Tommy (film)

Infobox Film
name = Tommy

---

caption = Theatrical release poster
director = Ken Russell
producer = Ken Russell
Robert Stigwood
writer = Ken Russell
Pete Townshend
starring = Oliver Reed
Ann-Margret
Roger Daltrey
Elton John
Eric Clapton
John Entwistle
Keith Moon
Paul Nicholas
Jack Nicholson
music = The Who
cinematography = Dick Bush
Ronnie Taylor
editing = Stuart Baird
distributor = Columbia Pictures
released = flagicon|USA
March 19, 1975
flagicon|UK
March 26, 1975 [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073812/releaseinfo Tommy (1975) - Release dates ] ]
runtime = 111 min.
country = flagicon|UK
language = English
budget = $5 million [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073812/business Tommy (1975) - Box office / business ] ]
gross = $20 million
amg_id = 1:50339
imdb_id = 0073812

"Tommy" is a 1975 musical film, based on The Who's 1969 "rock opera" album musical "Tommy". It was directed by Ken Russell and featured a star-studded cast, including the band members themselves. Ann-Margret received a Golden Globe Award for her performance, and was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Pete Townshend was also nominated for an Oscar for his work in scoring and adapting the music for the film. The film was the first and only film to be recorded with a Quintaphonic soundtrack. Some outdoor scenes were shot in the Borrowdale valley of the English Lake District, near to the home of Ken Russell.

Plot

Tommy's father, RAF Group Captain Walker, is away fighting the Germans in World War II. His plane is shot from the air before Tommy is born. His mother, Nora Walker, receives the news while at work in a munitions factory filling bombs with ball bearings. Mrs. Walker faints and brings boxes of the ball bearings down with her. Mrs. Walker then gives birth to a baby boy, Tommy. Tommy's mother believes her husband is dead for nearly six years. She meets Frank Hobbs at a holiday camp and starts a relationship with him.

However, Group Captain Walker had survived the crash and returns home one night. Tommy follows him to the bedroom where Walker sees Mrs. Walker and Hobbs in each other's arms. Hobbs kills Group Captain Walker by smashing a lamp on his head. The act is witnessed by young Tommy. Tommy is then told in a violent manner that he "didn't hear it, didn't see it" and "won't say nothing to no-one". As a result, Tommy mentally becomes deaf, dumb, and blind to avoid it.

The film jumps ahead ten years, and Tommy, now a young man, is being taken by his mother and stepfather on various attempts to cure him, including a religious cult (centered around Marilyn Monroe from "The Seven Year Itch") and the Acid Queen (Tina Turner), a prostitute dealing in acid (LSD) who sends Tommy on a wild trip that ultimately fails to awaken him. Meanwhile, his parents are somewhat negligent of Tommy, and leave him at the hands of his cruel cousin Kevin (Paul Nicholas), who beats him, and his perverted uncle Ernie (Keith Moon), who molests him.

Tommy's only stimulus seems to come from a long mirror that he stands and stares into. Led alone into a junkyard at night by a vision of himself, Tommy comes into contact with a device that will change his life forever. A pinball machine scattered among the scrap metal allows Tommy to rise to national prominence and fame. Tommy's pinball prowess and defeat of the (Pinball) Champ (Elton John) transforms him into a cult hero.

Nora and Frank take Tommy to a medical specialist (Jack Nicholson), who confirms that Tommy's problems are psychosomatic. Filled with guilt and anger, Tommy's mother throws him into the mirror he stares into, shattering it. The violent act wakes Tommy into normality once more. He uses his new awareness to try and bring enlightenment to people. He starts giving talks and enlightening people by canvassing. Tommy's stepfather exploits him to make more money and eventually Tommy becomes a worldwide religious icon.

Tommy sets up a holiday camp of his own, one that caters to his cult; but the mob soon rebels against his strict rules and fervor. They burn down the camp, killing Tommy's mother and stepfather in the process. Tommy is left alone, but with a greater sense of self-awareness as he faces a new dawn.

Cast

*Oliver Reed as Frank Hobbs
*Ann-Margret as Nora Walker-Hobbs
*Roger Daltrey as Tommy Walker
*Tina Turner as The Acid Queen
*Eric Clapton as The Preacher
*John Entwistle as Himself
*Keith Moon as Uncle Ernie/Himself
*Paul Nicholas as Cousin Kevin
*Jack Nicholson as The Specialist
*Robert Powell as Group Captain Walker
*Pete Townshend as Himself
*Arthur Brown as The Priest
*Elton John as The Champ
*Victoria Russell as Sally Simpson
*Ben Aris as Reverend Arthur Simpson
*Ken Russell (uncredited) as Cripple
*Mary Holland as Mrs. Simpson
*Gary Rich as Rock Musician
*Dick Allan as President Black Angels
*Barry Winch as Young Tommy
*Eddie Stacey as Bovver Boy

Changes from album

The film version of "Tommy" differs in numerous ways from the original 1969 album. The primary change is the period, which is moved forward to the post-World War II era, while the original album takes place just after World War I. As a result the song "1921" is renamed "1951" and the opening line "got a feelin' '21 is gonna be a good year" changes to "got a feelin' '51 is gonna be a good year". The historical change allowed Russell to use more contemporary images and settings.

In the album, Group Captain Walker returns to find his wife with a new lover and murders him, but in the film this is reversed -- the lover (Reed) kills Walker in front of Tommy, heightening the pychological trauma. This is perhaps (though not necessarily) the cause for a different treatment of the title character. In the film, Tommy's fame as pinball champion is exploited by his mother and Hobbs to indulge themselves in a lavish lifestyle.

Unlike other filmed rock operas (such as that of Pink Floyd's "The Wall)" the album is never dubbed over the film; the different actors - including Nicholson and Reed, neither of whom were known for their vocal prowess - perform the songs in character instead of The Who with the exception of Daltrey as Tommy and where Townshend sings narration in place of recititive).

Because of this, all the songs are rerecorded and the song order is shuffled around considerably; this and the addition of several new songs and links creates a more balanced structure of alternating short and long sequences. A large number of songs have new lyrics and instrumentation, and another notable feature is that many of the songs and pieces used on the film soundtrack are alternate versions or mixes from the versions on the soundtrack album.

Major differences between the 1969 and 1975 version:

* the film opens with an a new instrumental, "Prologue 1945" (partly based on the 1969 "Overture") which accompanies the opening sequences of Captain Walker's romance and disappearance

* "It's A Boy" is separated from "Overture" and becomes the medley "Captain Walker / "It's A Boy",; in the film this medley narrates the aftermath of Walker's disappearance, the end of the war and the brith of Tommy

* a new song, "Bernie's Holiday Camp", which follows "Captain Walker / "It's A Boy", portrays Tommy's childhood and his mother's romance with Hobbs (Oliver Reed)

* "You didn't hear it" from the 1969 version becomes the medley "1951/What About The Boy", covering the sequence that climaxes with the return of Tommy's father and his murder

* "The Amazing Journey" (shortened to 3 minutes) has almost completely different lyrics, and the "guide" from the album is depicted as Tommy's murdered father

* the running order of "Christmas" and "Eyesight To The Blind" is reversed; references to pinball are removed from Christmas and the character of The Hawker becomes becomes The Preacher (Eric Clapton), leader of a faith-healing pop cult worshipping Marilyn Monroe. Arthur Brown is cast as the character The Priest in the film who sings a verse in the song but is not feautured on the soundtrack

* the running order of "The Acid Queen" and "Cousin Kevin" is reversed

* "Underture" is removed but parts from it have been re-arranged as "Sparks"

* "The Acid Queen", "Cousin Kevin" and "Fiddle About" and "Sparks", linked by three renditions of "Do You Think It's Alright?", form an extended sequence depicting Tommy's inner journey and his trials

* a 3-minute version of the "Sparks" theme (with extensive new synthesiser orchestration) precedes "Pinball Wizard". In the film it is used behind the sequence of the dazed Tommy wandering into a junkyard and discovering a pinball machine. The music on the film soundtrack is heavily edited, however, and is a noticeably different mix from the version on the soundtrack album

* a new linking theme, "Extra Extra", narrates Tommy's rise and introduces the battle with the pinball champ

* "Pinball Wizard" has extra lyrics

* a new song, "Champagne", which follows "Pinball Wizard", covers the sequence of Tommy's stardom and wealth and his parents' greed

* "I'm Free" is moved back, and now follows "Smash The Mirror; it covers the lavish psychedelic sequence depicting Tommy's reawakening

* "I'm Free is followed by a new Song, "Mother and Son", which depicts Tommy's rejection of materialism and his vision for a new faith based around pinball

* "Sensation", featuring extra lyrics, is moved forward and covers the spread of Tommy's new religion

* "Sensation" and "Sally Simpson" are joined by the link "Miracle Cure" (a version of the "Extra Extra" theme)

* In "Sally Simpson", the album version mentions her father's Rolls-Royce as blue, but the movie changes the lyrics to black. (The Rolls-Royce in the film is also black)

* a new linking piece, "T.V. Studio", is used between "Welcome" and "Tommy's Holiday Camp"

* the 1969 album's closing track "We're Not Going To take It" is split into two pieces, "We're Not Gonna take It" and "Listening To You" / "See Me Feel Me"; this covers the climactic film sequences of Tommy's fall from grace and his final redemption

* the recent CD reissue of the soundtrack album opens with new version of "Overture From Tommy", which was not included in the film or on the original soundtrack LP.

oundtrack album

Townshend also oversaw the production of a new double-LP recording that returned the music to its rock roots, and on which the unrecorded orchestral arrangements he had envisaged for the original "Tommy" LP were realised by the extensive use of synthesiser. The soundtrack LP also employed many leading sessions musicians including Caleb Quaye and longtime Who associate John "Rabbit" Bundrick. The song "Pinball Wizard" was a major hit when released as a single. Curiously, although the music for this song is performed entirely by Elton John and his band, the film depicts Elton being backed by The Who (dressed in pound-note suits).

ide one

#"Overture from Tommy" (performed by the Who) – 4:59
#"Prologue" - 1945 (performed by Pete Townshend and John Entwistle) – 3:00
#"Captain Walker/It's a Boy" (performed by Pete Townshend, Margo Newman and Vicki Brown) – 2:38
#"Bernie's Holiday Camp" (performed by the Who, with vocals by Oliver Reed, Ann-Margret and Alison Dowling) – 3:42
#"1951/What about the Boy?" (performed by Mott the Hoople, with vocals by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 2:49
#"Amazing Journey" (performed by Pete Townshend) – 3:19
#"Christmas" (performed by the Who and the vocal chorus, with lead vocals by Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed and Alison Dowling) – 3:59
#"Eyesight to the Blind" (performed by Eric Clapton) – 3:21

ide two

#"Acid Queen" (performed by Tina Turner) – 3:47
#"Do You Think It's Alright?" (1) (performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 0:57
#"Cousin Kevin" (performed by Paul Nicholas) – 3:07
#"Do You Think It's Alright?" (2) (performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 0:46
#"Fiddle About" (performed by the Who, with lead vocals by Keith Moon) – 1:40
#"Do You Think It's Alright?" (3) (performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 0:29
#"Sparks" (performed by the Who) – 3:07
#"Extra, Extra, Extra" (performed by Simon Townshend) – 0:37
#"Pinball Wizard" (performed by Elton John) – 5:22

ide three

#"Champagne" (performed by the Who, with vocals by Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey) – 4:43
#"There's a Doctor" (performed by Oliver Reed and Ann-Margret) – 0:29
#"Go to the Mirror" (performed by Jack Nicholson, Roger Daltrey and Ann-Margret) – 3:49
#"Tommy, Can You Hear Me?" (performed by Ann-Margret) – 0:55
#"Smash the Mirror!" (performed by Ann-Margret) – 1:22
#"I'm Free" (performed by Roger Daltrey) – 2:36
#"Mother and Son" (performed by Pete Townshend, with vocals by Ann-Margret and Roger Daltrey) – 2:36
#"Sensation" (performed by Roger Daltrey) – 2:49 (on the LP and 8-track, 4:37 on the cassette and CD)

ide four

#"Miracle Cure" (performed by Simon Townshend) – 0:23
#"Sally Simpson" (performed by Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey) – 5:38
#"Welcome" (performed by Pete Townshend, with vocals performed by Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 4:15
#"T.V. Studio" (performed by Pete Townshend, with vocals performed by Ann-Margret and Oliver Reed) – 1:14
#"Tommy's Holiday Camp" (performed by Keith Moon) – 1:29
#"We're Not Gonna Take It!" (performed by Roger Daltrey and the vocal chorus) – 4:46
#"Listening to You/See Me, Feel Me" (performed by the Who and the vocal chorus, with lead vocals by Roger Daltrey) – 4:19

References

External links

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