Visitors Review

martin lane (2012-05-26 05:25)

Not a "Bio Pic" but an homage... to an era and the widest figure to come out of it!

The reviews and comments looking for a level headed and even keeleddepiction of the Jerry Lee phenomenon (talk about oxymorons)wouldprobably have been happier with a ploddingly sincere and safe littlemovie like "La Bamba" or "The Buddy Holly Story".Number one, Jerry Lee Lewis was not a "died too young" legend who canfunction as a convenient hook upon which to hang a sanitized andidealized (and "survivor approved") portrait of their too brief riseand tragic fall.Jerry Lee was an incredibly talented, vibrant, egotistical, foolhardy,sexy, and trouble prone MAN. He seemed poised and perfectly placed tofill the void left by "The King" when he was drafted...but life, love,and the prudishness of the era all intervened.Please do NOT blame this wonderful, and wonderfully well made film forthe discomfort it's romance might STILL cause (It DOES NOT glorifytaking a child bride...please watch Winona Ryder's astonishing,heartbreaking, brilliantly funny, utterly tragic perf...her bestEVER)....Please don't slam it for capturing the broad, funny, sexy, andinfuriating "Killer" so well that Jerry Lee flinched from theresemblance.This is an unrecognized classic...It deserves rediscovery...and should have made Ryder and themagnificent Quaid superstars!

(2012-05-25 13:14)

WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON!!

DENNIS QUAID, WINONA RYDER AND ALEC BALDWIN ALL GIVE OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES IN THIS MOVIE MUSIC BIO. ABOUT THE MUSIC CAREER AND RELATIONSHIPS OF JERRY LEE LEWIS. THE MOVIE IS A WHOLE LOT OF FUN. I MUST ADMIT THE DVD IS EXTREMELY THIN. THERE ISN'T EVEN A SINGLE PAGE BOOKLET INSIDE. THE CHAPTERS ARE NOT LISTED INSIDE WHICH IS RIDICULOUS. THIS IS MOSTLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT ORION PICTURES DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE. MGM TOOK ALL THEIR DECENT MOVIES UNDER THEIR WING, AND ISN'T SPENDING ALOT OF TIME OR MONEY IN PRODUCING THE MOVIES ON DVD AND VHS. THEY ARE JUST MAKING ALOT. ANYWAY "GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!" IS A MOVIE THAT IS SURE TO PLEASE A CROWD, WITH SOME MEMORABLE MOMENTS. JUST DON'T EXPECT ANYTHING MORE THAN A GOOD MOVIE.

Skeptic459 (2012-05-23 15:08)

What the hell is going on in the south?

Flicking through an old book called 'THE WORLDS GREATEST ROCK AND ROLLSCANDALS.' I look for Jerry Lee Lewis or the 'killer' as he was known.Funnily enough he isn't in the book. That is exactly the reason I got thisfilm out. I know nothing about the man. I am always curious about musicians,especially musicians who are supposedly from the 'golden' era of music. Whatfascinates me about the fifties is the dualism of that time period. You haveelderly people who tell you how much better things were back then. How itwas as sterile and perfect as the inside of a burger king fast food joint.Then you actually look into the history of that decade and youfind... ...lots of nasty stuff. Racism, sexism and communist blacklisting. A periodin history where no one could freely express themselves. Where AfricanAmericans could still be lynched. Yeah, what a great decade... I find it funny that even the Beach Boys were really screwed up. Didn'tBryan Wilson have some massive psychological problems? Idigress... Jerry Lee Lewis grows up in the south with his cousin Jimmy. He learns toplay the piano and is influenced by the blues and jazz. He later goes on tojoins Elvis's record label and soon is on the way to stardom. The film itself is total bubblegum. It is an attempted celebration of the'killer' and a musical. It has no depth and does not explore therelationships of Lewis very well at all. However, I did not really mind thisbecause as soon as I saw Dennis Quaid on the cover, I knew... I knew that this was going to the cinematic equivalent of a double whopper.In fact it is hard to rate Quaids performance because was Lewis actuallylike that? Maybe the guy was bipolar? Normally, I would say that theperformance is way over the top. A caricature, but then I have nothing to goon from the real person. I know absolutely nothing about the subject thatthe performance is based on. What is also funny is that Wiona Ryder looks like she has wandered onto thewrong set. She keeps looking like 'what am I doing here?' Another interesting factor about this film is just how dislikable the'killer' actually is. Lewis comes off in this movie as an egotistical, selfcentered, sometimes cruel, petty, not to clever individual with a severecase of arrested development. It is funny because this is a film that ismeant to be flattering. What if the director had not liked him? He couldhave made Lewis into an absolute monster! Marrying a 13 year old girl whowas his second cousin? I thought this was a stereotype of the 'south.'Obviously, I have been proven wrong! He must have given up on trying to bean adult! He was actually surprised this helped to destroy his career? Thatis pedophilia! How dumb is this guy? In the film he actually states that youhave to get them when they are young so they can serve you well. The 50'swere hardly the time of female liberation. Myra leaves the house with a dollhouse as a suitcase. I found this all kind of creepy! What is even stranger is that Lewis is related to Jimmy Swaggart. Thefamous televangelist was later caught with a prostitute by a privateinvestigator hired by another televangelist. Marvin Gorman had been lookingfor revenge for Swaggart exposing him. Swaggart later admitted he wasaddicted to pornography. The woman he was caught with also stated in apenthouse interview that he wanted her to give consent to him having sexwith her 9 year old daughter! This is obviously a really screwed up family!What the hell is going on in the south? So despite the fact that this is meant to be flattering to all those thatare involved. The really strange situations of the film allude to a muchdarker narrative. I suspect if this was made like a hardcore Chekhov dramathat the film could have been extremely dark... But really just see this film if you like Jerry Lee's music. The moviereminded me of that Buddy Holly musical that tours around now and then. Thescript and acting don't really matter. They are just window dressing for theactual music. What I find amazing is that Lewis survived through the sixties and didn'tjoin N.A.M.B.L.A! This is a strange movie! I'll give it 5 out of10.

(2012-05-23 07:57)

Great Movie!!!!!!!

This movie is so good and if anyone has not seen it I think they should... It covers the life of Jery Lee Lewis and the singing and etc... I love it so much that I reccomend everyone to wach it.... I give it 5 stars because it is the best one ever

(2012-05-22 09:35)

FUN HOLLYWOOD BIO-PIC WITH GREAT MUSIC!

As Myra Gale Lewis herself said, this story is "true as far as it goes," but does not tell the whole story. It covers the main events of Jerry Lee Lewis' life from his meeting of Myra and geting a contract with Sun Records to the birth of his son Steve Allen Lewis during the midst of his blacklisting. It leaves out a lot of the more unsavory and darker details of the lives and characters of hese two young lovers.That having been said, it's a fun romp that follows the typical Hollywood rock & roll musical bio-pic formula: young man has a new sound, while performing someone says "we can't play that music here, these people will kill us!" He does anyway and it becomes a big hit, then scandal strikes and his career takes a tumble. There are the typical scenes of performing, watching the music charts, montages of Jerry Lee's career, screaming fans, and so forth. Several legendary incidents are receated, such as burning the piano when he has to perform before Chuck Bery and Elvis showing up at the Sun studios as he leaves for the army. This is all done at a breakneck pace, with humor and fun. Music from the period is used liberally throughout the film, adding to the mood and the humor.Through all this is the impression the Jerry Lee is desparate for attention. He lives for the spotlight and being noticed. He is truly happy when people are going crazy over him, and gets very upset if he is not accepted as he is.The question of the morality of a 23-year-old, twice married but only once divorced man marrying his 13-year-old 2nd cousin is not truly answered. Though it does cause the big scandal, the characters are played as so naive and in love, one can sympathize with them even as certain people may recoil.There is a running sub-plot of Jerry Lee's relationship with his preacher cousin Jimmie Lee Swaggart. Jimmie's career as a preacher keeps him in conflict with Jerry Lee's life of rock & roll and brings out some very amusing exchanges. These really help define Jerry Lee's character. Some great lines include: "Don't thank God, just thank old Jerry Lee Lewis!"; "I am of the opinion thas such a God-given talent should be used for the glory of the talented."; "If I'm going to Hell, I'm goin' to Hell playin' the piano!" Jerry Lee may fear god, but he fears being ordinary and forgotten even more.Dennis Quaid is a total hoot as an immature doofus with a "God given talent." Winnona Ryder makes a very convincing 13-year-old discovering love for the first time and torn between having fun and growing up (later on certain people debated whose idea it was to have Jerry Lee played as less mature than Myra). John Doe, a singer-sonwriter himself, gives a great performance worthy of a funky underground cult film as Jerry Lee's cousin/band mate/father-in-law. Trey Wilson and Stephen Tobolowsky play off well angainst each other as the Phillips brothers of Sun Records. Watch for cameos by Mojo Nixon, Steve Allen, Jimmie Vaughn, Joe Bob Briggs, Michael St. Gerard (as the most accurate young Elvis ever!), and Dave Alvin (uncredited as a guitarist in the band at the closing number).Inaccuracies abound here. There is an extra member in Jerry Lee's band. The song "I'm on Fire" is performed on his first trip to England, when it wasn't recorded until 1962.Don't expect much, just thrill to the music here, and you won't be disappointed.

(2012-05-21 16:58)

Jerry Lee proves he is still the "King" of Rock and Roll

Even after 30 plus years of recording (at the point of this set being recorded) "Killer" still has the licks. While the fact that the original versions of the songs aren't all here (only Great Balls Of Fire has an orginal version of it) Jerry Lee is still bangin' away at the piano. For him to have been able to record such good re-recordings of these songs is amazing especially when you consider all he has been through (see the movie or read his book if you don't know of what I speak). I declare him the TRUE KING of Rock And Roll because he didn't lose his edge like Elvis did. The only reason I only gave this 4 stars is because I would have liked more originals also. But that's just my opinion and as Dennis Miller has said I could be wrong...

Mario Bergeron (2012-05-21 16:47)

Just to see Winona Ryder

Dennis Quaid is tryin' hard to prove us that Jerry LeeLewiswas a dumb guy. And he's doing too much to prove it. TVsequences are very good, like a photocopy of old blackandwhite footages. Music is fine too, because Mr. Lewis himselfis singing. But the rest is just Hollywood B-Movie style,with the fifties Happy Days complex. I think the only goodthing in this movie is to see young Winona Ryder.

(2012-05-20 22:51)

A great hoot!

I watched this movie just recently with friends and we are all in our seventies or approaching. We grew up with Elvis, Jerry Lee, Johnny Cash and the bunch of them. This was our time, our clothes, the whole nine yards. We laughed our heads off and had the best, best time hearing the music again, picking up the little bits taken from other movies (like the T-birds from Grease). Why this has not become a classic of some sort of those of our age is beyond me. But there is still time to really enjoy this movie and hoot and holler and just roll with it. Cool!!!!!!!!!!!!

(2012-05-19 19:05)

The best sounding Jerry lee cd of all !

This is a beautifully recorded cd, the sound is really clear and Jerry sang with the energy of his youth. The piano solos come through crisp and clear and with the same youthfull energy. I own two of these cd's and would never be without one. A must for every Jerry Lee Lewis fan !

Lee Eisenberg (2012-05-19 07:04)

every entertainer must have an ugly side

No one can deny that "Great Balls of Fire!" has some great music.Dennis Quaid really gets into the role of Jerry Lee Lewis, and themovie really transports you back to the '50s. If the movie has anyproblem, it's the stress on his marriage to his 13-year-old cousin Myra(Winona Ryder). As for Ryder herself, she looks a little too old toplay a 13-year-old; I've heard that in footage of them, Myra looks likea little girl.So, Jerry Lee Lewis leaves a lot to be desired. But still, it's apretty fine movie. I will say that Alec Baldwin comes across as alittle silly as Jerry's cousin Jimmy Swaggart; he rants against (whatelse?) "devil's music". But overall, I liked the movie. Also starringB-movie connoisseur Joe Bob Briggs in a small role.Jerry Lee Lewis married his cousin and Jimmy Swaggart got caught with aprostitute. There must be some sort of pathology in that family.

(2012-05-19 12:24)

Pure Comedy

This movie is entertaining but it's still pretty bad. Quaid is playing Jerry Lee like a cartoon character. It's also not very Historicaly accurate. They have Sam Phillips pressing Crazy arms in a matter of hours after listening to it, then getting it on the radio immediatly. Also Jerry Lee was doing session work at Sun well before November 56. The Movie makes it seem like Sam Phillips didnt know who Jerry Lee was prior to this time. Also The guy playing Phillips was 20 years too old. I wond even go into Alec Baldwin playing Swaggart. The cool things about theis flick are the music and the location shooting. Being as it was filmed on Location in Memphis, you get a good feel of what it looked like back in 56-57.

(2012-05-19 01:56)

Jerry Lee Lewis is the man!

This movie rocks and rolls from the very beginning. You see a young Jerry Lee being exposed to his early influences...to the making of a rock n roll star in Memphis, home of cool. Dennis does a fabulous job portraying Jerry Lee. All the way down to his mannerisms to those golden curly locks of hair! Just a great movie with an unbelieveable soundtrack too!

(2012-05-17 07:28)

Was He Really Like That?

This review is from: Great Balls of Fire! (DVD) I do love this movie, if only because I have always loved Jerry Lee Lewis, and think that he is so incredibly hokey as to be fantastically, uniquely great.I mean, his "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" has been one of the very greatest rock and roll anthems ever.And he is without peer as a country artist. Nobody has ever sung a more significant country song than "Another Time, Another Place," or "She Still Comes Around To Love What's Left Of Me."But what I can't understand is why Dennis Quaid played him to be as squirrely as he comes across.Because if Jerry Lee had any say-so as to how he was portrayed, I just can't see him giving the OK to what came out on film.I could see arrogant, or supremely self-assured, or cock-sure, or brash, or even pushy, but not strangely almost effeminate, as Dennis Quaid has portrayed him. Jerry Lee was and is supremely talented, but I can't believe that he ever had a single day where he acted as off-the-wall as Dennis Quaid made him out to be.And the fact that he married his 13 year-old 2nd cousin, I think she was, was not even that far-fetched, given the time and place.But anyway, the movie is terrific, just seeing the history of how Jerry Lee was exposed to the kind of music that formed his background. Also, seeing the cars that were commonplace in the fifties, such as the Olds 98s and the Cadillac El Dorados makes it a fun movie to watch.Oh, for those good old days, when we really did drive those cars, and listen to and dance to that music.

(2012-05-16 17:45)

the real jerry lee lewis

Dennis Quaid does a very good job of playing JERRY LEE LEWIS but the music performed by the real Jerry Lee Lewis is the hit of the movie. Jerry will be 67 years old in september of this year and can still rock as hard as anyone. there is only one JERRY LEE LEWIS. Do yourself a favor and see him while you can. As they say in the movie, Jerry Lee is playing his heart out somewhere in America tonight.

(2012-05-14 19:21)

Great balls of fire! What a fun romp! Rock on, Jerry Lee...

I was enjoying a quiet dinner tonight when this movie came on TV! I thought I'd watch a few minutes and get back to my typing, but NO! Jerry Lee grabbed me and wouldn't let go...just as he did back in the day.Like one of the reviewer's grandmothers, I used to dance around the house to Jerry Lee's rock 'n roll, especially the unforgettable, lively "Great Balls of Fire." He was a riot then and he's a riot now!I love, love, love this movie...because it's lively, fun and makes me feel good! I did feel sad for Jerry Lee and his teen bride. Even though she was young, they loved each other and my heart broke to see them misunderstood and his music banned because of his marrying her at such a young age (thirteen). The English treated them disgracefully, and I don't blame him for not apologizing...at great cost to his career.To view the way Jerry Lee and Myra defied everyone and stuck together through thick and thin was tender, moving and rather sweet. Bittersweet moments! And even though this rock 'n roll legend was a rebel and a bit cocky, you couldn't help but love the guy... Dennis Quaid was riotous in the role of Jerry Lee, and Winona Ryder was perfect as the very cute, adorable teen. They were both lovable (and naive in many ways). I thought I'd die laughing when she took her doll house with her as she moved from her father's home to live with her new husband. (And wait till you see Alec Baldwin carrying on as a stereotypical Baptist preacher; even though his role was rather laughable, he did a great job of acting...lol)Kudos to this cast and the producers for a few hours of almost nonstop laughter, dished up with the bittersweet romance.I won't forget this film for a long time. Even though certain parts were left out of "The Killer's" life, this movie managed to give the main details and give us a good concept of his life and lots of great rock 'n roll.It's heartening to know he's still performing and as popular as in his heyday. Rock on, Jerry Lee!Reviewed by Betty Dravis, July 2, 2010Author of "Dream Reachers" (with Chase Von) and other books

tedg (2012-05-14 03:38)

Performance

Spoilers herein.Here's what I like about this: it is a story about a quirky performer, wholives life as if it were one of his quirky shows. At the same time, Quaid's performance isitself quirky - along the lines of Depp's `Fear and Loathing.' The whole thing is a Punchand Judy doing a Punch and Judy.It gets my appreciation for that. But at root, it just isn't a veryinteresting story: part rock history, part trailer trash romance, and part holy/nasty metaphor. But then,that's pop music I guess.There is a scene that sticks: Jerry Lee opening for Chuck Berry. Chuck is anordinary guy, someone whose life is not his performance. Music is just a job, and he wouldnever get the whole reflexive passion thang. Jerry goes nuts, literally setting thepiano on fire. Then he marches off with `Follow that, Killer!`The actor's expression is priceless. Almost worth the admission by itself.He is supposed to be the surrogate anchor for us, watching from the sidelines.There's another image worth keeping. Our vulnerable Winona packs up to movein with her new `husband.' Her luggage is a dollhouse. That's a sweet keeper, justlike Julia Style's little box of `needful things' in `Hamlet.' And for the samereasons.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

hkylw21 (2012-05-11 16:25)

ridiculous

This movie easily falls into the category of laughable, if not beyondthat to actually insulting. I mean in what alternate universe did thefilmmakers and studios think that this film would play? From beginningto end we bombarded with Quaids overacting and ridiculous facialexpressions, laying on the "im a loose cannon" act a little thick.Another picking point I had with the movie was the lack of a realisticstory of events that would make you grow to connect to a character. Imean in one scene where Lewis is playing in a bar before making it bigthere is this over the top, just completely absurd bar fight that everycitizen in town is apparently a part of. Then Lewis begins to play hisrendition of "A whole lot of shaking'" and everyone immediately forgetstheir differences and begins dancing wildly as if its the most normalthing in the world. These kind of scenes, of which there are numerous,coupled with the lack of depth in any of the characters led me toactual laughter. So all in all this film is not worth viewing foranyone not interested in mocking a filmmaker and his actors decisionsfor an hour and a half.

(2012-05-10 21:37)

dennis quaid what a job!!!

hey this is a great story, great music, and a great job by dennis quaid, excellet....

(2012-05-04 17:58)

Completely satisfied

Love it!! It was in great shape and everything, no problems! Used movies are definitely the way to go

(2012-05-04 10:34)

Terrible Film - Wonderful Soundtrack

The film this soundtrack comes from is uneven and disjointed.At times comic-book frivolous, with bad lip synch from its stars; at times an unvarnished look at a man with some issues.But oh, the music.The story is that Quaid was going to sing all the music himself. The Killer objected, and the studio as a courtesy gave him a last-minute audition to play his own music, one shot in a studio working with session guys he didn't know. Apparently, Jerry Lee rose to the challenge, the studio suddenly realized why it was worth making a movie about Jerry Lee Lewis, and now Mr. Quaid's voice is only heard in the background on some duets.Jerry Lee laid down fresh recordings of his classics, and the old man still has it. Great recordings of great songs by the only man who should play them. Follow that act, if you can.