The Idolmaker [Blu-ray]

I can’t believe that you can’t find this one anywhere to stream! Great movie, great acting, great music.

"I've been up, I've been down, I've been playing women all around ..." It amazes me that this great movie seemed to have bypassed modern audiences to the extent that no-one even remembers it anymore. I remember when it was released in South Africa in 1981, my best friend and I went to see it four times in the same week. At that time, we were uncritically into movies about music, rock 'n roll and disco (Grease; Saturday Night Fever; Thank God it's Friday; I Wanna Hold your Hand etc)and this movie delivered big time in terms of our low expectations. As I've matured, movies like these have either dated rather badly (Saturday Night Fever) or gradually revealed their mediocrity (Thank God it's Friday). The Idolmaker has only become better! This is truly a movie that succeeds in being all things to all people. As kids, it delivered the most basic kind of entertainment that made going to the movies a weekly pleasure. As adults, it delivers an intelligent, bittersweet and admirably unsentimental look at the unforgiving dynamics of an industry and culture prizing image and packaging over substance and content. Featuring a remarkably confident career best performance by Ray Sharkey ably supported by the always reliable Joe Pantoliano and a suitably weeny Peter Gallagher, The Idolmaker is the forgotten classic of the musical drama genre. In a funny way, given the setting, the neighbourhood, the wiseguy attitude - I've always kind of considered The Idolmaker as a kind of sub-Scorsese movie - an upmarket, glamorous companion piece to Mean Streets, Raging Bull and other such Italian American neighbourhood tales. But that would be unfair to director Taylor Hackford, who has fashioned a remarkably original stand-alone homage to the hardworking, entrepreneurial, fame-hungry neighbourhood kids who were the real, unseen backbone of the rock 'n roll industry. Breezy and pacy, yet tinged with profound pathos, The Idolmaker is the best of its kind. The fact that it has a terrific soundtrack that'll have you humming all day doesn't hurt either. This is the best, most insightful and intellectually stimulating movie about rock 'n roll ever made. Add The Idolmaker to This is Spinal Tap and A Hard Day's Night in your collection and you'll own the only movies you need to about the music industry and the stupidities -and undeniable attraction - of its attendant celebrity. Oh yes - and I guarantee that after watching this movie, you'll never be able to take groups like the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync seriously again.

I remember seeing this film in the theater in 1981 and its so great to be able to buy it on Amazon so many years later, to see it again!The movie itself is a fast-paced, entertaining glimpse into the world of the Italian 'teen singing idols' who came out of Philly and Jersey in the 1950's-1960's. I don't even know if this movie was ever a hit, I had never seen it on cable or on tv, but Ray Sharkey's performance was so unforgettable, that almost thirty years later, when I accidentally found it on Amazon, I bought the DVD becasue I just had to see it again.Ray Sharkey, an amazing, oscar-worthy actor, turned in a passionate, riveting performance in the starring role as the Idolmaker and then went on to do an equally great job as mobster Sonny Steelgrave in the 1980's hit tv series Wiseguy.Despite the fact that he was a rising star with real acting chops, his career was cut tragically short, from what I understand, and he died young, a few years later.Ray Sharkey's death was a great loss to the film industry. I can only imagine what he could have done, if he had only had more time.

5 STARS!!!! YESSSSSSSSS, ABSOLUTELY!!! I give The Idol Maker 5 BEAUTIFUL SHINING STARS. I watched this movie as a kid and I fell absolutely in love with this movie. I've searched and searched for this movie for MANY years, never could find it. Not until just a few days ago, I said, 'what the heck, let's search.' To my SURPRISE, I FOUND IT. I bought it right away...NOT letting this slip away from me. I bought this movie on a Sunday, received it on a Tuesday beautiful afternoon (this is where I insert a wink emoji.) You have no idea how extremely happy I am. This movie has brought so many memories back and not only that, I didnt forget the lyrics.(HALLELUJAH!!!) Let this review stand in the gap for all the bad reviews. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Fast delivery and great packaging, thank you.

There are very few films that can captivate the mind as well as this one,The Idolmaker is based on the life of Bob Marucci, The Rock promoter andproducer.Featuring an excellent musical score by Jeff Bary and showcases Peter Gallagher's debut and Ray Sharkey.A story of a man driven to discover the next face of talent creating twounique stars of their time the question isn't how to make them into starsits how to keep control of them?An excellent film Suitable for the whole family, overall the only negative is a short dialogue spoken in Italian without English subtitles.

I've always loved this movie. The DVD did not disappoint!

I love this movie! It brought me right back to 1980! It was great to watch a good old fashioned movie again.

Love it, works great!!

Excellent!