Sony will release Ken Russell’s Tommy, the 1975 film based on The Who’s album of the same name, on Blu-ray DVD with the Original Quintaphonic Sound on Sept. 7, 2010.
The film stars Oscar-nominee Ann-Margaret and The Who’s lead singer Roger Daltrey with appearances by legendary singers Eric Clapton, Elton John, Tina Turner, and star Jack Nicholson.
In 1975, the theatrical trailer promised that after seeing the film “your senses will never be the same.” Now, 35 years after its original release, get ready to have your senses altered once again as Tommy comes to Blu-ray Disc for the first time, newly restored and remastered in high definition.
Digitally restored, and with a newly re-mastered 5.1 soundtrack in addition to the original 5.0 Quintaphonic track, this Blu-Ray release will bring viewers closer than ever to the theatrical experience of “Tommy.”
Special features of this must-have ultimate rock and roll Blu-ray include movie IQ+sync featuring Tommy playlist, which allows users to access real-time information on the cast, music, trivia and more while watching the movie via BD-Live, as well as a restored soundtrack utilizing the original theatrical five channel Quinataphonic presentation, plus the original theatrical trailer.
The Who’s Tommy
Exploring themes of pop culture, the cult of personality, religious deification, sexual abuse and spiritual enlightenment, Tommy was a new form of rock and roll, influenced in part by the political and cultural changes of the late 1960s. Songs like “Pinball Wizard,” “Tommy, Can You Hear Me,” “Sensation,” “Amazing Journey” and “Christmas,” were the backbone of the story of Tommy, a “deaf, dumb and blind kid,” who’s psychosomatic symptoms arise from witnessing the murder of his father by his mother’s lover, and the exhortation by his mother and her lover that Tommy “didn’t see it, didn’t hear it,” and he won’t say anything to anyone.
Tommy: Ken Russell’s Musical Movie
With its focus on the sensual, and its huge fan following, a film adaptation of Tommy was a natural development. Director Ken Russell (Women in Love, The Devils, The Music Lovers) whose films had explored similar themes in his own unique style, would bring to Tommy the visual richness, the fleshing out of the characters with actors Oliver Reed (“Women in Love,” “Oliver”) and Ann-Margaret (Oscar Nominee for Best Actress), and the expansion of the back story with songs all new to the film.
Many of the original album’s songs would remain, but the resulting film would explore the cinematic experience in a whole new way including a powerful new soundtrack technology to maximize the audience’s experience of the music.
Based on the existing record industry development of QUADRAPHONIC sound, Tommy would feature the first and only example of the QUINTAPHONIC soundtrack, a revolutionary format that used five discrete channels of sound to deliver the music of the film in a “Sound in the Round” manner. In other words, audio that enveloped the audience from all directions. The combination of The Who’s music, Ken Russell’s eccentric visuals and the innovation of the Quintaphonic format result in an intense cinematic experience.
The lead character in Tommy is played by The Who’s Roger Daltrey, and features Ann-Margaret in her Oscar-nominated performance as Tommy’s mother, and Oliver Reed as her lover, with performances by The Who members Keith Moon (as the predatory Uncle Ernie), and Pete Townshend and John Entiwhistle. There are also legendary performances by Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Elton John and three-time Oscar-winning actor Jack Nicholson.
Blu-ray Special Features
* movieIQ+sync featuring Tommy playlist
* BD-Live
MovieIQ is an immersive BD-Live movie watching experience that uses a connected, real-time movie database. With a movieIQ enabled Blu-ray Disc and an internet connected Blu-ray player, movie fans can dive into continuously updated filmographies of their favorite directors and stars, and explore relevant trivia such as production facts, location details, music and soundtrack information, all tied to scenes within the movie.
MovieIQ+sync gives you the full movieIQ experience on your computer or iPhone by linking to your Blu-ray Disc. Once connected, movieIQ+sync will display all of the great information movieIQ offers on your computer screen or iPhone instead of onscreen, all while staying synchronized to the movie.
Credits
