CROSSROADS

 

Crossroads is one of my favorite flicks of all-time (next to, of course, Star Wars!). It stars Ralph Macchio (of Karate Kid, My Cousin Vinny and Dancing With The Stars fame) as a wannabe blues musician named Eugene who starts out studying at the prestigious Julliard School who becomes obsessed with the legend of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson, especially about Robert having a mysterious long-lost song that Eugene wishes to learn on his own guitar to record and become famous as a result. He finds a colleague of Johnson in a nursing home named Willie Brown (played by the late Joe Seneca) who's a well-known blues harmonica player. Willie, after at first denying to Eugene that he is in fact the "legendary" Willie Brown, agrees to teach Eugene said long-lost Robert Johnson song if he agrees to break him out of the old folks home, which Eugene eagerly does. They both head off to Mississippi where Willie claims to have "unfinished" business. They wind up "hoboing" it there after Eugene discovers that Willie doesn't have near as much money as he initially let on. Along the way, Eugene picks up a new guitar and a hitchhiker named Frances played by a younger Jami Gertz who eventually leaves them. Eugene and Willie finally reach their destination which is the "crossroads" where both Willie and Robert were said to have made their "deals" with the Devil himself where they literally sold their souls to achieve their musical ability and subsequent fame. The Devil appears as a man who calls himself Legba who's also nicknamed Scratch. When Willie pleads with him to "release" him, Eugene agrees to a guitar-dealing contest with one of Legba's current "clients" named Jack Butler played by legendary guitarist Steve Vai (of Frank Zappa and Whitesnake fame) in exchange for Willie's soul in what's got to be one of the greatest movie scenes ever (at least in my oh-so-humble view!). Crossroads is a must-see for fans of blues music and/or road trip movies. (Just make sure you're NOT watching that Britney Spears monstrosity of the same name!) A sidenote: Just in case you were wondering (and I'm sure that you were!), Ralph Macchio's guitar parts were played by guitarist Ry Cooder. And, yes, Steve Vai's parts were played by Steve Vai himself. Just thought you'd like to know!