Tommy
"Your senses will never be the same"
(1975)
Director: Ken Russell
Writer: Pete Townshend
Genre: Rock Opera
Cast:
Plot Synopsis:
Prologue-1945 - Captain Walker and Nora fall in love; he's sent off to war
Captain Walker - Captain Walker goes missing
It's a Boy - Nora gives birth to their son, Tommy, on the first day of peace
Bernie's Holiday Camp - R&R for Nora and Tommy at a holiday camp
1951/What About the Boy - Nora hooks up with Bernie; Captain Walker returns from the war; Bernie kills Captain Walker; Tommy is struck blind, deaf and dumb as a result.
Amazing Journey - Tommy is still unresponsive, even at a circus
Christmas - Nora worries about Tommy's soul on Christmas ("How can he be saved from the eternal grave?")
Eyesight to the Blind - Even the cult of Marilyn Monroe, led by preacher Eric Clapton, can't heal the now-adult Tommy.
Acid Queen - Even Tina Turner and all the acid in the world can't heal Tommy.
Do You Think It's Alright? (I) - Should we leave Tommy with Cousin Kevin, the sadist?
Cousin Kevin - Nope.
Do You Think It's Alright? (II) - Should we leave Tommy with Uncle Ernie, the pervert?
Fiddle About - Nope
Do You Think It's Alright? (III) - Should we leave Tommy alone by the mirror? Sure.
Sparks - Tommy follows his mirror image to an abandoned junkyard, where he finds a working pinball machine
Extra, Extra, Extra - Turns out Tommy is *awesome* at pinball ("Always has a replay; never tilts the ball.")
Pinball Wizard - "That deaf, dumb and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball!"
Champagne - Nora loves her son's newfound wealth and fame. And baked beans and champagne.
There's A Doctor - Can Jack Nicholson cure Tommy?
Go to the Mirror - Nope.
Tommy Can You Hear Me - Car rides are fun! Tommy starts responding
Smash the Mirror - A frustrated Nora throws Tommy into the mirror, finally curing him. Thanks, mom.
I'm Free - Sight, sound and vision are awesome!
Mother and Son - Mom, stop being so damn shallow.
Miracle Cure - Tommy thinks playing pinball will spiritually cure *everyone*
Sally Simpson - Twerpy teen groupie Sally marries a rock star husband
Sensation - Will working people and bikers accept a hang-gliding Tommy as their savior? Apparently so.
Welcome - Come to Tommy's House of Lousy Fashion!
T.V. Studio - Tommy's awesome. Really. His mom even said so on TV.
Tommy's Holiday Camp - Tommy goes deeply commercial.
We're Not Gonna Take It - People start suspecting that Tommy is full of shit. They kill his mom and step-dad and destroy many pinball machines in the process.
Listening to You/See Me, Feel Me - An exhausted Tommy dives into water and is spiritually reborn (again). Let's hope this one takes.
Favorite Moments:
- Ann Margret writhing around in baked beans in Champagne
- Paul Nicholas's Cousin Kevin, the nastiest play friend you ever did meet: "Let's think of a nice game to play, now the grownups have all gone away."
- Tina Turner's Acid Queen: "I'm the gypsy. The acid queen. Pay me before I'm gone." Love the hypodermic needle iron maiden!
- Keith Moon (Uncle Ernie) cracking an egg into a pint of Newcastle: "He's had a few too many drinks tonight."
- Eric Clapton's cult of Marilyn Monroe, complete with booze and pill communion
- Elton John, the "Where's Waldo?" prototype, as the pinball champ
- A suave Jack Nicholson chatting up Ann-Margret.
Additional Information:
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