Crossroads (1986)

One of my first R rated movies and also one of the last, for a long time. Coming from a fairly restricted upbringing, I turned this movie into a type of crossroads of my own. I wore out the soundtrack cassette, infusing into me as much individuality and revolution as I could muster at the time. 

Take chances, follow your passion, get hurt and use it to deepen emotions... These things I held onto in my young mind and used them to the best of my ability. Watching the movie again so many years later, those lessons are still there and again I take them in through the music. There's something magical about revisiting musical milestones.

side note: I just read that Steve Vai's musical awakening came from the West Side Story Soundtrack! That soundtrack was my musical awakening too and the first album I ever bought. Too bad I didn't pick up a guitar...