Here's a movie that has no pretense about what it is: an opportunity to see live rock n' roll; and that's reason enough to see it. Much like exploitation pictures, this film fast-tracks the narrative requirements in order to present its audience with what they came to see; in this case, rock n' roll. This rocksploitation classic details the minimal tribulations of Johnny Melody (Jimmy Clanton), an orphan trying to become a star by getting his demo to real-life rock guru Alan Freed, who eventually gets it anonymously and puts on a radio contest to find out Johnny's identity. Along with his old-orphanage-friend-soon-to-be-sweetheart Julie (SandyStewart), Johnny jumps from one performance to another. While the songs performed by the two young protagonist are fun to hear (especially Stewart's 'Playmates'), the picture's real appeal are the random musical acts that make-up the bulk of the film, headlined by Chuck Berry who plays a talking part and performs two songs. Other perfomers include Eddie Cochran, Jo Ann Campbell, the Cadillacs, the Flamingos, Jackie Wilson and the single screen appearance of Ritchie Valens only months before his sudden death. While some might object to the omission of these artists' more well-known hits, I find it even more amazing to see them live and discover new tunes at the same time.
All those old 50s rock n roll films are fun. Who needs a plot? Eddie Cochran's going to sing!
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