Product Description: Ken russells adaptation of the whos rock opera. Special features: full screen and widescreen version 2-channel dolby surround sound or dolby digital 5.0 subtitles: english french spanish talent files and audio restoration production notes. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 12/21/2004 Starring: Roger Daltrey Ann-margret Run time: 111 minutes Rating: Pg
Amazon.com: If you've ever wanted to hear Jack Nicholson sing (or try to) or marvel at the sight of Ann-Margret drunkenly cavorting in a cascade of baked beans, Tommy is the movie you've been waiting for. As it turns out, the Who's brilliant rock opera is sublimely matched to director Ken Russell's penchant for cinematic excess, and this 1975 production finds Russell at the peak of his filmmaking audacity. It's a fever-dream of musical bombast, custom-fit to the thematic ambition of Pete Townshend's epic rock drama, revolving around the titular "deaf, dumb, and blind kid" (played by Who vocalist Roger Daltrey) who survives the childhood trauma that stole his senses to become a Pinball Wizard messiah in Townshend's grandiose attack on the hypocrisy of organized religion.
The story is remarkably coherent considering the hypnotic dream-state induced by Russell's visuals. Tommy's odyssey is rendered through wall-to-wall music, each song representing a pivotal chapter in Tommy's chronology, from the bloodstream shock of "The Acid Queen" (performed to the hilt by Tina Turner) to Nicholson's turn as a well-intentioned physician, Elton John's towering rendition of "Pinball Wizard," and Daltrey's epiphanous rendition of "I'm Free." Other performers include Eric Clapton and (most outrageously) the Who's drummer Keith Moon, and through it all Russell is almost religiously faithful to Townshend's artistic vision. Although it divided critics when first released, Tommy now looks likes a minor classic of gonzo cinema, worthy of the musical genius that fueled its creation. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Long Ago And Far Away
It would be difficult to overestimate the impact TOMMY had when hit movie screens in 1975, and if you were alive at the time you knew of the movie, knew of the stars, and very likely heard some of the ... Read More
Rating: - Visionary !
Jack Nicholson singing ? What could possibly go wrong ? I felt like I took a tab of acid in post-war London. Ken Russell is one of those insane visionaries that goes waaaaaayyyyyy beyond conventional film ... Read More
Rating: - Our Search for "Tommy"
We chose a dealer from Amazon to purchase this DVD - and as we expected - all went well. The product itself, price, shipping - all excellent.
Rating: - Not Just For WHO Fans!
I'm not the biggest WHO fan. But there is no denying that "Tommy" is a phenomenal masterpiece. Much of what makes this rock opera so great is the different guest appearances, the phenomenal music, the artistic ... Read More
Rating: - Fast delivery, excellent condition
The DVD arrived well ahead of the scheduled delivery date, and in perfect condition. I have no concerns about ordering New & Used when I get service and products like this.
- Long Ago And Far Away
- Visionary !