The Idolmaker (1980): Creating 1950s Pop Music
Over the years I’ve gotten pretty good at creating queues of films that look interesting and, for the most part, have favorable feedback from critics and/or moviegoers. But for us here at MovieSlap, it’s always more fun to watch and review suggestions we receive from those we interact with on social media. (Speaking of which, we’re on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram…check us out!) Today is just such an occasion, as we take a look at 1980’s The Idolmaker.
I was born in the 70s and spent the majority of my childhood and teen years in the 80s. But I have to admit, every time I see a film set in the 1950s, particularly the latter part of the decade, I catch myself imagining just how much fun that era would have been. One example of this is Grease (1978), one of my all-time favorite films. (And in fact, Grease 2 is one of my all-time favorite guilty pleasures, and I’m not embarrassed by that in the slightest! #ComeAtMeBro) We had it pretty good in the 1980s, don’t get me wrong, but there’s just something about the 50s that I find so cool and appealing.
Anyway, The Idolmaker is also set around that time, so it was truly a treat to once again revisit some of that 50s charm. This one is a bit more of a drama than Grease, however, which isn’t a bad thing. My understanding is that Bob Marcucci, who was a promoter and producer back around that time, is the inspiration for the story, and it is based loosely on the events of his life. He is listed as an advisor for the film, so seemingly there should be a fair degree of veracity and authenticity to the on-screen depiction.
What is The Idolmaker About?
The fictional embodiment of Mr. Marcucci here is named “Vincent Vacarri”, played by Ray Sharkey (whose background was primarily in television, until he passed away far too young at age 40 due to illness). When we meet Vincent, he is low on cash and working as a waiter, but driven to discover the raw talent that he can mold into the next teen idol. Vincent’s musician and songwriting partner, “Gino” (Joe Pantoliano) joins him in this endeavor, but it’s clear from the start that this is primarily Vincent’s vision. In an early scene, one that would end up being a bit serendipitous, he travels to a club to see his friend’s band play, even though he has already determined that it’s a dark-haired performer he’s seeking, not the blonde hair and blue eyes of the lead singer. For me, one of the more interesting aspects of the film was trying to discern if we had someone steeped in a pipe dream that would never materialize, or if the various roadblocks and barriers would ultimately be overcome on the way to stardom – a stardom he was hoping would manifest in someone else who better looked the part.
I usually try and allow each movie watching experience to stand on it’s own but I was reminded of another one of my favorite films, That Thing You Do. Though a completely different tone, and with far more comedic relief, the 1996 Tom Hanks vehicle has a few narrative parallels that came to mind. In fact, the films are different enough that they would make for a very nice Saturday night double feature.
For drama fans, there is a lot to like here, including a few cautionary life lessons to heed along the way. I really enjoyed my time with The Idolmaker, and I think you will to!
Score: 8.2/10
Starring: Ray Sharkey, Tovah Feldshuh, Peter Gallagher, and Paul Land
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