With the passing of Chuck Berry this past week it was an amazing coincidence that Kit Parker Films had recently released a feature starring Berry in a supporting role, GO JOHNNY GO. The film is also one of the first offerings under the new banner the company is using, The Sprocket Vault.I was familiar with the name Kit Parker from my college days, a time when his company was just starting out. At that time his company handled a number of 16mm films for rental, most of them classics from the golden days of Hollywood. By classics I'm not talking huge budgeted studio features, the studios had the rights to those. But Parker made a name for himself and his company by offering great old films at decent rental prices. When video and then DVD rolled around he transferred those films and continues to market them.GO JOHNNY GO tells the story of young Johnny Melody (Jimmy Clanton) (with a name like that he's destined for showbiz), an orphan who's out on his own now and looking to make his mark as a professional singer. He knows he has talent, now all he needs is a break. Fortune smiles on him when he runs into Julie Arnold (Sandy Stewart), a young girl he knew in the orphanage who was adopted. They share dreams, both wanting to become singers and plan to meet up again sometime.Both of them get the chance when radio personality Allan Freed and his PR man decide to have a contest giving some young singer the chance to become the next big star with a spot on his rock and roll road show. This is where Berry steps in as a musician who works for Freed as well as being a star himself. Julie is recording her record to submit when she runs into Johnny again, spending his last money of his recording.The submissions roll in and Freed hears Johnny's song. The PR man and Berry insists that the kid has potential. But he doesn't have a phone. His plan to call run astray when Freed and his group step out to visit a club. Fortunately Julie and Johnny are at the same club! And yet they miss their chance to talk to Freed! Good heaven's what will happen next? Watch and see to find out.Throughout the film there are performances by some of the top solo artists and groups of the day. That is one of the things that makes this movie so special and one to add to the collection of every classic rock and roll fan. Those performers include Richie Valens, Jackie Wilson, The Flamingos, Eddie Cochran, Harvey Fuqua, Jo-Ann Campbell and the Cadillacs. All are tremendous fun to watch, listen to and enjoy. Even Berry gets the chance to perform his classic "Memphis" and do his signature duck walk.In the fifties and sixties movies like this were being made to meet the demand of fans who wanted to see their favorite music stars. It wasn't like today when everyone can click on YouTube on their cell phone and watch a performer. These moves were made on the cheap but they still offered a combination of story, musical performances and entertainment as well as a huge heap of charm that drew fans in. Now you can enjoy it as well with this release.In addition to getting the best quality print that can be found of this film it also offers a commentary track featuring Richard M. Roberts, Randy Skeetvedt and Brent Walker. There is also a copy of the original trailer as well. If you grew up listening to this music you'll want to add this one to your collection.

No need to recap the wispy plot. Many of the names may be familiar from R&R's early period—Berry, Cochran Valens, Wilson— but their stylings are not. Looks to me as though the sounds were toned down to suit a white middle-class audience, whose adults tended to identify hard core R&R with juvenile delinquency. That's particularly the case with Chuck Berry who could do a driving beat with the best of them. Not here however. The producers have even added white bread Jimmy Clanton to headline, even though his crooning style better suits pre-R&R. The movie is clearly a commercial product, running a bit scared of the raucous style it's gently alluding to. For a much less compromised glimpse of those early years, catch The Girl Can't Help It (1956).

"Go, Johnny, Go!" from 1959 is a showcase of Rock and Roll talent from its early years. Eddie Cochran, Jackie Wilson, Ritchie Valens, the Cadillacs, and Chuck Berry are all on hand here. Unfortunately, poor Ritchie was already gone by the time this film came out and Eddie Cochran would be killed in an auto accident the following year. It didn't take long before Chuck Berry was being indicted which put the skids on his career for years. Still, it's great to see these legends in their prime. The simplistic plot of this movie only serves to give the musical acts some brief intervals, so there isn't much to say about it. It revolves around a "chip on his shoulder" teenage orphan (Jimmy Clanton) who wants to become a singing star in the worst way. The worst way describes the rest of his flimsy story. On the plus side, Clanton sings a few tunes himself and there's no doubt that he had some talent, although this movie did little to advance his career. Of historical note is the appearance of record deejay Alan Freed who is instrumental in the plot of this film. Within a year or two after this movie's release, Freed was testifying before the U.S. Congress regarding his role in the Record Payola Scandal and his career never recovered. Mr. "Rock and Roll" died a broken man a few years later. He is chiefly remembered now for having the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame being built in the city of his original home station: Cleveland, Ohio. Long Live Rock and Roll!!

In what was to be his last movie, legendary 50s DJ Alan Freed(1921-1965), playing..er..legendary 50s DJ Alan Freed, once again presents a host of early rock and roll stars,hung together with a threadbare perfunctory plot(just as in "Rock Rock Rock","Rock around the clock" and "Don't knock the rock"). Shot at the Hal Roach studio in Culver City, Los Angeles (where Laurel and Hardy once romped)in January 1959,"Go Johnny go" is one of the most interesting and enjoyable of the early rock films. Chuck Berry features, not just as a performer but an actor as well, he's seen hanging out with Freed,accompanying him, it appears, wherever he goes! As was usual in Freed's cheap and cheerful films, the rock and roll stars on display are some of the best.The movie has the only big screen performance of Richie Valens,who died very shortly after he filmed this appearance,in the notorious 1959 plane crash,which also claimed Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. Another tragic rocker here is Eddie Cochran, a car accident victim about a year and a half after he made the film. The story, such as it is, concerns Freed's desire to make a star out of a talented nobody-this means we get a lot of crooning from lanky teen idol Jimmy Clanton, playing the aforesaid nobody(the "Johnny" of the title). I can never make up my mind about Clanton; he was competent actor,though he is certainly surrounded by his betters as performers in the line up here.Look out for scene with Alan Freed jamming on drums along with Chuck Berry and his group on the marvelous "Little Queenie", Freed looks like he's having a ball. Sadly the good times were not to roll much longer for Freed as personal and career problems mounted. He became embroiled in the payola scandal, and was pursued relentlessly by the tax man.Dropped from his TV and radio shows, moving to the west coast to get work, his drinking was turning him into a serious and sick alcoholic, he died broke,killed by Uraemia in 1965. Performers(alphabetical)- Chuck Berry-"Go Johnny go","Little Queenie" "Memphis Tennessee" The Cadillacs-"Jaywalker","Please Mr Johnson"(They may have been the poor man's Coasters,but they're great here,acting out their song stories on the stage in a club). Jo-Ann Campbell-"Momma can I go out?" Jimmy Clanton-"Angel face","It takes a long time","My love is true","Ship on a stormy sea" Eddie Cochran-"Teenage Heaven"(watch Eddie dance with his guitar!) The Flamingos-"Jump children"(a performance of breathtaking exuberance) Harvey Fuqua-"Don't be afraid to love me" Sandy Stewart-"Heavenly father","Playmate"(the last one a perky piece performed in a recording studio) Sandy Stewart/Jimmy Clanton-"Once again" Richie Valens-"Ooh my head""(performed for Freed and his pals and a tiny group of teens) Jackie Wilson-"You'd better know it"(Wilson,a reliable showstopper as always-and one of the coolest rockers ever.If you've seen stills or clips of Jackie performing in front of a silly coffee pot with a face backdrop,this is where it's from!)