8mm Forum: Tommy (Iver 400ft)

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Topic: Tommy (Iver 400ft)

Tom Photiou
Film God

Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003

posted September 26, 2012 02:56 PM

This is the 1975 musical film based on The Who's rock opera Tommy & Directed by Ken Russell. The full feature film had a host of big names including Jack Nicholson, Tina Turner, Elton John, Oliver reed, Robert Powell, Ann Margret to name a few. And of course the brilliant "The Who" with Roger Daltrey, Pete Townsend and Kieth Moon.
You will recall there were two version released on super 8mm. Columbia released a fuller 400ft version which contained a few more scenes which including the destruction near the end of the pinball machines which moved much smoother into the final number "Listening to you". I did have this version with the intention of intersplicing the two together for a longer version however the picture and soundtrack were too different to make this work.
You could have more content,(& richer colour), from columbia or a slightly shorter version from Iver Film Services with a pin sharp image and a very much superior quality soundtrack. The Iver version which i have was taken from the original 35mm negative if i remember Bill Davidsons review from many years ago.

This film is very well condensed starting off with Captain Walker,(Robert Powell,) watching a huge orange sunset, edited well to the picnic and love making scene in the waterfall,(with Ann Margret),cut next to a brief section of the War where we assume Captain Walker to be killed as his plane goes down in flames. Next to the Victory/hospital maternaty sequence where we are first shown the baby Tommy. Moving onto a junior Tommy in his bed asleep as Captain Walker returns taking a look at his son sleeping and then he moves to the next room to catch his wife in bed with Uncle Frank (Oliver Reed) who strikes Powell down as Margret and Reed sing into the face of Tommy "you didnt hear it, you see it".
Next to the brilliant Pinball wizard number with the Who and Elton John,(the pinball wizard) and Tommy as they compete for the title. Here we see classic Who as they conclude the number with the traditional smashing of there instruments, If you have this film make sure you crank up the volume on this number!
Next, this edition moves to the rival rockers and bikers shoot up and fight which, just as a biker is about to blast his shotgun into the face of an injured rival, is sidetracked as Tommy flys overhead in a hanglider singing the number "sensation" as the lyrics suggest people are simply magnetised by him including (in this version) the rockers, occupants of a home for the blind and some fruit machine gambling teddy boys. In this version this scene abrubtly cuts, (and this is the only poor edit in my opinion)to the fianle number with Tommy climbing his way to the point at where it all began to the number "Listening to you", another part of the movie you really want to crank up the volume as the films last note rings out to a huge orange sunrise with the single title "Tommy" to end the movie.
It is the sound quality on this Iver films release that puts it way ahead of the columbia cut down, if only Iver had done this as one of there double albums, it would have been one of there best releases.

The images i was going to upload were quite poor. I dont seem to be too good at snapping home movies,(any tips welcome). I used a good 9 MP camera but they always seem to be a bit blurred.
However, colour on my copy is still very very good with all the blues yellows and greens, and sound as reported is among the best on 8mm considering how long ago this was released.
Recommended.