Re: The Who Digest Vol 3 Num 14

[mleaman@sccoast.net (Mark Leaman)]

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>   I don't know why people keep on knocking the movie "Tommy"

Gary:

I think that, more than anything else, Tommy (the movie) got too caught up
in the time...the end of the "Glitter" Rock, or Glam Rock (if you prefer)
phase of Rock fashion. It has that look. Which makes it rather less than
timeless. Actually, I've always called the movie "TOMMY on acid."
Quadrophenia (again, the movie) is at once much closer to timeless. I don't
believe the movie was trying to convey the same message as the album (as
I've discussed before)...and indeed the story is much changed. Jimmy, in the
movie, is just mixed-up and looking for a way to survive socially...and
other than his father's fantastic line ("Bloody split personality!"), there
is no indication that Mr. Cooper has more than one personality. The end,
too, is quite different. The movie ends up being an interesting (and very,
very realistic) look at the Mod lifestyle. The story in the album, as we
have seen, translates well into any generation.
I must cast my vote for Quad, though...the realism of the movie makes it one
of my all time favorites. Favorite lines: "We are the Mods!" "Oh yeah? And
what about Brighton then? Was that just a GIGGLE?" "You can take it or leave
it, my son. Take-it-or-leave-it." "There it is, then. On the floor." "I'm
not taking any chances, am I?" "I can sing better than that little ape."
"You're not nor-mal!" "Yeah? Well find one, then."
Ah...great movie, that.

          Cheers                           ML