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Tommy (1975)

Roger Daltrey , Ann-Margret , Ken Russell  |  PG |  DVD
3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (221 customer reviews)

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Product Details

  • Actors: Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Elton John, Eric Clapton
  • Directors: Ken Russell
  • Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), English (Dolby Digital 5.0)
  • Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
  • Dubbed: English
  • Subtitles for the Hearing Impaired: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: September 28, 1999
  • Run Time: 111 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (221 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B00000K3TV
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,442 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "Tommy" on IMDb

Special Features

  • Original 1975 Theatrical Quintaphonic Soundtrack, Digitally remastered for Dolby Digital 5.0 and 2-channel Dolby Surround
  • Audio restoration essay

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

If you've ever wanted to hear Jack Nicholson sing (or try to) or marvel at the sight of Ann-Margret drunkenly cavorting in a cascade of baked beans, Tommy is the movie you've been waiting for. As it turns out, the Who's brilliant rock opera is sublimely matched to director Ken Russell's penchant for cinematic excess, and this 1975 production finds Russell at the peak of his filmmaking audacity. It's a fever-dream of musical bombast, custom-fit to the thematic ambition of Pete Townshend's epic rock drama, revolving around the titular "deaf, dumb, and blind kid" (played by Who vocalist Roger Daltrey) who survives the childhood trauma that stole his senses to become a Pinball Wizard messiah in Townshend's grandiose attack on the hypocrisy of organized religion.

The story is remarkably coherent considering the hypnotic dream-state induced by Russell's visuals. Tommy's odyssey is rendered through wall-to-wall music, each song representing a pivotal chapter in Tommy's chronology, from the bloodstream shock of "The Acid Queen" (performed to the hilt by Tina Turner) to Nicholson's turn as a well-intentioned physician, Elton John's towering rendition of "Pinball Wizard," and Daltrey's epiphanous rendition of "I'm Free." Other performers include Eric Clapton and (most outrageously) the Who's drummer Keith Moon, and through it all Russell is almost religiously faithful to Townshend's artistic vision. Although it divided critics when first released, Tommy now looks likes a minor classic of gonzo cinema, worthy of the musical genius that fueled its creation. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

The Who's classic rock opera about a boy who loses his sight, hearing and speech due to a traumatic incident in his youth, comes to life on screen starring Roger Daltrey and Ann-Margret. 1975 (1 hour 51 minutes).

Customer Reviews

This movie really is fun to watch and see people argue over whether it's good or not. eastvillage  |  36 reviewers made a similar statement
And we had to put up with him through the end of the film? Travis R. Wilson  |  8 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
66 of 68 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars 25 years and better than ever! May 28, 2000
By A Customer
Format:DVD
As the five-star rating would indicate, I've loved TOMMY sincethe day it opened (and yes, I was there for its premiere). I've alsopurchased the movie in just about every incarnation that have been released: videotape, laserdisc, and now DVD.

What's most exciting about the DVD version -- and something which doesn't seem to have been mentioned in other Amazon reviews -- is that the soundtrack to the film has been completely restored. "Quintaphonic sound" may sound a little silly and may not even mean much in this age of digital sound, but TOMMY was the movie that saw the rebirth of multi-channel audio (most films of the late 60s and early 70s were either mono or 2-channel stereo). The enhanced 5-channel discrete sound was a perfect extension of Ken Russell's audacious visuals. The tag line to the movie was "Your senses will never be the same," and it perfectly described both the visual AND aural assault on audience members.

Well, this DVD is the first (and only) format to feature the complete "Quintaphonic" soundtrack. If you have a Dolby Digital decoder, you're going to hear the movie in a way that wasn't even possible back in 1975! All of the vocals are locked dead center while the score itself blasts out of the remaining four speakers. And there's absolutely no distortion, even when you jack the volume up (which you should, since it was intended to be heard that way). It's a wonderful - and quite unexpected - thrill to hear the movie this way. Previous editions had absolutely terrible audio tracks that were poorly mixed down from the originals. The result -- even on the laserdisc -- was a muddy mess. Not so with this DVD edition, which includes a written essay insert explaining the soundtrack's restoration.

The picture quality is also outstanding. One key moment: during the blackout section of "Fiddle About" the screen is absolutely dark -- not a speck can be seen, proof that this film was carefully transferred from a pristine source print!

This is an incredible film presented on an incredible DVD. If your home system isn't yet able to decode the Dolby Digital soundtrack, do yourself a favor and get a decoder at the same time you buy this disc. You won't be sorry.

I'd warn the neighbors first, though!

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49 of 52 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars a REVIEW from an OWNER ....sadly NO bonus features!!!! September 3, 2010
Format:Blu-ray
I was thrilled to pick this up a few days early at my local record store....but HORRIFIED to find it a bare bones affair. Yes, it does look even better than the Superbit version but my UK 2 DVD set from 2004 has HOURS of bonus features...
1) Director Commentary
2) insightful interview with Ken Russell by Mark Kermode
3) more of Ken Russell discussing Tommy
4) Pete Townshend interview
5) Roger Daltrey interview
6) Ann-Margret interview
7) Trailer, Press Promo materials, a featurette on the Sound...
NONE of this is on the new Blu-RAY....
with any luck it will all be on an all region UK blu-ray..
I'll refer to this version as a Boo-Ray...
GREAT MOVIE...but I can't rate this a 5 STAR Blu-Ray DVD...my review is NOT for the movie but the product/presentation itself...
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41 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Having heard about Tommy for years, I felt it was time to actually watch the movie. I had never acquired much of a sense for what the movie is about, probably because I don't think it is really possible to actually explain the film to anyone else. This is some pretty weird stuff. As the thing progressed, I had a hard time figuring out if I liked what I was seeing, whether it made any sense, etc. In the end, I must say I did enjoy the film, thanks largely to Daltrey, the music, and Ann-Margaret. What does it all mean? That's a toughie, as I'm sure the story means different things to different people. I had the sense that Tommy is supposed to be some kind of spiritual experience, and in some ways it is - maybe.

Here's my ridiculously oversimplified summary of the basic story. As a kid, Tommy is messed up pretty good, having witnessed something pretty dramatic; as a result, he becomes deaf, blind, and mute - for psychological rather than physical reasons. His mother (Ann-Margaret) and step-father try all kinds of weird cures as Tommy enters what should be his adulthood, including a visit to the holy rollers at a church that worships Marilyn Monroe and a special session with "The Acid Queen" (Tina Turner). Nothing seems to get through to him - until, of course, he happens to come across a pinball machine. Truly, that deaf, dumb, and blind kid sure plays a mean pinball, knocking the current pinball wizard (Elton John) off his pedestal. Suddenly, Tommy's family is rolling in the money, yet Tommy remains uncommunicative. When he does eventually find "awareness," he is transformed into a messiah figure, and crowds flock to him to hear his wisdom.

The film gets off to a pretty slow start, as we follow Tommy's childhood. Then Tina Turner enters the picture as The Acid Queen, and she forevermore gets the joint jumping with her electric performance. Other memorable performers include Eric Clapton, Elton John, and Jack Nicholson (who does in fact sing here). Ann-Margaret tops all of them with her performance, though, earning an Academy Award nomination for her work. It's a demanding role; alongside the acting and singing, she also has to roll around in a chocolatey, gooey mess. She may have been a little older in 1975, but Ann-Margaret definitely still had it.

The boys from the band pop in from time to time, but the story is increasingly focused on Tommy, his awakening, and his cult following. Some really obvious representations of Christianity are incorporated into the film, while, at the same time, greed and materialism are also spotlighted as false gods. Ultimately, though - thanks to a problematic ending -it is hard for me to discern the message that the filmmakers were actually trying to communicate here. I've heard that The Who's original album makes some of the more esoteric aspects of the Tommy story a little clearer.

Obviously, some individuals will not like this film at all; it's sort of an acid trip on film, vague and unsettling with its symbolism and discernible criticisms of organized religion. Others may find enlightenment of one sort or another. Most people, including me, will probably just look at this as a weird but oddly entertaining musical that leaves you scratching your head a little bit after you watch it. Of course, even if the story loses you completely, you still have plenty of great music from The Who to sit back and enjoy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Fun Enough but Not Russell's best Work
Fun enough but not one of Ken Russell's best entries .
Neither the talented cast nor the music of The Who can save it from eventually feeling tedious. Read more
Published 9 days ago by McEwan
2.0 out of 5 stars Headline required?
I saw "Tommy" performed live several years ago on stage. It was great. I am a big fan of The Who, but this movie was awful. Read more
Published 10 days ago by rose hart
5.0 out of 5 stars Tommy, can You hear me?
The Who's epic rock opera Tommy is just as enjoyable today as it was 40 years ago. Tommy takes us on an "Amazing Journey" where we are forced to look at life a little... Read more
Published 18 days ago by needsunshine
3.0 out of 5 stars Sort of an odd movie
Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, however this one just seemed to be lacking. That said, this movie is a classic piece of pop culture and can be enjoyed on many levels. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars Tommy DVD
My grandson is involved in a play at his junior high and they are doing Tommy so I wanted him to have the DVD. Read more
Published 22 days ago by Marme
4.0 out of 5 stars a good movie
the best of daltry.i remember seeing it years ago made for hippie era.some young people now would like it I think.
Published 26 days ago by connie jayne
3.0 out of 5 stars Maybe I am not old enough?!?
I have heard for years how this is THE rock opera. I finally sat down and watched it, well tried to. After 3 trys I finished it. Read more
Published 26 days ago by Moninya Mulder
4.0 out of 5 stars It's the kind of move you can't "un-see."
Definitely a strange cult-classic type, great music, lots of beans, this movie has a lot to offer. The after effect is similar to Rocky Horror Picture show, sort of a, "I'm... Read more
Published 27 days ago by Tim Hagen
5.0 out of 5 stars An art form that only now is finding it's space.
Movie "musicals" are a form that has floundered for decades. Good ones are few and far between, and this is one that definitely stands out as both unique and outstanding. Read more
Published 1 month ago by L. Carr
1.0 out of 5 stars TUMMY (Made mine ache)
Bad music often reveals itself by offering quantity instead of quality. I was around in the '70s and had that thought then. Bad songs went on and on and on and on. Read more
Published 2 months ago by R. Childers
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