THE IDOLMAKER

US, 1980, 111 minutes, Colour.
Ray Sharkey. Tovah Feldshuh, Peter Gallagher, Paul Land, Joe Pantoliano, Maureen Mc Cormick, Richard Bright, Olympia Dukakis.
Directed by Taylor Hackford.

The Idolmaker is much better than it sounds. Though more than applicable to recent popular music history, with manufactured groups and pre-sold images, it is set around 1960 and captures the atmosphere of Elvis' day and the rise of Frankie Avalon and Fabian. But, while it shows us the idols quite vividly, the focus is on the hustling creator-manager, the new hyper-energetic Frankenstein, creating monsters who get out of control, but who is compensating for all his drive that he feels he can never express nor make the limelight and applause. Ray Sharkey's performance is at times exhausting but is persuasive. The film might not explain, but it communicates the feel of the idolmaker who is both repellent and fascinating.

1. A film of 1980 looking back over more than 20 years of music history and performance in the United States? The point of view, nostalgia, critique? The impact of the film for contemporary audience, the audience with memories?

2. The re-creation of the late 1950s and early '60s? The attention to detail: New York City, concert tours, decor, clothes, styles? Recordings, radio? The building up of the idols, the frenzy of the audiences? Advertising? The era of Elvis Presley, Frankie Avalon etc.? The 1980s looking back and seeing the phoniness? The enthusiasm? Naivety? The effects of the comparison? Insight into the '70s and '80s via reflection on the 1 50s and '60s?

3. The film's use of music styles: rock 'n roll, popular ballad, songs for teenagers, for adults? The importance of the staging, choreography? The style of the idols - voice, singing, movement, gyrations, sexual innuendo, verve? The staging of their singing - personal contact. invitation to audience response? The decor and staging - with the kitsch touch? The use of the music throughout the film: the Pallisade Cabaret, Tommy Dee and his singing at the school, on the television programme, staged songs, Cesare and his training, performance, finale in Tennessee? The contrast with Vinnie's ballads at the Pallisade?

4. The demands of the film on audience interest and sympathies? Sharing the impulsive verve, hopes for success, abilities, compensations and control? The title of the film and its focus on Vinnie - his background, personal appearance, lack of confidence in pushing himself, the drive to push others? His enjoyment of control and drive for success? Living through his idols? His authority, his hustling and deals? The repellent side of the go getting idolmaker? The contrast with his own possibilities, his own capacity for success and to make something of himself? The blend of authentic themes with their exploitation?

5. The film communicating by feeling rather than by explanations? The audience immersed in the visuals and the sounds? The pace? Vinnie's drive? Understanding the people and the situations and being caught up in them? How persuasive was the film?

6. The theme of the American dream - anybody being able to make good? The reality and unreality of the hopes? The critique of the means used to get to the top? How gentle the critique of the American dream? How authentic the critique?

7. The impact of Ray Sharkey's performance as Vinnie? His New York and Italian background? His being part of the city, the streets, the clubs? Style, clothes? Way of speaking? Vinnie’s mother and her pushing her son. expectations, love? His work at the restaurant? Bond with Mario? His unreliability, being taken up with his go-getting and deals? His uncle and his support? The absence of his father? His holding grudges against his father? Meeting him? Discussions, money. success, investment? His taking the money from his father and its later repercussions? Vinnie's choices? His involvement in music, work, movies, sense of success? His underrating of his own talent and musical ability?

8. The build-up to the recording and his disappointment? His decision to take Tommy and make him a star? His relationship with Gino and his support? His later breaking with him? Tommy and his singing at the Pallisade, his musical style, his ability to electrify an audience? The deals with Vinnie? Pressures, rehearsal? The build-up of a particular persona for the public? His record? The visit to the school dance and the teeny bop reaction? Paying the radio announcer to play the record? Tommy and his unreliability, the schoolgirl and her autograph and his molesting her? Vinnie and his hard line in treating Tommy? The film's detailing the styles of management?

9. Tommy and his background, character, ability, response to circumstances, his voice and manner, his being scared? Being controlled by Vinnie? His success at the school dance. his danger of molesting girls? His being taken up by the agencies? The television programme and his breaking all the rules and succeeding? Publicity, success? His arrogance and moving away from Vinnie while making demands on him? His jealousy of Cesare? His decline and belief in his own image as a star -sex, drugs etc.? His letting go and moving towards the rival agent?

10. The contrast with Cesare? Guido and his work at the restaurant, an awkward young man? Vinnie seeing talent in him? His choice. changing his appearance, making him less timid, taking over his life? Cesar’s naivety and his relationship with his grandmother? The comparisons with Tommy? The gruelling training sessions and his failing? His reaction to Vinnie's push? His running away with Ellen? His failure at the first tryout? The design of the silent treatment and raising expectations about his coming? The posters? His failure of nerve and collapse under pressure and his being pushed into success for the final concert? The repercussions of his success taking him over? His moving away from Vinnie? Going to the rival agent?

11. Brenda and her work, the hard-minded businesswoman? Her reaction to Vinnie's push? Holding him at arm's length yet fascinated? The build-up to the interview? The TV session and her alert response? Putting Tommy on the cover of her magazine? Money deals? Her studying Vinnie's manipulation of Tommy? Friendship with Vinnie, clash? The relationship and the affair? Her cautioning Vinnie? Her fears about Cesare? Ellen and her being sacked? The build-up to the Memphis concert? Her warnings to Vinnie and walking out on him? Her return at the end - why? An effective sketch of a tough businesswoman?

12. The intensity of the life of the pop idol? Artificiality and reality? The moulding of a life story, a person, a style for interviews and publicity? The role of the media? Training? musical and staging skill? The intensity of the concerts?

13. Audience response to Vinnie and his creations moving away from him? Seeing himself as he really was? His going back to singing his own ballads - the plausibility of the up-beat ending with his success? Brenda's return?

14. A variation on the show business film? Its use of those conventions? Different? Insight through this glimpse of American show business history and its phenomena?