When the British Invasion began in the mid-1960s, one of the groups that took the world by storm was The Who. The classic rock outfit quickly became famous for songs like “My Generation” and “I Can See for Miles,” among others.
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More than their big-time singles, the Who began to get deeper and deeper into the idea of the concept album, including their acclaimed rock opera, Tommy. That album lent itself to the silver screen and, thus, The Who became movie pioneers.
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Today, there are many movies that the band is involved with that are excellent, but below we wanted to dive into three specific films from the 1970s, starting with their debut, Tommy. So, without further ado, let’s dive in, shall we?
1. Tommy (1975)
Based on the 1969 album of the same name, which is about a young “deaf, dumb, and blind” boy named Tommy who is also the best pinball player around. The movie features cameos from artists like Tina Turner, Elton John, and even Jack Nicholson. Throughout the story, we see the difficult, even gruesome events of Tommy’s life and how he presses on through his love of pinball. And, of course, the soundtrack is phenomenal. The movie earned distinction, including two Oscar nominations.
2. The Kids Are Alright (1979)
The 1979 film, The Kids Are Alright, is a documentary—or, rockumentary—about The Who, which includes footage from concerts and interviews of the band members conducted from 1964 to 1978. It also bears the distinction of featuring the band’s final concert with drummer Keith Moon, which was filmed in May of 1978, just three months before Moon died from issues with drugs and alcohol.
3. Quadrophenia (1979)
If you didn’t get enough rock opera from the band in 1975, then this movie is for you. Based, at least loosely, on The Who’s album of the same name, Quadrophenia, which isn’t a musical and doesn’t feature the group, is about a culture clash. It’s the classic mundane work versus the explosive sense of self-expression.
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