← Back to Reviews

The Idolmaker



The Idolmaker
(1980)
Director: Taylor Hackford
Writer: Edward Di Lorenzo
Cast: Ray Sharkey, Tovah Feldshuh, Peter Gallagher
Genre: Drama

About: A dramatization based on the life of the real rock promoter & producer Bob Marcucci. Bob discovered & manufactured and managed mega 1950s stars like Frankie Avalon and Fabian.

Review: This was a fun, easy watch. I can't say I loved it, but it had it's moments and always kept me interested. At times it felt like a made for TV movie, but that's not a bad thing as it was trying to be entertaining and it was and at least it never went over the top or got silly. All of the actors were real excellent, especially Ray Sharkey who plays the obsessed with success, rock promoter. Based on the real life Bob Marcucci. Here all the characters have different names than the actual people they are based on.



My favorite part was with Marcia (Maureen McCormick) of The Brady Bunch...and the house band at the small club where the new acts are introduced. I dug the band and the atmosphere. The movie comes back to this hole in the wall, club several times. All nicely done.



I also liked the story of the first performer Tommy Dee, who's first big appearance is in front of jr high school girls, which was funny. The live TV show on Saturday night Bandstand that he does was also fun and well done.



Geez, the promoter was sure a jerk, but the actor did a really excellent job at being a jerk. I wonder if they real promoter was really this jerky? Everybody sang pretty good too, especially his second star Peter Gallagher. It was funny that the songs from the late 50s, early 60s all sounded like the early 80s. But that's not a big deal as they were not original period songs, but wrote for the movie.

Tovah Feldshuh who played Brenda Roberts the magazine lady, really reminded me of Captain Janeway from Star Trek Voyager. I swear they could be sisters.

Overall an entertaining film.








.