User reviews

I remember going to see this movie when it first came out. It's sort of a formula picture with the struggle to get to the top, the fame/power corrupting, the fall, then the redemption. Two things made this work, first the musical numbers were very good. This is a very difficult thing, making a movie about hit records and having to write original music that sounds like a hit. The movie shows how much work goes into the preparation and planning required to make it. This aspect was surprisingly good.

The main thing that holds your attention though is Ray Sharkey. I just saw it again on Encore. I knew Sharkey was good in the part but looking back now I can see he is very good. It almost seems that Bruce Willis copied Sharkey's style from this movie in several of his own. I could see Sharkey in the "Die Hard" movies. He brings so much energy to the part and is totally believable as wise guy with a quick temper.

When I first saw this movie I thought Sharkey was going to have a great career. I don't know if it was the drugs, a poor choice of parts or both but he really had talent and charisma. If he hadn't gotten hooked on drugs and contracted AIDS he could have been a Joe Pesci if not a Jr Robert DeNiro. If you think I am making this up get a copy of this movie and take a look. He did show flashes of what he could do in some television work but just couldn't keep it together for any length of time.

If you have any interest in the pop music of the late fifties early sixties or just want to watch what a talented actor can do with a formula picture take a look at this.

I first saw this movie on HBO in 1981. At that time HBO only showed box office flops. The supposedly really good ones would not get on HBO for 3 or 4 years.

I just saw it again tonight, after 23 years, and I still enjoyed it. The music is great, the acting is great, and the plot is great.

What is there not to like about it? I tried watching Chicago in 2002, the academy award winner, and it was a piece of crap. It was a combination Alfred Hitchcock/Showboat/Singing in the Rain movie, that was a total flop in my opinion. I much more enjoyed this movie.

There are a few slow points in the movie, but they don't last for long. There is such energy and vivacity in this movie that it holds your attention as it builds up continually to the next "Idol."

The songs stick in your mind (at least in mine), but they are always "in the wings" of the Ray Sharkey character. For example, the first idol he made, Sharkey is shown off stage mimicking the singer's moves.

Anyway, it is a fun movie to watch, and one of a kind for its time, so I highly recommend it!

"The Idolmaker" (1980) is a hidden gem coming out at the beginning of the '80s that captivates with its portrayal of the music industry's glitz and glamour. Music business was so different back then all before the internet and social media. An "idol" meant something different. The film's engaging storyline and catchy tunes make it a worthwhile watch. I'm giving it a 7 out of 10 rating, as it successfully captures the spirit of its era and keeps you entertained throughout. I highly recommend a watch for any age but especially if you were alive in this era of the 1950's. A different time a different world.

A lot of postings indicate that this movie could do well in even today's competitive film market. And it could indeed. The late Ray Sharkey gives a very strong award-calbre performance as a repressed performer in the guise of a songwriter/manager for a couple of 1950s style teen idols. A very young Peter Gallagher showed signs that he might have a bigger career than he has apparently had. It's funny how an actor can look so "exotic" and really not actually BE exotic. It's this kind of irony that carries IDOLMAKER to the heights of classic filmaking.

Nearly a quarter-century before directing Jamie Foxx in "Ray," director Taylor Hackford paid his first respects to the power of early rock 'n' roll in this equally galvanizing, sadly overlooked film.

It's the end of the 1950s, and struggling songwriter/impresario Vinnie Vacarri (Ray Sharkey) is trying to find someone he can mold into a rock singer, filling the void left by Elvis Presley's Army stint. He discovers a young sax player who has the right look and voice, and recasts him as teen sensation "Tommy D." Now Vinnie is riding high. Trouble is, Tommy's a creep and Vinnie's hungry to prove he can do it again. Can he, or will he lose everything he has trying?

"Success has no conscience, Vincent," says his father, a rich man who abandoned him and his mother. Vinnie doesn't believe that, though, and unlike 99% of the agents and promoters you see in movies, he actually tries to do right by his young stars and their fans. Sharkey challenges himself and us by essaying a character who's compelling for both his slickness and decency. His control freakiness may grate, but he's hard not to like, especially as Sharkey plays him with such electricity he comes through the screen.

Sharkey won a Golden Globe, and deserved an Oscar nomination at least for what should have been a breakthrough performance. Whether he's paying payola to a crooked DJ or saving Tommy D from an underage fling, Sharkey does it with panache and charm. He lights a mean cigarette but lets us in with his eyes, "the windows" as Vinnie calls them.

Of course, the irony of Vinnie is that unlike most agents, he actually has more talent than his stars. He just doesn't have the right look and knows it, so he must convince others to play the roles he creates. Maybe the film suffers a bit from the fact it's the thinly-disguised autobiography of Bob Marucci, the real-life impresario who broke Fabian and Frankie Avalon. I'm sure Fabian and Frankie would have different takes on who made who, but Sharkey's so consistently involving and engaging you don't care.

In addition to Sharkey, "The Idolmaker" is lifted by a killer soundtrack by Jeff Barry that is blended with some fantastic staging, lighting, and dancing. Like Poseidon-3 noted in another review here, the songs are hardly vintage-sounding, fed through a 1980 pop sensibility that utilizes more chord changes and orchestration than the teen-idol songs of Fabian's day. That's actually a good thing, especially as the score begins with the coy but catchy "Here Is My Love" and keeps getting better from there. It's a shame the songs never found a home on radio, or they'd be remembered still. Yes, "The Idolmaker" flopped in theaters in late 1980, but so did "The Jazz Singer" and "Xanadu," and they had hits. What kept out the brilliant Spectorized "However Dark The Night," with Peter Gallagher's terrific vocal performance? Gallagher's great on screen, too as Vacarri's second project, kind of doing Mick Jagger as lost choirboy and giving Vinnie his greatest star. If this film had come out just three years later, when MTV was established, Gallagher's looks alone would have sold the film.

The plot is the film's weakness, not bad but labored. There's a romantic subplot between Sharkey and Tovah Feldshuh that goes on too long, as when she asks "Where are you, Vincent? I'm looking for the human being and I can't find him anywhere." Maybe if the film didn't stack the deck so heavily in Vacarri's favor, those trite words might have a little more resonance, instead of feeling tacked on to create the impression of moral ambiguity in Vinnie's character.

Frankly, Sharkey doesn't need the help. You watch him here and wonder why he didn't turn out to be one of the 1980s' biggest stars, instead of a drug casualty lost to AIDS. Maybe he had too much passion to keep inside. But here, for this one film, he found the perfect channel to let it all out. "The Idolmaker" is a fitting monument that way, as Sharkey centers an entertaining spectacle worth your time.

The theme of Svengali the mastermind who directs the career of Trilby is dusted off and used for The Idolmaker. Bob Marcucci who discovered both Fabian and Frankie Avalon is purportedly the model of Ray Sharkey's character.

If so Marcucci never had any singing talent of his own as Sharkey does here. But Sharkey doesn't have the right look according to him to make it all the way. He does know the business end of the music business. So Sharkey first finds Paul Land and then Peter Gallagher and makes them stars. What happens is inevitable when both of them decide they can direct their own careers. That's a real life theme that goes back to Jenny Lind.

Sharkey is fascinating to watch with a performance that succeeds on many emotional levels. Tovah Feldshuh who plays an editor of a bubblegum teen magazine also scores well as do Land and Gallagher. There's a nice soundtrack of late 50s type music that gives The Idolmaker a real feel for the period.

If you like that music scene The Idolmaker is your movie. As for Sharkey's character he had a bit more going for him than Bob Marcucci.

Tragically, released at a time when United Artists was busy going bankrupt making "Heaven's Gate" (see book FINAL CUT), this film was lost among a number of gems (Rich Kids; Pope of Greenwich Village; TrueRomance), "Idolmaker" is truly in a class by itself. Its acting is uniformly impeccable, direction, cinematography and both writing and song score--by the legendary Jeff Barry--of Barry and Cynthia Weil fame, the film is refreshingly bereft of dead spots,contrived moments and false notes (and I'm not just talking about the music).Ray Sharkey is at his volcanic best. JOE PANTOLIANO is cast against character as (no kidding) Sharkey's milquetoast songwriting partner--and acquits himself magnificently. Olympia Dukakis gives a FINE performance as Sharkey's mother--and Peter Gallagher does his own singing--while delivering the performance of a lifetime as the naive-turned-meglomaniacal Avalon character.Due to his heroin addiction, Sharkey's career floundered in years following this star-making role... lowering him to parts in the likes of "Hellhole" with Marjoe Gortner. He ended up flat broke, living with his mother in NYC.What followed was bittersweet and merits extra attention to a wonderful First Act scene: While watching the movie on TV, he was struck by scene where his mother urges him to swallow his pride and ask his estranged father to finance his start in show business.Seeing That one scene years later restored his self-esteem and inspired him to get clean and sober and get back into the game. He was barely out of rehab when he landed the role of Atlantic City mobster Sonny Steelgrave in TV's"Wiseguy"'s very first story arc. Those episodes remain cult classics,and are available on DVD. Loosely based on the career of Bob Marcucci, and his protégés Fabianand Frankie Avalon, this movie truly has it all: pathos, humor, an unflinching look at the free-for-all pre-Beatles Teen Idol gap that resulted from Elvis' stint in the Army.

This movie is the ultimate sleeper for me. What kept this movie from exploding into the theaters ? It has great direction, outstanding music, and career-defining performances !

"The Idolmaker" truly has everything. It is set during the time when Elvis was in the Army and everyone was looking for the Next Big Thing (Fabian, Frankie Avalon etc.). It shows how a man who is a great songwriter can turn guys who "have the look" into superstars.

This is the role that Ray Sharkey was born to play. It is almost as though he was the person who wrote the script, and had himself in mind for the role all along. You can just see the way he delivers his lines, dances to the music, and sings, that he truly is Vincent Vacarri.

Besides the fact that the acting is great, the musical performances are flawless. The songs just explode from the screen with catchy tunes. It gets especially interesting towards the end when Caesare (Peter Gallagher) gives his giant production live number.

Folks, if you haven't seen this movie (and I highly doubt that you have) - do yourself a favor and see it ! Like I said, it is a hard to find movie - but it is worth the time to track it down.

This is what happens if all the elements are clicking properly for a film with musical numbers.

Like I said, it's the biggest secret in film. Now that you know the secret, do yourself a favor and rent it. You'll thank me afterwards !

Interesting film about a manager/agent in the late 50s shaping young hopeful teen idols, loosely based on Frankie Avalon and Fabian. Although the story of an "idol-maker" who had the talent but not the looks molding young talent who have the look, if not the talent, is kind of a hackneyed story, it was enough to hold my interest. Ray Sharkey is riveting as the talented manager/idol-maker, though I found Paul Land's Frankie analog and Peter Gallagher's Fabian analog pretty annoying and unlikeable. Maybe that was the point since Sharkey was the real talent behind their fame. Director Taylor Hackford (AGAINST ALL ODDS, BLOOD IN BLOOD OUT) does a fine job recreating the time and place. One side note that made me feel old is that I did the math and figured out this film is only set about 20 years from when it was made, which is the same as a movie today being set in the early 2000s. (Geez, I'm old!). Joe Pantoliano (THE MATRIX, MIDNIGHT RUN), Maureen McCormick (THE BRADY BUNCH), Olympia Dukakis (MOONSTRUCK), and Denny Terrio (the host of Dance Fever) also appear in the film. Overall, this film didn't blow me away and isn't something I'll probably ever revisit, but the film did wrap up nicely.

Slick, tuneful and utterly shallow musical-drama based on career of 1950s talent agent/music promoter Bob Marcucci, who discovered Frankie Avalon and Fabian. Ray Sharkey does wonders in the starring role, here masterminding the careers of two young men to the screaming sock-hop crowds, but getting only grief once the star eclipses the Svengali. Sharkey, arrogant, obnoxious and charismatic, bolsters the narrative, which ultimately feels a little sketchy. A fine soundtrack and supporting cast helps the movie over those dreary 3rd act pathos. Exhilarating moments. ** from ****

This movie is one of my all time favorites. Ray Sharkey and Peter Gallagher were amazing. The songs were great, in fact I use to own the sound track. To this day I know the words to every song. It was clear from the first time I saw the movie that Peter would go on to have longevity. I wish I knew what happened to Paul Land. He made a really good Tommy Dee. I saw the movie the other day and I still find myself having as much fun as I did when I saw it on Cable in 1981. Oh yeah Joe Pantiliano (Bad Boys, Sopranos) made a lasting impression as well. Great acting, fun for all. It is a must see for anyone with a dream. ( smile)

It was fall of 1980 and I was listening to NBC Radio ( A.M. ). At the time, that station played great music of the day. I remember calling up a radio contest which said that you could win tickets to the premiere of a new movie called " The Idolmaker " at Radio City Music Hall in New York City ( Manhatten ). I could not believe that I actually got thru and when I did was told that I had won. They wanted my name, address and phone number and told me that I would be receiving tickets to the premiere of the movie. What made matters even more great was the fact that my ex-husband worked for Rockefeller Center, not NBC otherwise we wouldn't have been eligible for winning these tickets. What luck! The premiere of this movie was amazing!!! I loved the acting, and the singing was to die for. After the movie ended, the stars of the show got up on the Radio City stage and spoke a few words thanking everyone who attended. I was privileged to have been seated in the 5th row from front. Peter Gallagher was so handsome in person as was Paul Land. Ray Sharkey ( may he rest in peace ) was at his finest hour. Even though this movie received a bad review and it didn't do too well in the theaters, I believe that many people were not given the opportunity to see what a fine movie this really was. Prince and Michael Jackson are big fans of this movie and for good reason. " You can be anything you want to be " , and that is the motto of this movie. Singer, songwriter, artist-you can make it!

We loved this movie! I loved it years later and special ordered the soundtrack on vinyl. Now I'm trying to get it on cd. Impossible I think. Peter Gallagher was hot as "Fabian" and the music scenes were real, not Hollywood musical crap. This is a very moving film about a man who spends his life making the careers of others only to get left behind as they move up the food chain. Talented himself but didn't have "the look" that sold records. Ray Sharky died of aids yrs later, actually did some work while he had hiv and looked it. This is probably his best work. I have always been a movie buff (still dream of directing) and I can remember the Ebert and Roeper review of this film. It was their sleeper hit of the week. I remember if vividly because that's when I learned about the term "sleeper" referencing films. It was a 2 thumbs up and HBO played it constantly. HBO was limited back then and this was always on and we watched it every chance we could!

This was such an engaging film, the more so because of it's basis in fact. I saw this first around 1981 or 82 on cable tv, which I recorded, but had stolen by a guest. I still have the audiocassette recording I made from the vinyl record and listen to it often. Recently, I obtained the DVD through Barnes and Noble (request services). All of the stage performances are riveting and they culminate in that spellbinding finale down in Tennessee. I too cannot fathom why it never hit the bigtime. If it were to be re-released in theaters today it could still be a minor hit.

My brother and I are in our 40's and have been watching, and STILL talk, about this movie and how great it is all the time. We call this movie a "chorestopper" meaning no matter what chore you are doing when you see this movie on t.v., you must stop immediately and watch it, again. The music is wonderful and I am constantly telling people to watch it. I hope at least one person did. In a time where there is so much garbage on t.v., this movie makes me feel great when I finish watching it. I am a huge fan of Peter Gallagher and only watch him on t.v. now because it reminds me of this movie. The cast was wonderful, the music was great and I will forever be a fan of this movie.

This is one of those movies that has it all. Great (true) story, great plot, good acting. Ray Sharkey should have gotten a nomination for Best Actor. If you like music business, teen idol success stories, this is the definitive motion picture.

This one's a movie I never was able to get tired of, so I finally purchased it online. The music is catchy and irresistible, the electrifying Ray Sharkey was at his usual best and, according to IMDb, this was Peter Gallagher's first movie.

As Gallagher's various profiles indicate, he performed in a band early on, and whatever he drew from that makes him shine on stage in Idolmaker. Now he's releasing CD's of his singing and original songs - go figure. Obviously the late great Sharkey didn't invest that theatrical gene in Gallagher, but he and this movie can only have nourished and enhanced it.

Sharkey truly was a tiger tiger burning bright and he never shone brighter than as the Idolmaker.

Olympia Dukakis was perfect as the Idolmaker's mother. Color me surprised; that actress can do no wrong, in my opinion.

The music in this film is a huge part of its charm, as has been said before. And it looks like more of the movie was choreographed than just the stage scenes and Vinnie's training of his would-be stars; the whole thing just ends up being served up as perfectly as a 5-star gourmet dinner.

This is one of my all-time favourite films. It has something to appeal to everybody - drama, romance, action. I remember seeing it when it was first released. We sang the songs all the way home. The film is worth seeing for the music alone; especially if you love 50's style rock 'n' roll. The story is well-written and the choice of cast can't be faulted. It's fresh, original and thoroughly enjoyable.

I just read the comments from My DarkStar and I absolutely agree. This is one of my favorite films of all time!! I saw this movie when I was a kid and i Have grown up watching it and listening to the soundtrack. It was directed by Taylor Hackford who recently directed 'Ray' another outstanding movie. You can actually see some of the techniques he used from 'The Idolmaker' in 'Ray'. The only thing that would make me even happier is to have the soundtrack of 'The Idolmaker'released on cd. If you haven't seen it yet, I advise you to check it out, it's not hard to find anymore. It is available on DVD. The songs are catchy and catch the feel of the time period. The choreography (by Denny Terrio) is a bit dated, but its still fun to watch. Also, it was reported about 2 or 3 years ago, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, was supposed to do a remake. It would of been interesting to see what would have become of it, but I'm sure it wouldn't have topped the original. Haven't heard any updates about it though. ENJOY!!!

This movie was a great tribute to that late 1950s-early 1960s era of teen idols when it seemed great young pop singers were filling the gap left when Elvis was drafted into army, Jerry Lee Lewis' scandal practically wiped out his career and Buddy Holly tragically died. However the characters in this movie were fictional and it should never be assumed that the 2 pop singers were totally true stories about the discoveries and grooming of the real Frankie Avalon and Fabian for stardom. In Fact Fabian was upset at the time about some of the aspectws of the Ceasare character. Yet the songs that these 2 idols performed indeed sounded like they could've been late 1950s pop hits even though they were composed specifically for this movie.

On the heels of "Grease" (which created a brief wave of '50's nostalgia), but at the same basic time as "Can't Stop the Music" (which was a glitzy, ridiculous bust) this unusual semi-musical film made it's debut and sort of drifted into obscurity afterwards. The story showcases the exploits of Sharkey, a songwriter with drive and creativity to spare, who desperately wants success in the music business, but realizes that he doesn't have what it takes physically to make it. He plucks a slightly more attractive kid (Land) out of a local band and forges him into a singing sensation, planning each detail and exacting control over him. Once Land is solidly in place, Sharkey starts in with young Gallagher to repeat his success (partially to prove himself to his own father.) Feldshuh is a teen magazine editor who finds herself caught up in the hoopla of these prefab idols and in Sharkey's enthusiasm. The film has several things going for it, not the least of which is Sharkey's terrific performance. He is completely believable and compelling in the role, his charisma taking the story a long way. The always reliable Feldshuh (who recently made a minor splash in "Kissing Jessica Stein") is saddled with a pretty demeaning role, yet manages to get in a few decent moments. There are several moderately recognizable faces in the cast who do nice jobs (including a nearly unrecognizable Pantoliano.) Land, who showed promise in this film, somehow completely petered out shortly after, as did Pec, who makes an impression as Sharkey's mobster-like father. Gallagher (playing a 16-year-old at 25!) is also showcased to good effect, despite the occasional silliness of the material and a lot of make-up. What keeps the film from becoming fully satisfying is the limited period detail (mostly just some cars, a few poodle skirts and some fun knit tops and peg legged pants), the predictability of the story (a manager who creates stars and then loses them to their own ego is hardly a fresh concept!) and the sometimes disjointed flow of the script (ironically, this is due mostly to the decision to present the numbers intact....many viewers will appreciate this, but it leaves little room for characterization and connecting plot points.) Characters appear and disappear and have sudden changes of attitude. However, the film is not really deep enough to have allowed for a longer running time. Also, the numbers are more along the lines of the '80's than the early '60's. This doesn't mean they aren't entertaining....just not accurate. They are sort of early '60's song run through an early '80's filter. Adding to the camp factor are McCormick (trying to escape her "Brady" stigma as a tarty journalist) and Merv Griffin's favorite dancer Terrio as the choreographer of the decidedly un-'60's numbers. Despite Sharkey's romance with Feldshuh, there is a somewhat homoerotic feel to his obsession with the boys. Sadly, in real life, Sharkey died of AIDS in 1993. Director Hackford would later direct the blockbuster "An Officer and a Gentleman" which also dealt with life makeovers.

Thank goodness Showtime is playing this! This is one amazing movie that for some reason has flown under the radar for many years.

Great acting, music and story. I tell everyone about it.

Ray Sharkey gives a truly marvelous performance. We also get introduced to Peter Gallagher. Whom is also brilliant in this.

The set design, clothes and music evokes that special time when we were looking for the next teen idol, after Elvis went into the army. I maybe wrong about the timing.

I was amazed to learn that this was based on the man who gave us Frankie Avalon and Fabian.

If you can sit down and watch this. I heard they were making a remake... I hope they leave it alone.