Heartbreakers Beach Party, the 1983 Tom Petty documentary once believed to be lost, is coming to theaters. Directed by Academy Award winner Cameron Crowe in his directorial debut, Heartbreakers Beach Party will screen for two nights on October 17 and 20. (The latter date is Petty’s birthday.)
The documentary was filmed in 1982 and 1983 as Petty’s band recorded, promoted, and toured their fifth studio album, Long After Dark. Heartbreakers Beach Party had been unavailable for years until a 16mm print was found earlier this year and restored to include 19 minutes of archival footage and commentary from Crowe himself. In addition to Crowe and Petty, members of the Heartbreakers—Mike Campbell, Howie Epstein, Stan Lynch, and Benmont Tench—and Stevie Nicks all appear in the doc. “Heartbreakers Beach Party occupies a special place in my heart,” Crowe told the press. “I’m so happy we’re bringing it back in all its reckless glory.”
Order Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers’ Long After Dark now.
The album Long After Dark was originally released in November 1982 and featured the top 40 singles “Change Of Heart” and “You Got Lucky.” Crowe actually directed the music video for the former track. The album itself peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200. Earlier this year, an expanded reissue of the album was announced.
Crowe has long been aligned with documenting and highlighting the golden age of rock music. Beyond his directing debut with Heartbreakers Beach Party, he got his start writing for Rolling Stone when he was just a teenager. His experience was later dramatized in Almost Famous, the 2000 film starring Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, and Frances McDormand. Crowe went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his work. In the 2010s, Crowe continued to work on musical documentaries, directing The Union, which focuses on a collaboration between Elton John and Leon Russell, and Pearl Jam Twenty. In 2019, Crowe produced David Crosby: Remember My Name.
Find out more info about the screenings here.