624 Quadrophenia

[flyonthewall2983]

The Who to release Quadrophenia: Live In London, recorded from the last night on the band's tour playing the album in it's entirety. Also they are releasing a full version of the original album on Blu-ray audio in 5.1 surround sound, fulfilling Pete Townshend's original vision of the album as an immersive musical experience.

[flyonthewall2983]

Blu-ray.com review of the recently released Pure Audio version of the studio album

[flyonthewall2983]

Snagged this during the recent flash sale. It's a little more separate from the album than I thought, which I like and kind of don't like either. Expanding out some of Jimmy's story, especially his family life and that of his friends, lent itself well here. What I'm more lukewarm about was the use of the music from the original album, specifically the sequence as to which they all appear in the film. Haven't listened to the commentary yet, but it'll be interesting if choices like that are brought up.

[Drucker]

As I've said a bunch of times, for me personally:

Quad movie>Tommy Album>Quad Album>Tommy Movie.

I could see why the music feels a bit out of place in the film. Certainly the film's best musical moments are at the party early on, with the Cascades' "Rhythm of the Falling Rain" and the "My Generation" singalong!

[flyonthewall2983]

The essay in the booklet talking about the film makes some interesting comparisons to Mean Streets, and also what differences there are, even in it's use of source music. It doesn't feel too out of place as film music, but my issue is that it's not entirely faithful to the sequence on the original album. And I'm not sure it's much of an issue, now having listened to some of the commentary and reading the booklet. There's a seeming lack of rose-tinted nostalgia for the period, but doesn't feel entirely detached from it either.

SpoilerShow

The major difference between the two is that it is not concerned with any kind of spiritual journey that the Jimmy of the album finds himself on. Pete Townshend drew as much from his own reawakening (a common theme in his work before and after Quadrophenia) as he did that period of his life. It's not to say that the film would have been better for it (quite the opposite probably), but it is interesting that that's where the film took a left-turn from it's original source.

The parallel beginning and end is quite clever, and the essay in the booklet suggests this might indicate that this will be the cycle of his life. I never got quite that feeling from the album, and maybe in time I'll come to appreciate this difference in interpretation. "Love, Reign O'er Me", the primal-scream climax of the album, in the film is placed in a different context of visiting the site where he made love with the object of his desire. That would be my biggest problem with the sequencing. Though on the other hand "I've Had Enough" and "Doctor Jimmy", respectively the film's climax and end credits, indicate that much more dire and grim reading of the story.

[flyonthewall2983]

Pete Townshend to release a classical interpretation of the album next July, and will perform it as such with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra next year at the Royal Albert Hall.

[flyonthewall2983]

"Love, Reign O'er Me" from Classic Quadrophenia, featuring clips from the film.

[flyonthewall2983]

Scorsese used “Bell Boy” better in Bringing Out The Dead than as it is here. Keith Moon's over-maudlin/tongue-in-cheek approach works on the album but it just felt flat with the action on screen.

I can totally picture the Nicolas Cage character from BOTD with a vinyl copy of the album in his apartment.