Robert johnson sold his soul to the devil in rosedale. He looks up an old harmonica player named willie whom he finds in a nursing home. Anyhow, if he ever did strike a deal with the devil, which given common sense is highly unlikely, the trickery, after all, was on his side in the end. The plotline of a blues guitarist selling his soul is also part of the coen brothers wonderful movie o. Here winners are granted whatever their heart desires, but losers must forfeit their soul. His life consisted of fine music and three enduring mysteries.
Based on the legend of blues musician robert johnson, me and the devil blues is a short film about mortality told through eyes of blues musician robert whithers. Netflix teases robert johnson film devil at the crossroads. Long known as the devil s music, thanks to the legend surrounding bluesman robert johnsons alleged deal with the devil at a mississippi crossroads, old nob, as hes known, has become firmly identified with blues music. During the brief life 1911 1938 of blues musician robert johnson, he left a legacy of music that would outlive him and would grow over time.
Robert johnson was a musical genius, underappreciated in. A deal with the devil also known as a compact or pact with the devil is a cultural motif in european folklore, best exemplified by the legend of faust and the figure of mephistopheles, as well as being elemental to many christian traditions. Eugene doesnt know yet about willies deal with the devil, that he now wants to revoke. Now, the innocent must fight for their lives as the devil tries to destroy everything and everyone in the town, and reap the souls he was promised. This will be disputed, as some people will dispute that robert johnson ever even made a deal with the devil. Mar 30, 2008 the devil s music is the first film to document the strange story of notorious shockrocker erika spawn, who was the most infamous woman in the world after her music had been linked by the tabloid press to reallife atrocities. Thats where the rumors about his deal with the devil came from, but. Spottys fascinating, an internationally known blues sax player and he worked at the gunter hotel when he was a kid. Ignoring warnings to abandon this fools errand, philip stubbornly proceeds, determined to.
Despite hardy rumors that the bluesman sold his soul to the devil, johnsons most. Devil at the crossroads unwraps mystery of blues great. Today my goal is to see if i can get the project started up on my computer. Garry henry has not let go of this project, and in particular my promise to give the 1930s car drivers a copy when its done. You have to be very square or uptight to dismiss devil deal blues as yet another take on the neverproven. How to sell your soul to the devil in 6 steps higgypop. Oct 24, 2012 did robert johnson make a deal with the devil. An originator of delta blues, robert johnson is a beloved musician in american history. Case in point is the 1986 movie crossroads which has ralph macchio playing eugene, a small time julliardtrained blues guitarist looking for the holy grail or maybe just a way to sell his soul to the devil, too. Asked the lord above, have mercy, now save poor bob, if you please.
The film focuses on the effects one leaves behind once they have passed. The blues brothers 1980 streets of fire 1984 crossroads 1986. Barnett is known as the godfather of san antonio blues and the king of the east side. Crossroads is a 1986 american comingofage musical drama film inspired by the legend of blues musician robert johnson. Fusco was a traveling blues musician prior to attending new york universitys tisch school of the arts, where he wrote crossroads as an assignment in a master class led by the screenwriting giants waldo salt. The sanctified aura of a child somehow repels the demon and they can only oppress them if the parent makes a contract allowing them to do so. A mutated composure sells his soul to the devil to get the girl of his dreams. The story of bluesman robert johnsons famous deal with the. He played the devils music so well that listeners swore he sold his soul. Ralph macchio is a guitar prodigy who makes a deal with the devil in order to save a. Devil blues are a blues outfit from bialystok, poland. Devil at the crossroads official trailer hd netflix. May 08, 2019 even the song cross road blues, which casual listeners might think is a retelling of roberts fateful midnight meeting with the devil, means something much different to steven. Sa cast and crew needed for devil deal blues, shooting.
A young gambler, philip, is invited to an exclusive, highstakes poker game against the devil. The bands music corresponds closely to the modern sound of. Show dealing with the devil the legend of selling a soul to the devil in exchange for musical prowess has been associated with many genres of music for centuries. Annie lennox, ccr, and the weird sanderson sisters for the movie hocus pocus, hawkins original is the benchmark.
With robert johnson, terry harmonica bean, rory block, yvonne chireau. Oct 31, 2018 find out as you watch deal with the devil. Blues musician, tommy johnson, is said to have met satan at a crossroads and signed over his soul in order to play the blues and gain mastery of. But its stuck more firmly to the blues than to any other music. Join as we count down our picks for the top 10 movie devils. Some notable people who are said to have struck a deal with the devil, include john fian who confessed to having made a pact with the devil, he was declared a notorious sorcerer and executed in 1591. Instead whats collected here are 18 fairly standard blues and jump blues pieces that. Sa cast and crew needed for devil deal blues, shooting in. The version used is actually sung by the real robert johnson.
The only solid fact about robert johnson is his music everything. Robert johnson would have had to be one big fool to make a deal with the devil in which he died penniless at 27. In the devil and daniel webster, a good but rather dumb and weak man makes a deal with the devil. A look at the short, mysterious life of blues legend, robert johnson, who was said to have made a deal with the devil at a crossroads in rural mississippi. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. It was 1930 in robinsonville, mississippi, and 19yearold robert johnson, an aspiring blues musician, was hanging out at a juke joint where delta blues legends son house and willie brown were playing to a packed house. According to traditional christian belief about witchcraft, the pact is between a person and satan or a lesser demon. Phantom of the paradise a mutated composure sells his soul to the devil to get the girl of his. It is the only recording ever made of him singing that song. These 10 films will remind you, no deal with evil goes as it should. Robert johnsons life was shrouded in mystery, with his claim to fame, besides his amazing music, being a supposed deal with the devil he made in mississippi.
Oct 26, 2017 i just love the blues licensed to youtube by sme on behalf of dm digital. Johnson is one of the most studied of all country blues musicians, and hes been. Director benjamin thomas has struck spooky movie gold. Mar 01, 2020 one of the most wellknown of the stories concerns blues musician robert johnson, who became infamous for cutting a deal with the devil at a crossroads. The devil is often just a metaphor used by blues singers to describe a cheatin woman, a bad boss, or even the evil in the. Some 20thcentury blues songs, such as sold it to the devil by black spider dumpling john d. Which is too bad, because a set of songs dealing directly with the devil might have made this album a good deal more striking. Bluesman robert johnsons deal with the devil texas. Many modern listeners believe that the premier song about soulselling at a crossroads is cross road blues by robert johnson. Hes a showmana barking ringleader with chops between tom waits and the butthole surfers gibby haynes willamette week. Fusco was a traveling blues musician prior to attending new york universitys tisch school of the arts, where he wrote crossroads as an assignment in a master class led by the screenwriting giants waldo salt and ring lardner, jr. Steve vai also appears in the film as the devil s guitar player in the climactic guitar duel.
An early death, deals with the devil and mysterious origins are ripe to keep. There is a little bit of devil in all of us, but if your after a whole lot of devil, films that is, this discount deal will really appeal to you. He gets the money he needs for his farm and way more, and in seven years the devil will claim his soul. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians. Devil at the crossroads 2019 a look at the short, mysterious life of blues legend, robert johnson, who was said to have made a deal with the devil at a crossroads in rural mississippi. Devil at the crossroads examines legendary blues guitarists mysterious life and death.
He plays in devil blues with krzysiek gorczak vocal, kamil lickiewicz drums and jacek kaczynski bass guitar. The crossroads is a place in mississippi that blues aficionados come to visit, that it is rumored where johnson met the devil to sign the contract for his soul. I just love the blues licensed to youtube by sme on behalf of dm digital. The idea of making a deal with the devil has appeared many times in works of popular culture the theme enjoyed a large run of popularity in the 20th century. Netflixs original documentary series, remastered, investigates highprofile events affecting some of the most leg. This movie is the most wonderful tribute to blues ever made. Aug 12, 2012 talked with spot barnett today over a killer creole lunch at ma harpers. Mo better blues 1990 the search for robert johnson 1991. They often summarize the story and suggest the future. The film hes calling devil deal blues details johnsons trip to the alamo city, which he says took a long time to write. The portland mercury going so far as to declare geer warren zevons medium, showing him the world from the great beyond. Discover top rated, most viewed, and editorial picked deal with the devil movies on allmovie.
The stories of his deal with the devil run so deep that there are fairy tales about a fictional character based on moulton who collects doubloons from the devil himself in his boots each night. In memphis, they stop by the legendary sun studio to record a few tracks in the studio that was home to hundreds of blues musicians, before elvis walked in and introduced a white audience to the. Im so fed up with this protofaustian nonsense promoted by white fans. Robert has lived his life with a haunting past leaving him empty and jaded. Robert johnson documentary devil at the crossroads resurrects. You know them, you love them, you might even worship them. Robert johnson hell hound on my trail no halloween influenced blues list would be complete without at least one song from robert. I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees, sings johnson in his eerie and cool voice. Blues legend robert johnson and his deal with the devil jan 20, 2018 martin chalakoski by now, many will have come across the term faustian pact, a term that refers to a bargain in which an individual trades in his integrity and soul for personal gain, or essentially selling what someone is for what. The film on the pioneering blues legend includes commentary from eric clapton. Starring ralph macchio, joe seneca and jami gertz, the film was written by john fusco and directed by walter hill and features an original score featuring ry cooder and guitar virtuoso steve vai on the soundtracks guitar, and harmonica by sonny terry. As i was watching, the lines of reality and fiction began to blur as i began to relate with all the finely crafted characters.
Not only have there been songs dedicated to johnson and his infamous deal, but there have been parts of movies dedicated to the same story. Talked with spot barnett today over a killer creole lunch at ma harpers. Robert leroy johnson may 8, 1911 august 16, 1938 was an american blues singer, songwriter and musician. The unreal life of robert johnson hiramoto, akira on. Twitty, may be about making a deal with the devil at the crossroads. By now, many will have come across the term faustian pact, a term that refers to a bargain in which an individual trades in his integrity and soul for personal gain, or essentially selling what someone is for what someone. That legend reached a mainstream audience with the 1986 movie. The most famous american story of making a deal with the devil is robert johnson, who died of poisoning at 27 years old and wrote the immortal blues classic, crossroads. Steve vai also appears in the film as the devils guitar player in the climactic guitar duel. Drew mayeroakes brent bettes talvin wilks rose meade hart willy holtzman i dont know every step of the road to finishing it. He asks the legendary blues musician willie brown to help him, but willie demands to free him from the oldpeoples prison first and to really learn the blues on the way to its origin. The recommendation service has sorted out serious, suspenseful, scary, stylized, suspense and atmospheric films and tv shows about with deal with the devil, devil, supernatural, murder, destiny, good versus evil, danger, vengeance, curses spells and rituals and catastrophe plots mostly in.
A boy finds a blues legend living in a nursing home. The crossroads, the one and only crossroads, where the delta blues emerged as a manifest entity in the person and music of robert johnson is at the south end of rosedale where highway 8 intersects with highway 1. Thank you walter hill and john fusco for such a delightful film. Nov 30, 2016 interested in making a deal with the devil.
The devil and the blues is drunken prayers fourth record, and third on fluff and gravy. Robert johnson wakes up the genius in everyone, and his music speaks. If anyone has made a deal with the devil, its mick jagger who is still prancing around at 73, raking in millions and has led a very satisfied existence. The list contains the best, new and most relevant deal with the devil movies ordered by relevance. The simplistic soundtrack added the perfect amount of tension as the deal spiraled out of control. Now, the innocent must fight for their lives as the devil tries to destroy everything and. Whats more, he can close the deal if you merely speak a wish out loud in his presence. Aug 22, 2012 you have to be very square or uptight to dismiss devil deal blues as yet another take on the neverproven. Another integral part to this negative perception by the mainstream community was the drugs, sex and alcohol that infused the blues lifestyle. A deal with the devil was made by the bass player of the virtual band gorillaz, murdoc niccals, but with no lethal consequence. Keith richards, taj mahal, keb mo and bonnie raitt, among others, weigh in on the delta bluesmans musical impact. The terms are due on a deal with the devil made long ago. Nov 16, 2006 the song crossroad blues, from which this episode takes its title, is playing when robert johnson makes his deal with the demon at the crossroads. In the film, awardwinning blues singersongwriter keb mo says it best.
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