Ten Cool Facts about the Movie Crossroads - Ralph Macchio Joe Seneca 

I worked for 7 months on this film.....quite an experience!

My favorite line in the movie, regarding relic guitars: "I bet you saw this thing in a music store & bought it, just because you thought it was beat up!" 🤣🤣🤣

I'm 46. I have a family and I work as a Blues musician/teacher. Thanks to this movie Blues is my full time job.

Best acting part, the man who played Legba, “you looking for me, Willie Brown “

Nice to see Arlen Roth getting some credit for his part in this .

This movie meant everything to me when I was a young kid. Over 35 years later and I'm still playing blues. Thanks for giving Arlen Roth his due. Anyone who has never heard him should check him out.

When I was 17 this was my favorite movie. I learned to play Eugene's Trick Bag just in case I ever had to split heads with the devil lol

This film grabbed me my throat. I had been playing for only a few years. I purchased a guitar with my first paycheque. I struggled as I didn’t read music. The blues was what made me feel. I was just a white kid from Winnipeg. I learned what could and then discovered the slide. I did it all because of this film. You have no idea how many people could have been affected by this music.

I'd wanted to play the harmonica ever since seeing the old man's "Call Me Willie" tune in the juke joint when I was in college. About 35 years later, I finally took it up.

I still have Crossroads on VHS! The late fees are probably at a million dollars by now!

I don't think that any guitarist that saw that movie disliked it. As a matter of fact, most guitarists I know say that they were inspired by it in many ways, and so was I. I was 21 when it came out and I was searching for my own sound at the time. Great memories

The most horrifying thing in this film was a vintage Tele's neck out in the Tennessee downpour! The movie inspired to me to get a Pignose, however, which sits on amp here even after all these years ...

Came across a RU-vid short the other day and Ralph Macchio still has this yellow fender guitar and will not sell it. He said numerous musicians have offered him crazy amounts of money for it.

I saw it in the theater, owned it on VHS, then DVD, and now have the blu-ray. Just watched it again recently. It's one of my favorites. 🎸

I was 15 when this film came out, and had just started playing harmonica - this movie was everything to me as a kid. I went on to become a professional musician, bassist, for many years. I picked the harp back up five years ago. Haven't put it down since.❤

Crossroads is such a gem of a movie. I've introduced it to so many people over the years.

I went to the crossroads where the filming took place. Very unassuming place yet it has a definite feeling to it. Maybe it’s just because I know what it represents and not because of any real presence. I did, however, take my guitar and play a little there in the road.

I wore my VHS copy of this film out and still think the lesson of what blues is "just a guy thinking about a woman he lost" is the most effective way to get into a mindset to play blues that heals the soul. A personal favourite

My dad loved this movie, and so did I. I was a teenager then, and we watched it over and over again. We would often rewind to the cutting heads scene. I think the reason this movie gains affection is that it is from a time that we were not consumed with cell phones, computers, and social media. What I wouldn't give for those days again!!!! Thank you for sharing!

Still one of my all time favourites. Such a masterpiece....I'm still crying when she's leaving and the "feeling bad blues" is played...

That black lady who danced on stage completely blew me away with her dancing.

My favorite movie when it came out and still is!!!

I had the great honor and privilege to play the Blues in Mississippi with some old African American men. Lived there 10 years. Been to the crossroads. Something Erie about the Mississippi Delta. You can feel the energy ooze out of the ground. I recommend a trip there to the Blues museum in Clarksdale. Stay at The Shack Up Inn. Old sharecroppers shacks cleaned up as a Bed and Breakfast.

Saw this movie at least 7 times during the time it was out in theaters. I kept telling my friends about how cool it was and I’d go see it with them. At the time, I was playing Randy Rhoads guitar licks and I was drawn to Classical guitar after hearing Randy’s “Dee” classical piece. Although it was a blues based style movie, the classical guitar and the duel at the end was what drew me in.

i was a young lady at the time that this was released almost 17, oh how i loved this film and i remember taking my younger brother to it and we had such a great time, i have loved the blues since i can remember but this movie made it come alive to me. all these years later after watching my youngest sons piano music ( self taught) Mr.Vonel it actually came up in his list after i listened to his piano music he is 15, my heart sang and skipped a beat when i saw the crossroads duel come up and that lead me to this wonderful review of one of my all time favorite movies. Thank you sir for your amazing work on pulling this all together. as a proud christian mama i always tell my son jack , you sit at that piano and before your fingers even touch those keys you give thanks to the Good Lord Almighty for your gifts and your talents. and a prayer of gratitude before you shut the piano cover over the keys. i have no talents except that of deep appreciation, to watch my son sit at my 200 year old piano that is frightfully out of tune and watch as his fingers dance n dive like a swallow picking at mayflies under an old iron bridge that sags sadly over a rushing stream i am amazed at the music that just flows from his soul, and the fact that he can repeat the same tune perfectly, blows my mind. again dear sir thank you for doing this video, i feel young if only for a moment before the crippling of time and a brain injury take over once again....... but for that moment i was free..... God bless and keep you.....

"Sounds like bird shit" gets me every time. 😆

Love this movie. I always thought it was interesting that Ralph Machio always seemed to be playing slide blues in traditional open tuning (G or D) that is until he whipped out the classical piece that won the duel, his guitar somehow magically retuned itself to standard tuning...

I took my teen sons to Beulah MS where the rural crossroad scene was filmed. Very cool to stand there and look at that clip of the film on my phone and match up the road and the trees, etc. A white pick up pulled up from the same direction as the black car in the movie and the farmer who lived nearby told us about working on the film as a young man, as well as how his wife later bought that car from an area dealer.

I just left Belzoni Mississippi. It’s between Clarksdale and Jackson. Off Hwy 49. The Delta Blues Hwy. bout ready to break in tears. I’m 67. My family is from there. I started playing seriously at 50. Never forget 2005. I’m in my trailer in Forrestville Ca. With my first electric guitar. Learning some Zep and Clapton. And on the TV. Was VH1 doing to documentary on the Delta Blues. How it travel North from right there where my roots are from. I saw all these black faces. That my dad listen too. But as a kid. I listen to the Southern Blues and rock from England. I said dad that’s Country blues. Had no ideal that bands lije Allman Bros and Skynard were listening to Delta Blues. One hell of a 360 degree connection. Playing my ass off today.

Love to see Arlan Roth getting much deserve credit he is also a very kind man who's been through a lot. I met him through Danny gatton my mentor.

Blues, the greatest music ever made.

Fantastic review for a great movie. I'm a fan of metal but metal wouldn't be the same without the blues

Movie was my introduction to Steve Vai. What an incredible guitarist.

I love this film. Words cannot express how much I enjoy watching it. I found it on VHS years ago and always made sure I had a copy (DVD, digital, etc.) readily available. Also, I tell people about it when we discuss hidden gem movies. Great movie. Great music. Great performances.

I saw this movie when it first came out. I loved it then, I love it now. Great music.

I knew this movie was a classic the very first time I watched it when it first came out. I'm w/the others that would love to see this movie with all the deleted scenes.

I remember seeing this movie in the early 90's and immediately fell in love with it because this movie proves that experience and good nature will always triumph over sinister evil in the end

I've carried this movie in my heart since it came out. A treasured memory.

Love delta blues

I always thought that the look on Scratch's (The Devil) face when Eugene started playing was because he recognized it as the work of Paganini.

I first seen this movie back in the 80’s fell in love with it and have watched it every time I stumbles across it. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

Some great music was recorded in this movie.I can remember watching it when I was drunk ,with tears streamin' my face, hopin' no one could see the state I was in.

I am a certified fan. THIS movie was my ultimate inspiration to play how and what I play on guitar! I own this movie on multiple formats. I hope they one day release an extended cut with all the extras put back in. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I've watched this movie many times since I was around 8. My dad has me listening to muddy waters and Son House and John Lee Hooker since I was 3. Love this movie.

I remember seeing this movie when it first came out about 35 years ago. And as a young guitar player myself at the time, I immediately fell in love with it and was very much inspired by it. I always used it as a reference piece. I mean, before I saw the movie, I had never even heard of Robert Johnson. But right after seeing it, I started doing research on him because I wanted to know so much more. And this is still one of my top favorite movies to this day.

Such a great movie! THANK YOU for posting the links to additional music!!!

My favorite line/scene is when Legba says "Jack Butler gonna like you" Next frame they're at the juke joint cuttin' heads. An amazingly surreal scene.

I thought I knew almost everything about this movie. You just told me 10 things I didn't know. That was fantastic. I agree, I would love to see the deleted scenes. Especially, the cuttin' heads scene before. I'd love to know what happens when you lose to ole Jack Butlah'... I didn't know Arlen Roth was behind the blues playing!

Back in the nineties I went into a small record/video shop in Frome, Somerset UK and asked the guy if he could obtain 'Crossroads' on VHS, there was another movie with the same title at the time but I told him which one I meant, his answer, "If I had a pound for every time I've been asked that I wouldn't be here, I'd be on a beach in the Caribbean"!

The guitar Steve via play in the movie he dropped is in Biloxi at hard rock just off the elevators. It has a crack running throughout the body from the fall

Some friends and I drove over from our small town to the big city of San Antonio to see a movie. When we got to the theater we couldn't decide on which one. 2 of my friends wanted to see Highlander but I was all about the guitar so me and another guy wanted to see Crossroads. I remember we all walked out of our theaters around the same time and yelled, "That was fantastic!"

Joe Seneca absolutely was the very heart of this movie, though all involved did a great job. When I think of the great acting in that scene when he asks the girl(if I recall, she later played the sister in The Color Purple) "somewhere 'round here, there's a real special place...a crossroads. You know the language I'm speakin'?" and that frightened, knowing look she gives him as she nods, it still emotionally effects me. Great, great movie.

I always felt that Eugene rejected that classical piece because he was bored with playing what he thought were just basic repetitions of the art but things came aound full circle when cuutin heads with Jack Butler and he ran out of ideas so returned to those basics with renewed understanding !!!!!

Fan of the movie. A big fan. I own the VHS, and no longer have a VHS player and will not part with it. It was a great story, well told, and beautifully photographed. A true classic in my mind.

An awesome movie that still holds up

I love this movie. I saw it as a kid and remember thinking it was cool. Saw it again tonight for the first time in probably 25-30 years and absolutely loved it. They don't make 'em like they used to.

I had watched some Arlen Roth instructional videos many many years ago. Excellent teacher 👍 Ry Cooder is phenominal!

Saw it in the theatre when it was released, still one of my all time favs. Never get tired of this movie. Hopefully one day we'll get to see those deleted scenes

I saw this movie as a kid in the 80’s and not only am I still obsessed with Robert Johnson, Blues and Guitar; but I have never shut up about this film since! I make or try to make every one watch this movie!

Been watching this movie since it came out in 86 still watch at least twice a year awesome ry cooder and Steve Vai are genius in their talent

This is up there as one of my most influential films. I watched this as young teenager and it inspired me to buy my first music album, the soundtrack. I listened to it for year's after and this is one of those little-known movies that has stuck with me over the years. There was another unfortunate film with the same title some years ago so even though most people I spoke to had never seen this, they were familiar with the pop star film. Now that Ralph has had a resurgence, it's good that Crossroads might find some younger viewers.

I remember when I first saw the movie, when Willie made that Muddy Waters comment I whispered to my girlfriend “I think he means Charlie Christian.” Had to explain who both were after we left the theatre. We’re no longer together, obviously. Great video!

This was the second of different than usual type of movie director Walter Hill . Usually Mr Hill's movies are action movies like 48 HOURS and The Warriors . The other different than usual movie was the action musical Streets of Fire . I'm glad he went out of his way to go out of his way and make these two movies .

This is fabulous. Crossroads was one of favourite movies as kid. I even wore out the VHS, rewinding the cutting heads scene. 😀 I'd love to see those deleted scenes. Thanks a lot.

This movie has aged well, unlike many 80's movies. I still find it a good quality movie.

I've had this movie in every format and read everything I could, used to be able to play Eugene's Trick Bag, have the Elusive Sound CDs, and the soundtrack on cassette and CD. I've met Ralph Machio and got him to sign my movie poster. I've met Vai a few times and even briefly talked about the movie with him. I thought I knew most everything about the movie, and I still learned a bunch of stuff here! I really wish they would release this with ALL the cut scenes with an option to view the full, uncut version. Great video! A few more tidbits: The classical guitar parts played at Juliard by Ralph Machio (Mozarts Rondo alla Turka) and the girl that followed him (playing Bach) and Machio practicing Eugenes Trick bag, were actually played by classical guitarist William Kanengiser. There's and old issue of Guitar Player Magazine that came out after the movie where he talks about it. My understanding is that at the time of the movie there was no guitar program at Juliard, but after the movie they received so many inquiries about it that they created a program in 1989 with Sharon Isbin as the founder of the program. There is a great breakdown on who plays what on the wiki page here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossroads_(1986_film)#Music_chronology

Thank you so much. This movie changed my life. It’s a classic and makes everyone in it a legend in my book.

I remember watching this 2 years ago, I was 12. Fell in love with the blues since then

this film, along with a small handful of films, is part of my must-watch-at-least-once-a-year (sometimes more) collection.

I have genuinely loved this movie since it came out when I was a kid. I had just started playing guitar. Watched it too many times to count. I quoted a line from this movie to one of my kids last night. “Muddy waters invented lectricity!” Great movie!

Arlen Roth and Shuggie Otis are two of my favorites

Saw this when it came out . One of my favorites. Always inspires me to play. Learned a few of the songs on it by ear. Not blues, but good jazz movie hiding out, is "Round Midnight" with Dexter Gordon .

My favorite Ralph Macchio movies hands down. I absolutely love this movie.

Thanks for the video! I really enjoyed this movie way back when. I'm going to have to re-watch it again. I actually got to see Muddy Waters play with Eric Clapton in the early 80s. Fun times!

Love this movie,, I play guitar and it inspired me back in 86, every guitar player I know love this movie, keep on Rockin 🎸

Just the fact you made a video about Crossroads is awesome! This was so much more awesome learning everything I did! Thank you so so much! ❤️ Crossroads has been one of my most major inspirations for all of my music life, and so few people know about it. It's what made me a young guitar player like my Dad, and in highschool made me a harmonica player since 2011. I'm now Doc Patty & The Lickity Splitz, The One And Only Split Tongue Harmonica Player And Musician!

It remains one of those movies that when it comes up on some cable/streaming channel I have to watch it…..and the soundtrack is like fine wine. : )

A movie that should be projected in all classroom all over thé World !! Many thanks ! Et je vais encore une fois le visionner!!

This film got me into Robert Johnson's music as well as many other delta blues men. A really great film that is special to me.

I had been a hard core fan of The blues and especially Robert Johnson , so when a friend of mine told me about the movie, I was elated. I thought it was done really well too!!

Love this movie. Just watched it again the other day.

we all can agree on one thing we all love crossroads

I just watched this movie! I really liked it.. music was great, acting was great.. Loved the guitar battle.

My Dad showed me this movie when I was just a lil' child, now here I am 20 years later making a living with a guitar. Love this movie.

Cooter Vai Roth...winner! Love that flick

I love this movie! Watched it numerous times! I'd love to see a version with all the cut scenes!!

Loved this movie !! The Guitar battle between Macchio and Vai was SICK !!! 🤘But truth or fiction I'm going nowhere near any " Crossroads" !! EVER !! Yes I do believe !! ✌️

Wow, I wasn't expecting to hear or learn something new about this film. I didn't know hardly any of this.

one of my favorites..Nice little video also.

I've been hoping this other RU-vidr who does a 10 things you didn't know series would get to Crossroads but so far he hasn't. Thanks for posting. I learned a few new things about one of my favorite movies!

I still put it on and enjoy it as it were my first time watching it,loved it ✌️

Wonderful job. Never knew Arlen Roth was involved.

I grew up with this movie. My dad was a semi-professional guitar player and loved this movie. I think we watched it at least once a week. I remembered he spent hours learning playing along to the cutting heads scene and trying to figure out the final note of Ralph Macchio's cutting heads part. He finally figured out it was created with two guitars.

I've loved this film since I originally saw it and have probably watched the guitar duel and "Feelin' Bad Blues" literally thousands of times. I did not know most of what is on this video. Amazing! I would LOVE to see this with all the deleted scenes, it would be insane. Thanks!

I bought the VHS when it came out. Wasn't a big Ralph fan but LOVE this movie! Bought the cassette tape and it is great, I am a big fan of Ry Cooder!

Loved the movie but the way the kid could get all those creamy blues tones out of that Pignose- pure fantasy. There were some pedals involved there for sure. I had one.

Classic movie. RIP Robert Johnson The king of the delta blues. ✌️🤘🇦🇺

Movie changed my playing completely. First it made me want to play like Vai, then, years later, went into the deep study of Robert Johnson. If you really want to learn Robert’s style, I highly recommend the DVDs by Tom Feldman. Invaluable!

Great video. I always wonder why Bill Kanengiser isn't mentioned very often for playing the classical parts throughout the film? He's extraordinary and has had an amazing career. Check out the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet sometime, or any of his solo works.

I saw this when it came out and I was just learning guitar, I'm almost 50 now and I'm still trying to play the Pagnini piece 😆