Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party Production Notes – The Uncool - The Official Site for Everything Cameron Crowe

ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR CAMERON CROWE RELEASES HIS DIRECTORIAL DEBUT TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTYIN CINEMAS FOR THE FIRST TIME ON OCTOBER 17 AND 20

Los Angeles, CA & London, UK – September 10, 2024 — Trafalgar Releasing and the Tom Petty Estate are thrilled to announce the highly anticipated big screen debut of TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY. The lost 1983 cult classic documentary, directed by legendaryRolling Stone journalist and Academy Award-winning director Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire), will screen in cinemas worldwide for two special nights only on October 17 and October 20 (on what would have been Tom Petty’s 74th birthday). Fans will experience Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers like never before with a new introduction from Crowe himself and an all-new 20-minute cut of unreleased outtakes from the acclaimed director. Watch/share the trailer HERE.

“Heartbreakers Beach Party occupies a special place in my heart,” says Crowe. “Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leaned into the making of the film with a kind of hilarious music-filled honesty that still feels fresh forty years later. It was also my first experience as a director. Thanks to Adria Petty and the Petty Estate, along with our co-filmmakers Danny Bramson, Phil Savenick, Doug Dowdle and Greg Mariotti, I’m so happy we’re bringing it back in all its reckless glory. The fact that it was yanked from MTV after only one airing at 2:00 A.M. just shows that it was indeed an outlandish feast for fans in all the best ways. Let that sucker blast!”

This cinematic event marks the first time TOM PETTY: HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY has been seen on the big screen, fully remastered in 4K. Originally airing only once on MTV in February 1983, it was Crowe’s directorial debut and pirated versions have been coveted by fans ever since. Featuring a mix of in-depth interviews, electrifying live performances and unprecedented intimate access to Petty and the band—including Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, Stan Lynch, and new addition Howie Epstein—the film’s influence can even be seen in Rob Reiner’s This Is Spinal Tap.

The film, now restored from its 16mm source by Crowe, reveals an era defining look at rock & roll in 1982 when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers finished, promoted and toured around the groundbreaking album Long After Dark. Often misunderstood, this is the band’s third and final album with legendary rock producer Jimmy Iovine. Alongside the film an expansive reissue, Long After Dark (Deluxe Edition), featuring a collection of rediscovered and unheard songs will be released on October 18.

MTV, a relatively new network at the time, was instrumental in shaping music culture, and this film captures the essence of that era. The film features behind the scenes footage of the iconic apocalyptic western music video for “You Got Lucky,” directed by Jim Lenahan, which was groundbreaking and pioneering for its short film approach and futuristic style.

This is the second “Meet Up” for Tom Petty fans following the successful 2021 Trafalgar release of award-winning and critically acclaimed Tom Petty: Somewhere You Feel Free – The Making of Wildflowers.

“This special cinematic event offers Tom Petty fans a unique opportunity to unite and honor the music that has deeply resonated with countless fans through many decades and generations,” says Kymberli Frueh, Senior Vice President for Programming and Content Acquisitions at Trafalgar Releasing. “The cinema platform offers a way for these fans to connect with one another and hopefully create new memories together.”

In 2024, the long-thought lost 16mm reels of Tom Petty in Cameron Crowe’s first film, “Heartbreakers Beach Party”, were finally found. The classic ‘80s documentary captures Tom Petty and the band in 1982-1983 as they finish, promote, and tour around the “Long After Dark” album (their final with legendary producer Jimmy Iovine). After its initial airing on MTV in 1983, the film was deemed too experimental and abruptly pulled from the air. In the more than 40 years since, it has become folklore to fans, musicians and within the entertainment industry – even credited with inspiring scenes in Spinal Tap. The highly anticipated & fully remastered “Heartbreakers Beach Party” is a fun, candid, fast paced, & musically rich ride with America’s greatest rock & roll band, a time capsule of the dawn of the MTV era, and a rare & shining glimpse into Tom Petty’s lasting creative genius.

This exclusive theatrical release features 19 minutes of fully remastered, never-before-seen, archival bonus footage and new introductions in theaters from director Cameron Crowe.