First Time Watching | Steve Vai vs Ralph Macchio Epic Guitar Battle 

The saying is that Ralph Macchio and Steve Vai both deserved Oscars for their performances. Ralph deserved one for acting like he could play guitar and Steve deserved one for acting like he could not play guitar. LOL

"Crossroads" 1986 Great movie. From Wikipedia: " inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson. Starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, the film was written by John Fusco and directed by Walter Hill and features an original score by Ry Cooder featuring classical guitar by William Kanengiser and harmonica by Sonny Terry. Steve Vai appears in the film as the devil's virtuosic guitar player in the climactic guitar duel. " The legendary Robert Johnson has inspired generations of guitarists. Joe Seneca is the standout actor in this film. I absolutely loved his performance.

Lol, my mom was obsessed with this movie when I was younger. I try to tell people about it and they look at me like I'm nuts. Then I show them this clip... Once Ralph brings out the Paganini he had to learn on classical guitar, it's game over.

This was one of my all time favorite movie when I was a kid in the 80's. I love seeing younger people who've never seen it before till recently.

One part that people seem to forget is at the beginning of the movie his instructor at juilliard tells him that the demands of classical music is exact and his foyer into bluesy music would hinder him. His natural talent and is extreme training for the classical demand allowed him to triumph in the end

Scratch (the Devil) in the audience should've known he was in deep💩 when Eugene Martone (Macchio) chose a classical piece by Niccolò Paganini. The movie Crossroads is based on selling your soul to the devil in return for fame or fortune. It's loosely based on real-life bluesman Robert Johnson. The older grinning gentleman is the devil himself there to collect on the deal. The young music school trained guitarist mixes Classical with Metal in the duel to save his own soul and the soul of his old friend. The piece he played was Caprice No 5 written and performed by 1800s violin virtuoso Niccolò Paganini. He played so well at twelve notes per second being described like a man possessed. Niccolò Paganini was believed in his time to have actually made a pact with the devil and was referred to as "The Devil's Violinist".

I've seen this movie many times. It's kinda the play on "Devil Went Down to Georgia" but with guitars instead of fiddles. You're the best QoFy! Thank you for this little walk down memory lane.

Steve Vai ( long dark hair ) actually played the classical part as well. ( the one the actor is pretending to play. Then he pretends to mess up the response / copy.

This is the final battle between Eugene ( karate kid) and the devil's guitar player, in hell, which looks like a church, overseen by the devil, for the souls of Eugene's mentor Willie Brown (harmonica), and is one of the finest guitar moments on screen. The devil's guitarist is actually Steve Vai, who really is a fantastic guy and and mentor in real life. Go watch the full movie for the full experience. It is full of outstanding blues throughout.

On a late night, already in bed, way back when. This movie started. I didn`t fall asleep to it as intented. I watched it. And it made me feel the blues, rocking. Music was forever changed

I believe the reason Vai's character (Jack Butler) lost this battle is bc the Lightning Boy (Machio) begins the film showing his talent has been earned through dedication and practice. Butler's is hinted at being false bc his presence in Scratche's club. Everyone in there besides Lightning Boy is either damned or demons. If Jack isn't a demon himself he is damned as his talent is the result of a deal he made with the devil. Which is shy he couldn't play Classical music without failure. His deal probably didn't cover other music types from metal

Ralph went classical on him & if you don't know it, you certainly can't fake it. Hundreds of hours learning that particular piece. I'm not saying Ralph played all of that because Hollywood has dubbing. Classical solos can be jaw-dropping...

Ralph was playing to win back the SOUL of his friend Willie Brown.

@11:46 "he was playing" haha yeah he was literally playing both sides of the guitar battle so he threw it to himself for movie purposes so everybody won, I feel hahaha

This movie is one of the greatest, best scene in the movie, story line history way back and is amazing tale of the battle for ur soul...altho did hear that Stevie had hard time trying to mess up...Thanx so much, Peace

Paganini #5. He also apparently sold his soul to the devil, so scratch would have recognised it. Probably why he looked so pissed off.

The last part is the "victory lap" to just spike the ball, since the devil tears up the contact for Willie.

You're officially my favorite reaction to this movie.

Steve Vai played all of it for the movie I heard!

great reaction, cheers fun facts: when vai plays, its actually him, when ralph plays its ry cooder. fantastic acting from him, the bit where vai misses notes and stumbles took 12-13 takes as he couldn't screw up. if memory serves vai's arangement in this is called butler's bag. easy_skanking said it perfectly:- The saying is that Ralph Macchio and Steve Vai both deserved Oscars for their performances. Ralph deserved one for acting like he could play guitar and Steve deserved one for acting like he could not play guitar. LOL never a truer word said.

Nice reaction

That 5 string chord with 4 strings bent though....it's so hard amg.....

The classical is from his training at the beginning of the movie, which he excels at, but has a deep seated live for blues, which his classical instructor doesn't appreciate. Jack Butler loses because he hasn't put in the dedication to classical that Eugene has for all of his formative years. Go watch the movie!!!

I define the battlefield, old rule.

@3:27 the kid vs. the adult... Ralph Macchio was so baby faced but actually his birthday was within 4 months of Steve Vai's lol

Ralp Machio is not playing the quitar, he is just an actor.

All the guitar playing is done by Steve Vai who is playing the guy in black.

Steve via play's both parts it's called crossroads and Ralph will Willie soul soul good movie

Willie got his soul back watch the movie

I think this is the best Walter Hill movie.

Crossroads the 1 and only Willie Brown he gets his soul back

I love the fact that Eugene had to catch up to Steve the entire battle. Steve lead all the way and Eugene brilliantly held his own. Then the 1 time that Eugene got the lead. Steve couldn't hack it. Nothing beats true talent.

OMG!! so cool this movie I am 42 years and I Watch it in the earlies 90. The dialogue before the guitar battle is Awsome too. I suggest you Watch the movie

The.black.guy sitting down is the devil and the young kid trying to win to get the soul back for.the old back guy

Watch Steve Vai play his own siamese guitars some time. He's got a 2x and a 3x.

🎶🤩🎵

Although the legendary Steve Vai can nearly play everything, he doesn't dapple in classical guitar, at least to my knowledge.

Apparently they cut a guitar duel scene just as Ralph was walking in. 'Butlers Bag' was the track Steve played as he decapitates another poor soul just when Ralph walks in with his mouth to the floor.

He loss

Stop pausing the fucking video so much!!!!!!!!!!😢

Dude you pause to much !!!!!!!!😢