Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! (1989)

"Eddie and the Cruisers" came out in 1983 and did not do well in the box office but once released into video, it became a lion! It was just a "cool" premise and people fell in love with the lost Eddie. The music on this is fantastic, at least to lots of us. Michael Pare' embodies the songs he sings. Even knowing that it was John Cafferty singing, the voice was strangely similar to Pare's natural speaking voice. At any other time, Cafferty doesn't sound like this. So the movie was special in several ways and people loved it. Enough so that in 1989, Eddie and the Cruisers 2 was released with more of Cafferty's music. I feel this was even better than number one. You also see a lot more of Pare' who I think absolutely "made" the role. The movie has a lot of fire in it and great music along with subtle humor. This sequel movie is about a rock and roller that faked his death in the first movie "Eddie and The Cruisers." The story keeps your interest to the end but the music never lets you go as this is one of the best soundtracks of the 80's! The music that is on both soundtracks of these cult movies gives me chills each and every time I listen to them. John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band did an excellent job with these tunes. I can't say enough good things about Michael Pare playing the lead role as Eddie Wilson in both movies either. It is hard to lip sync to music and make it look believable. Michael Pare did an excellent performance. He was so totally believable as Eddie Wilson. Even though I know it is not him singing these songs, when I listen to them, I see him performing them in my minds eye. All the albums that John Cafferty released as the voice of Eddie Wilson are marvelous!Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Entertaining 80s musical tale is self-important, posturing, and as cinematic as star Michael Pare's mustache, fake sideburns, and pompadour. Too bad the script's philosophical ramblings, these mumbled prophetically by our curiously musclebound and surly star, are so contrived, they almost rival the movie band's music. Warning: if you're as terrified by 12-bar blues numbers and shrieking rock n' roll saxophone as I am, you might not last the film. Even more challenging, Pare's words in defense of the wretched soundtrack are certainly delivered with passion: "You gotta play music that's got something to say, not something to show!" The iconic rock-star-from-the-grave, Eddie Wilson (Pare'), now doomed to either reclaim his crown or pout in obscurity (in Toronto, CA.) later delivers dialog about hearing some kind of earth tones while stranded in a desert. If this noble form of environmental muse music comes in the form of John Cafferty and Beaver Brown Band, who composed the movie's nauseating score, I'd have to say Eddie Wilson's biceps exceed his brain capacity. Musicians can't help but delight in the movie's totally uninformed--and moronic--truths revealed about everything concerning rock bands. It's very likely 80s gang members found more accuracy in their depiction in the "Death Wish" movies. The band members vary quite a lot in appearance, ranging from body-building (and shirtless) Manowar types in tight jeans to Pare's Elvis-meets-Bruce Springsteen persona to a nerdy Power Station keyboardist to a geeky metal guitarist, whose Joe Satriani shredding enables the movie its funniest scenes of Pare' "educating" the idiot on how lead guitar's "got to live, man! It's got to breath!". Meanwhile, the black rock n' roll saxophonist clogs too many songs and rehearsals with more soloing(!) Even more one-dimensional and baffling (and anti-Semitic) are the characterizations of the movie's diabolical Jewish producers, who provide hateful stereotypes wanting to further exploit poor Eddie Wilson's talent. One fumbling Hebrew musicologist named Schindler(!) appears in a t.v. segment worthy to rival one Isaac Abrahams, soon to appear in the Depth Charge production of "Naples Never Dies...It Shoots!" Lots to enjoy here, from the dancing 80s extras in the club scenes--many seen earlier in "St. Elmo's Fire", dancing to Rob Lowe's saxophone solos--to Pare's breaking into song so bogus, audio-wise, it's reminiscent of "Dr. Doolittle". Definitely a worthy sequel to "Eddie And The Cruisers", and warranting a double-feature.

This goof didn't show up in the "official" goofs listings. When the band comes off the stage of their 1st performance.........Rick calls out to "Joe", but calls him 'Eddie'. I played it back twice to be sure, and yes, that's he said. At this point, there is not any indication that Rick knows Joe's true identity. Apparently, the people at IMDb did not catch this goof. Obviously, neither did the producer, or film editors. Interesting.....did anybody else catch this goof? As far as sequels go, I liked it. I'd rate it slightly above average. I would like to know where Frank, Doc, Joann were.........since they were present in the 1st movie when the tapes were discovered. And the name of the new band.....Rock Solid?.........pretty lame. Still, at least there was a follow-up to the 1st movie, so we can see what happened to Eddie.EDDIE LOVES!

I thought the movie was pretty decent, especially for a sequel, but it lacked original music. I say this because there were times when I thought that they were actually playing obscure Bruce Springsteen B sides, complete with a vocal imitation of Bruce. I actually came here to see if they were obscure Springsteen songs. I guess if you are going to borrow from anyone in a Jersey based movie it would be the Boss.I am a musician myself and I thought the feelings and references he made toward his passion for music were good, but I think he took the hard ass routine too far. The whole starving artist idea went out the window with me on the merits of playing unoriginal music that had been done for years prior. JMO