Re: Tommy Russell/Cobain Conspiracy?

[Alan McKendree <amck@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2002 23:44:48 -0700
>From: "An English Boy" <peter_dennis_blandford_townshend@hotmail.com>
>
>A once a year viewing, simply to see Moonie's Uncle Ernie
>bits & pieces, EC's gig hawking empty miralces in the name of
>religion, Arthur Brown's dispatching of the body of Christ,
>Scotch & salvation, the never ending fields of the Hollywood
>Bowl's leftover testicles painted silver, Ann Margret's tits,
>Pete's little run toward the camera and rubber wrist strumming
>during Butcher Boy's take on PBWizzerd, is more than enough.
>
>Other quality highlights overlooked?

Since you asked...

While agreeing with every one of your above mentions, I'd add the following:

I think the opening showing the chaos of a bomb attack in urban London is
very well done

the sequence of Capt. Walker leaving Nora in the train station very well
captures the agony of leaving one's spouse/loved one possibly forever

the first time I saw the movie I could FEEL the terror of plunging to one's
doom trapped in an unresponsive hulk of a shot-up airplane;

The instrumental intro to "1951" (just after Frank and Nora close the door
to Tommy's bedroom and turn to each other) is stunningly erotic.  Sheer
ecstacy, until Oliver Reed unfortunately opens his mouth;

I thought the device of having Tommy sing alone for the first time, while
blocking out the others' voices in Christmas was very effective

I thought the idea of having Tommy's father return and his loving touch be
the very thing that roused Tommy from sleep and led, tragically in the
classic sense, to his psychosomatic injuries was brilliant;

I LOVED the visuals and symbolism in Amazing Journey, and Tommy's father
reappearing as the avatar/guide;

I thought Tina Turner absolutely kicked ass in Acid Queen and I loved the
symbolism in that as well, particularly the poppies replacing needle holes
in Roger at one point, Capt. Walker whole, unscarred and tripping inside
the Iron Maiden, and the snake sliding through the skeleton's ribcage (a
snake the size of a sewer pipe -- later referred to in Athena and Horse's
Neck).  Plus Acid Queen's near-orgasmic bass work, which I believe John
played although I could be wrong and I'm not about to go check right now;

I loved the idea of the three colored Tommy reflections merging into one
white-clad Tommy (symbolizing purity) and that avatar then leading Tommy
out of the house to the dump where he finds his salvation in, out of all
silly stupid things, a pinball machine;

I thought the Champagne sequence was brilliant not only in its references
to the Sell Out cover in particular and its spirit in general, but in the
final crashing conclusion where Nora clutches and soils the only unspoiled
thing left in the room, a pure white chrysanthemum, and following shot
where Frank finds her writhing on a pristine carpet and we realize the last
five minutes we've seen have all been in her mind (a favorite and effective
Russell trick);

I'm Free, especially the guitar;

Roger's vocal performance in Sensation, a career highlight;

the live shots, however brief, of The Who in full glory in Sally Simpson,
and the stab of Sally carelessly/innocently running past the war-heroes
memorial without giving it a second thought.

There ya go.

Cheers,

Alan
R. I. P. Ox
John Entwistle 1944 - 2002