill blond blue eyed lead singer.Well from there the movie shows the hustle involved including "payola"and the fan mags of the day to get "out there"so you can be seen and the cash needed to promote and manufacture records.That leeds to a side story about his life and estranged relation with his father who appears to be a corrupt union official with a eye for young "bimbos"who none the less bankrolls him for 10K and later warns him that anyone can get lucky once,ah but do it again than your a success. So then Vinnie discovers young Peter Gallagher as Caesare and damned if he doesn't do it again!!!
The music is ok the acting real good and the "feel"is late 50's early 60's
The GREAT and not often enough seen in movies,Tovah Feldshuh as Brenda Roberts editor of teen scene magazine lends a nice touch as she falls for Vinnie hustle and in a modest bedroom scene reflects on dancing at a catholic school dance where the nuns made them leave room for the holy ghost when dancing close.
All in all a really well done movie that does reflect the time as I remember it.
The movie opened with a scene of Ray Sharkey as Vincent 'Vinnie' Vacarri walking down a street in NYC and catching a ball from kids playing "punch ball"in the street and actually punching the ball himself.Believe me if you didn't grow up in NY or some other eastern city,you have no idea what punch ball is,nor will you ever, as the little pink balls used are no longer made .The movie had my attention from that point on.
Vinnie believes that teen idols have to appeal to young record buying girls first and then they will listen to the music.So the film centers on him going to see a fellow small time city kid,Paul Land asTommy Dee,playing in NJ with a band with a blond blue eye lead singer.Vinnie believes because of Tony Curtis the actor success that teen girls want the darker Italian look.Off course Vinnie is Italian himself but believes his only talent is spotting it in others and writing music with his buddy Joe Pantoliano as Gino Pilato.
So when he sees Tommy"warming "up the audience before the lead singer appears on stage he thinks Tommy might be marketable rather than the run of the mill blond blue eyed lead singer.Well from there the movie shows the hustle involved including "payola"and the fan mags of the day to get "out there"so you can be seen and the cash needed to promote and manufacture records.That leeds to a side story about his life and estranged relation with his father who appears to be a corrupt union official with a eye for young "bimbos"who none the less bankrolls him for 10K and later warns him that anyone can get lucky once,ah but do it again than your a success. So then Vinnie discovers young Peter Gallagher as Caesare and damned if he doesn't do it again!!!
The music is ok the acting real good and the "feel"is late 50's early 60's
The GREAT and not often enough seen in movies,Tovah Feldshuh as Brenda Roberts editor of teen scene magazine lends a nice touch as she falls for Vinnie hustle and in a modest bedroom scene reflects on dancing at a catholic school dance where the nuns made them leave room for the holy ghost when dancing close.
All in all a really well done movie that does reflect the time as I remember it.
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