1. CROSSROADS (1986) starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca and Jami Gertz, inspired by the legend of blues musician Robert Johnson. The film was directed by Walter Hill and featured an original score featuring Ry Cooder and Steve Vai. Vai also appears in the film as the devil's guitar player in the climactic guitar duel.
Why is it a guilty pleasure? I have to admit, I openly love Walter Hill's work, I adore Robert Johnson. But this film is a white guilt parfait with whipcream on top. It's the story of a young WHITE boy from Juilliard Music school who not only ends up getting accepted as a "BLUESMAN" but does something greats like Robert Johnson supposedly couldn't do...Beat the Devil by out-guitar playing his most wicked minion (Steve Vai of all people).
Fun to watch? YES
Disrespectful and arrogant wet dream of every blues loving white guy out there? DEFINITELY!
2. FIONNA APPLE - My mind says noooo, but my ears say yes!
3. STEPHEN KING - I like to say that I use his works to clear my mind after reading heavy material or non-fiction, but that's just a lame excuse to read it. Still I would argue the legitimacy of THE STAND being a masterful work of fiction to anyone. And the Dark Half rules! Oddly I am not at all ashamed to proclaim my love of his films MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE, CHRISTINE, PET CEMETERY, THE SHINING (Kubrick's of course) and IT.
4. ROD MCKUEN - This loses me about a thousand "hip" points. I like alot of poetry from Keats to Bukowski but what started the love affair with verse was this smaltzy bastard. I blame it all on naive youth and nostalgia.
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