A long-lost Tom Petty documentary, directed by Almost Famous writer-director Cameron Crowe, is now available to stream for the first time.
Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party originally aired on MTV in 1983 and then disappeared for decades. After being restored for a limited theatrical release in October, the film officially became available for streaming on Paramount+ as of March 11.
The documentary was restored from its original 16mm film reels. An archivist discovered the unlabeled reels and reached out to director Cameron Crowe, leading to the film’s restoration and re-release.
The footage was captured around the time the Heartbreakers were working on Long After Dark.
Best known for writing Fast Times at Ridgemont High and directing Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, and Vanilla Sky, Crowe made his directorial debut with Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party.
The film includes Crowe himself interviewing Tom Petty—who passed away in 2017—along with the Heartbreakers band members.
Tom Petty Documentary (Photo: Paramount)The newly restored version also includes additional footage and interviews featuring Petty’s daughter, Adria, as well as Crowe.
In a statement announcing the film’s re-release, Crowe shared:
“Heartbreaker’s Beach Party occupies a special place in my heart. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers leaned into the making of the film with a kind of hilarious music-filled honesty that still feels fresh 40 years later.…
The fact that the original film was yanked from MTV after only one airing shows that it was, and still is, an outlandish feast for fans in the best ways.”
This rare documentary arrives just days before the release of a memoir by Petty’s longtime Heartbreakers bandmate Mike Campbell.
Campbell, who co-wrote classics like Refugee and Runnin’ Down a Dream, will release Heartbreaker: A Memoir on March 18 in hardcover and e-book formats through Grand Central Publishing.
A signed edition of Mike Campbell’s memoir is available at Barnes & Noble, as well as other retailers including Amazon and Bookshop.org.
