Film Review: Tommy

Director: Ken Russell

Based on the simply immense rock-opera album of the same name by the band The Who, Ann-Margaret received a Golden Globe for her performance and also a nomination for an Oscar as Tommy's mother.

The film is based around the life of Tommy who is a deaf, dumb and blind boy who becomes a master pinball player despite his disabilities. His parents have differing feelings towards him as Nora (Ann-Margaret) is sympathetic whilst his step-father Frank (Oliver Stone) finds him a nuisance. He is bullied by cousin and molested by his alcoholic Uncle (Keith Moon) but could a possible cure end his powers as a pinball wizard?

Tommy (The Who frontman Roger Daltrey)

We see a rousing performance of 'Pinball Wizard' by Elton John which is excellent and as well known as the original version performed by The Who themselves. The whole film has some strange sequences especially Tommy's experience with the Acid Queen (Tina Turner) who supplies him with LSD which produces some haunting hallucinations. In many senses the film is as weird as the album was when you listen to the lyrics.

The film tries to say a lot about a range of topics including worshipping false idols (even more relevant today than at the time) but fails to build on these themes. Overall the cast of stars produce an intriguing film which you are unlucky to want to watch over and over again.

2/4 as bizarre and strange as the album but fails too match its brilliance