Eddie And The Cruisers II Eddie Lives (1989)
In the early 1960s, legendary rock star Eddie Wilson disappeared from the limelight when he drove his car off a Jersey bridge. Trying to escape his past, Eddie changed his name and has maintained a quiet life in Montreal as a construction worker under the name Joe West. However, the past will not die, it is screaming for resolution. His relentless desire to make music pulls him back to the stage where he forms a new band and an even better sound. Meanwhile, record company executives release newly-discovered tapes from Eddie's last album and promotes a worldwide search for the mysterious rock star. Joe West has become both mentor and nucleus for his new band that dreams of succeeding without knowing their mysterious leader is the real Eddie Wilson. As his new band reaches center stage, Eddie finally comes to terms with his past, himself and his music.
The legend. The music. The man.
Diane Armani: You really enjoyed this life, don't you? Always traveling.
Eddie Wilson: Still missed Jersey.
Diane Armani: [snorts] And what's so special about Jersey?
Eddie Wilson: Baby, there's nowhere else in the world like the Garden State! You got miles of swamps, and mountains of dumps... different colored rivers... automobiles graveyards... breweries, factories, ballparks, all mixed up together. It's the best place to live.
Diane Armani: Uh-huh? Then why does the Statue of Liberty face the other way?
[they both laugh]
Eddie Wilson: [jokingly] Oooh! That was cruel!
Asbury Park, New Jersey, USA
(boardwalk)
Nevada, USA
New York, USA
Montr?al, Qu?bec, Canada
(Joe West construction site.)
The concert scenes were filmed in a Las Vegas arena before a Bon Jovi show (New Jersey tour). The stage set up is the actual stage set up Bon Jovi used for their show.
All songs are written, played and lip synced by the Beaver Brown Band.
The guitar played by Eddie Wilson is a Fender Mustang made by Fender Music Company from 1964 through 1982.
As with the original movie, critics negatively reviewed the sequel, and the acting of Michael Par? and Marina Orsini, and also was very critical of the producers for being more concerned about selling soundtrack albums for the movie than promoting the movie itself.
Harvey Atkin (playing Lou Eisen) and Kate Lynch (playing Lindsey Caputo) also worked together in Meatballs (1979) where Harvey was Morty, the camp director and Kate was Roxanne, the girl's head counselor.
Continuity
When Eddie and Rick Diesel are practicing on guitars to a taped track, you see both characters smoking cigarettes. Rick Diesel's cigarette is obviously lit and there is smoke coming out of it while he is playing. Towards the end of the scene, another close up of Rick shows the cigarette not lit at all. When the camera pans back onto him a moment later, his cigarette is lit again.
Audio/visual unsynchronized
During several performances, the music does not sync with the band members' actions.
Errors in geography
When Eddie drives from Montreal into Manhattan, he drives over the Brooklyn Bridge. That would be a very indirect route.
Character error
In a flashback, Eddie is on the beach in New Jersey telling a band member what he wants his music to be like. He uses bedsheets as an analogy. In the original movie, he's talking to Frank Ridgeway (Tom Berenger). In the sequel's flashback, he's talking to Sal Amato (Matthew Laurence).
Bo Diddley describes Lakehurst, New Jersey as a little town right outside Newark. It's actually far south of Newark, west of Toms River.