In the 1960's there was The Who. Perhaps not the most popular band of the time, but big, very big. Who guitarist Pete Townshend, in his journey as a song writer, created an opera - a rock opera.

Tommy is a classic musical, except that it's rock. The music is everything in Tommy. Let's face it, the story doesn't really work. Tommy Walker to born to a British flyer and his wife. The flyer dies in the war, or so everyone thinks. The wife finds a new beau, and then the flyer comes home. The beau kills the flyer in front of young Tommy. The boy is traumatized. For the next 15 years, he is blind, deaf and dumb. Then mom throws him through a mirror and he is enlightened, he becomes a new Christ character. Talk about a crappy plot.

Normally this means you're sitting though a disaster in the dark with popcorn. But this opera is all about really great rock, and dance. Tommy is visually stunning. It's even more fun to watch these decades later because it's a visual time machine. When you watch this film, you're in the 70's.

Is this Chicago? No way! But it's worth watching. It's far better than the average film being made these days. Since what is best about this film is the music, you can put this film on and go about your house work. Townshend's music is that good.

Jammed Pipe!

Film Facts

Cast
• Oliver Reed
• Ann-Margret
• Roger Daltrey
• Elton John
• Eric Clapton
• John Entwistle
• Keith Moon
• Paul Nicholas
• Jack Nicholson
• Robert Powell
• Pete Townshend
• Tina Turner
• Arthur Brown
• Victoria Russell
• Ben Aris
• Mary Holland
• Gary Rich
• Dick Allan
• Barry Winch
• Eddie Stacey
• Liza Strike
• Simon Townshend
• Mylon LeFevre
• Billy Nicholls
• Jeff Roden
• Margo Newman
• Gillian McIntosh
• Vicki Brown
• Kit Trevor
• Helen Shappel
• Paul Gurvitz
• Alison Dowling
• Jennifer Baker
• Susan Baker
• Imogen Claire
• Gillian King
• Juliet King
• Ken Russell

Directed by Ken Russell

Released in 1975

MPAA Rating: PG

Reviewed by Mongo