Blues

Biloxi Blues was the second of playwright Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical trilogy (number one was Brighton Beach Memoirs; number three, Broadway Bound). Matthew Broderick stars as Simon's alter ego Eugene Morris Jerome, who is drafted and shipped off to boot camp in Biloxi, Mississippi in the waning days of World War II. Eugene is at the mercy of near-psychotic drill sergeant Toomey (Christopher Walken), who seems to have a personal vendetta against the poor schlemiel (Toomey also has all the film's best lines). While sweating out basic training, Eugene is indoctrinated into manhood by local prostitute Rowena (Park Overall). The film version of Biloxi Blues retains the wit and poignancy of the theatrical original–except towards the end, which pointlessly emphasizes a showdown between Eugene and Toomey.

Defining the blues is a simple task: a basic I-IV-V chord progression laid over a 12-bar framework, however the blues have evolved from African-American field hollers through rough-hewn rural heavyweights such as Blind Lemon Jefferson to the immaculate guitar excursions of B.B. King.