P. F. Kluge’s mystery Eddie and the Cruisers forms the basis of the cult movie of the same name. Eddie and the Cruisers made great music in the Fifties. But Eddie dies in a car crash (or does he?) and the group breaks up. Twenty years later, a British group starts playing Eddie and the Cruiser songs and a revival takes place. Rumors that Eddie made some tapes of new music before he died kicks off a quest to find the missing tapes. There’s duplicity and murder and plenty of twisty plot elements in the book. The movie is more straightforward. This new Blu-ray edition of Eddie and the Cruisers includes the terrible sequel Eddie and the Cruisers II. Some critics have called it one of the worst movies of all time. But the original is a classic.
Never seen this one actually and hadn’t realised it was a mystery – thanks George.
Sergio, P. F. Kluge is also famous for having DOG DAY AFTERNOON which is based on one of his novels.
I remember my daughter being enthralled with this one. And maybe her mother a bit too.
Patti, EDDIE AND THE CRUISERS is an underrated movie.
Meh.
Never read the book but the movie didn’t strike me as anything special, probably because Michael Pare – touted at the time as The Next Big Thing – was nothing special. The rest of the cast had some talented actors. The sequel was unwatchable.
Jeff, the book is pretty good. Maybe better than the movie.
I think the problem is, it was supposed to be 1963 and the music was clearly 1983.
Jeff, good point. The novel approaches the phenomenon of Eddie and the Cruisers from a different angle. And, it’s a pretty good mystery story.
Wow, that IS a problem.
I read the book a few years ago – I think Bill Crider recommended it – and agree that it was pretty good, better than the movie.
I didn’t see it, didn’t know it was a mystery,