Crossroads is a 1986 movie named after a famous Robert Johnson song. The film sought to cash in on Ralph Macchio’s Karate Kid /Cobra Kai fame, while telling the story of a 17 yr old classic guitar prodigy who is obsessed with the legend of Robert Johnson and Blues music. He begins by tracking down someone he believes knew Johnson, and might know about a famous lost song. Joe Seneca plays the famous harmonica player Willie Brown. He has different aliases, much like Robert Johnson had in real life.
Macchio’s character Eugene Martone, breaks Willie Brown out of a low security penal hospital where he has been faking being crippled to stay out of general lockup. He agrees to take him to the Delta in exchange for Johnson’s 30th song. Along the way, Eugene has to adapt to life on the road. He also falls in love, his girlfriend is played by Jamie Gertz, who leaves him heart broken. Ultimately Eugene must duel the devils champion in an effort to save Willie’s soul. The music throughout the movie is brought to a climax in this scene, where we see the real talent behind the guitar rifts; Steve Vai; one of the top ten greatest guitarists of our time, he plays off against Eugene as the devil’s champion. Sonny Terry is responsible for the amazing harmonica rifts for the Willie Brown character.
The screenplay was written by John Fusco, while he was a grad student and sold to Columbia after he won a national film students award for it. His inspiration developed from a personal interest in the blues as well as a chance encounter with a harmonica man in a rest home.
If you like the blues, you will love this coming of age movie.
