Tommy

Rating:
Summary: Ken Russell, and Alan Parker should get drunk together.
Review: I hated this movie. The original album, and the subsequent Broadway musical touched the story with ever so much more power that this movie deserves to be cursed and forgotten.

I think what pissed me off the most about this movie is the fact that they altered the story line every so slightly, but still just enough to slap Pete Townshend directly in the face. In the original album, Tommy's real father returns from WWI, and kills the lover of Tommy's mother. In the movie they changed it around. It is the lover who kills Tommy's real father, and henceforth takes the place of Tommy's father for the remainder of the story. When I saw this it did much more then annoy me. It enraged me. In fact it required all of the patience and will power I could muster to keep myself from running outside and screaming my head off, then going out and finding Ken Russell so I could plunge my fist right through the miserable bastards fat face, sending his brains and eyeballs flying out the back of his skull to be splattered all over whatever poster of this lousy film might lurk on his office wall.

Why did Ken Russell change the story? Why? There was no reason for it. None whatsoever! It is an insult. And to add injury to said insult, the man who took the place of Tommy's father in the film couldn't even sing worth a damn. And we had to put up with him through the end of the film? POOH, I SAY! STINK! This was by far Ken Russell's biggest atrocity in the making of this film, but don't you worry, I'm not finished yet. There were other major flaws, as well.

Everyone seems to rant and rave about Tina Turner, Elton John, and Eric Clapton's performances in this flick, but I didn't find their renditions even the least bit impressive. I would have preferred that they simply dub in the original tracks. Eric Capton, as the hawker was only adequate, Tina Turner's rendition of "Acid Queen" was over-the-top, and Elton John's version of "Pinball Wizard" was just contemptuous.

Next ... (say it with me) Jack Nicholson as the Doctor. JACK NICHOLSON? Pete Townshend said it best; "He looks more like a bleedin' accountant than a doctor." Not to mention the fact that he completely butchered my favorite song. Normally, I'm a huge fan of Jack's, but whoever thought that he could carry a tune in this rock opera deserves to be beaten to a bloody pulp.

Furthermore, the overall *feel* of the film was wrong. I don't know how else to put it. The album and stage show present an all around dark, lonely, and mysterious temperament in Tommy. By the time he breaks out of his shell he is mad with hysteria and angry to be let free. In the movie, the whole affair seems to be put forth as some kind of great big Dr. Who adventure. I'm sorry, but that is not what Tommy is about.

The original album, and the latter Broadway musical were not without their faults, but at least they were consistent from beginning to end. Ken Russell just made one big mess of things. This is not a rock opera. This is something that resembles puke in the parking lot of some dive whiskey bar in "Deliverance County" Tennessee. Avoid this one at all costs, keep listening to the album, and make sure you get tickets to the play the next time it comes your home town.

Rating:
Summary: Tommy is great in all the senses (pun intended)
Review: This is perhaps the greatest bonding of Rock & Roll music in cinema. The artitsry in the film is manificent. The soundtrack is great, but not as good as the album, as Oilver Reed and Ann-Margaret CAN NOT SING. However, all the non Reed/Margaret songs are fantastic.
Even muted, the scenes are all so expertly done that the movie is still great. The "Acid Queen", "Eyesight to the Blind", and "Cousin Kevin" are all very artisticly shot and quite remberable.
One of the greatest things about this movie is that it explans the story. The album was great but made little sense, the movie fills in all the plot gaps.
In conclusion, this is great in all ways a movie can be, enough said.

Rating:
Summary: Tommyrot...
Review: I walked 5 miles to see TOMMY at the theatre when it first came out. I was 12 years old. For years, all I could remember was Elton John in giant boots, singing "Pinball Wizard". Well, I watched it again some 30 years later and..... All I can say is please, do yourself a favor and keep your finger on the skip button! You know the story- Tommy is exploited and abused by every adult in his life, turning deaf, dumb, and blind in response, ultimately turning into a messianic pinball champion. The original album was / is a seering assault on religious insanity and celebrity culture. The movie is a series of music videos without any depth or heart. Pinball Wizard and Tina Turner's Acid Queen are the only parts worth mentioning! Jack Nicholson and Oliver Reed "sing" as a form of unnecessary punishment! Tommy's mum, Ann Margaret looks great, but causes nausea whenever her voice begins that awful quavering! Yeah, then there's that godawful baked-beans-from-the-television thing! How Russell got her to do that is astonishing! As the title character, Roger Daltrey spends 99% of his screen time looking like a curly-haired hamster after too many blows to the melon! Kieth Moon as Uncle Ernie is at least funny in a twisted sort of way. Moon pretty much plays himself (read the book "Full Moon" to see what I mean). Pete Townshend and John Entwistle just sort of go along, playing their roles as living scenery! Ken Russell's direction is maniacal and idiotic as always! He took a classic rock masterpiece and turned it into the longest, most ridiculous collection of flashy catterwalling the world will ever know! I love THE WHO, but this abomination is Russell all the way! He sucked any life out of the music, replacing it with inane visuals that serve only to cause severe migraines (check out Eric Clapton in flowing robes, surrounded by people in plastic Marilyn Monroe masks)! The whole mess ends at Tommy's Holiday Camp, where the mindless throng rises up to kill Tommy and company. Ah, if only! Townshend said that Russell ruined his rock opera. I really tend to agree...

Rating:
Summary: Nightmarish and just plain awful
Review: I first came in contact with Tommy the movie when I bought the soundtrack prior to auditions for the stage version, thinking that the movie was no different than the orignial concept album or the play. It didn't matter, because I found myself quite attached to it, in lieu of it's creepiness factor, and the fact that Oliver Reed couldn't really sing. I became so fascinated by the soundtrack that I decided I just had to rent the movie...I did this with the knowledge that it had a terrible reputation, and was quite...bizzare. However, I popped it in to the VCR with hopes that I would enjoy it somewhat....after viewing the film, I proceeded to lie in bed, staring at the ceiling in a cold sweat, scared ouf of my wits. This movis is simply terrifying and dreadful, on every level...save of course, for the music. Let me just say that Elton John, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner (born to play this role), and The Who are outstanding...they play and sing their little old hearts out, and it shows on the soundtrack...unfortunately, it does little to remedy the nightmarish landscape that is this film. Let me just say that I'm not squemish or close minded when it comes to films...Clockwork Orange is one of my all time favorite films, a movie, many would argue to be quite disturbing....however disturbing it is though, there is a reason for it's shock value. This movie has none...it proceeds to show Roger Daltry in a series of montages being beaten,burned with cigarrettes, ironed, pushed down the stairs, stuck in the tub,molested, shoved in a metal box full of drug-infused needles, and then become the pinball champion of the world...to make matters worse, Russell beats us over the head with symbolism that it so obvious, it borders on being condescending. A church that worships Marilyn Monroe? Hmm, let me guess....CELEBRITY WORSHIP?! There were points that I just wanted to scream "we get it already!". The film is visually stunning,no doubt about it, but so is a neon green polyester jumpsuit...it doesn't mean that it's pleasent or appealing, does it? And does it bother anyone that Tommy's father is killed (a significant change in the story, as every other version has the lover killed instead, but again, Russell felt the need to make the movie even more pointlessly shocking and depressing by having the poor boy witness the brutal slaying of his father), and that his family blatantly exploits him throughout the movie with little shame or acknowledgement? Even after he regains his senses (after a dreadful montage of him running in place with a cheesy shot of tidal wave in the background), he doesn't seem to mind this fact...personally, I'd be a little bit peeved, but that's just me. Let me just conclude by saying that Pete Townsend had a nervous breakdown after the completion of this film, and the band has since refused to endorse the movie...I, for one, don't blame them...I'd be embarrassed too if I were in any way connected to this miserable piece of filth. Don't even rent it for a laugh, there are plenty of campy movies out there that won't leave you frightened and disgusted. Shame on you Kenneth Russell!!!

Rating:
Summary: Satanic? Ha!
Review: One messed up person gave it one star, seeming to think that the who were in league with the devil! I can understand this isn't a film for everyone, and how some people may hate it, but it's hardly satanic! Anyway, I like it, even if lots of other people don't. It's like marmite, and moulin rouge. You either love it or hate it. I love it, and even though it's a bit OTT at some points, it's a lot of fun. I would recommend renting it before buying it, because it's not everyones idea of a great film, but the only advice I can give to you before watching it is this: watch it with an open mind. If you watch it expecting to hate it, you'll get confused, and if you watch it expecting to love it you may be sorely disappointed. I love Tommy, but you may not, so watch it and make your own mind up about it.

Rating:
Summary: Terrible "Tommy"
Review: "Tommy" is a terrible movie, but at least it's an interesting terrible movie. That might almost be a verdict on all of director Ken Russell's output. Russell isn't without talent, but he seems to mistake shooting spit balls at established values as artistic innovation. At his best, his movies can be lush, breathless tears through the material. At their worst, they are choppy, sloppy, puerile romps.

To be honest, I'm not that great a fan of the opera. It's always struck me as more than a bit strained and over-heated. Perhaps that's why Russell was selected to direct it. "Restraint" is not a word likely ever to be used to describe his work. His crude bombast works when the material and the performers allow it. The high points of the film are Elton John's Pinball Wizard and Tina Turner's Acid Queen. They know how to energize audiences through their performances, and Russell responds with equally over-heated technique that helps to send the movie over the top.

But whose sadistic idea was it to allow non-singers like Jack Nicholson, Oliver Reed and Ann Margaret to sing their own parts? Almost unintelligible most of the time, we can barely understand what they're saying. The overbearingly loud instrumental backups certainly don't help, but then maybe the sound mixers were trying to distract us from the tinny voices of the actors. These non-singers are perfectly fine performers who have proven their abilities repeatedly elsewhere. To expose them this way seems almost an act of revenge, or at best callous indifference to their reputations. As for Roger Daltry, while obviously more at home with material that requires him to be abused, he seems at times to be there for no purpose except to have things thrown at him.

There's no denying the film is effective, in a brutal, primitive way. And since subtlety has nothing to do with either rock or Russell, perhaps that should be the end of it. If the opera is, indeed, a classic, however, doesn't it deserve better treatment than this? Isn't defending this over-produced gruel as `hip' just another form of condescension and abuse? Rock certainly matters. It's not entirely clear that the makers of "Tommy" have the least understanding of that, or the slightest interest in it.


Rating:
Summary: A classic film; really?
Review: I purchased "Tommy" on DVD a few months back, with high (too high) expectations. I suppose I have to give this film props for being the first rock opera ever. But I must say, Tommy was a huge disappointment for me.

I should have done more research about this film before just going out and buying the DVD. I have heard from a couple of people a long time ago say that it was a "classic" film based on The Who's album "Tommy", which I love. I starting watching and was in shock nearly every scene of the movie. It was literally torture for watch this film in it's entirety and still keep an open mind.

I've seen several musicals, and a couple of rock operas, but this was just ridiculous. I kept thinking, is this a joke? People really "love" this movie? I found next to nothing to "like" about this film; except for Elton John and Marilyn Munroe's parts. You keep wondering throughout the film, is this gonna get any better? The answer is no, it only gets cheesier. There is NO RESEMBLENCE between this movie and The Who's "Tommy" album. I just want to make that clear, so people don't make the same mistake I made.

For all you "rock opera" fans out there. I hope you get more use out of your DVD than mine will be getting, collecting dust on a shelf.