Search - The Idolmaker on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1980 DVD Release: 04/25/2000 Format: DVD - Pan and Scan Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 59 mins Studio: MGM Members Wishing: 5 Genres: Drama, Musical, Showbiz Drama

The story of Philadelphia-based rock 'n' roll starmaker Bob Marcucci is given a pointed a clef treatment in The Idolmaker. Ray Sharkey plays Vincent Vacarri, who takes a couple of raw young kids (Peter Gallagher and Paul Land) and molds them into teen idols. If Gallagher and Land seem at times to be clones of Fabian and Frankie Avalon, then you've gotten the point. As played by Sharkey, Vacarri comes off as both maven and monster: he gives his boys everything they need professionally and everything they want personally, but it's subliminally clear that his interest is purely mercenary (incredibly, Bob Marcucci is the film's technical advisor). An excellent, clear-eyed view of show biz mechanics, The Idolmaker falters only in its anachronisms, notably the style of music performed by Vacarri's proteges. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ray Sharkey - Vincent Vacarri
Paul Land - Tommy Dee
Olympia Dukakis - Mrs. Vacarri
Peter Gallagher - Caesare
Joe Pantoliano - Gino Pilato
Tovah Feldshuh - Brenda Roberts

Taylor Hackford's directorial debut, The Idolmaker comes to DVD with a standard full-frame transfer. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Mono. Spanish and French subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include the original theatrical trailer and a collectible booklet. Although the film itself is very entertaining, the disc could have used a little more work to be worthy of the film. This is a good disc, but it could and should have been great. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide