Bill Curbishley Movies

Oscar-winning filmmaker Murray Lerner and co-director Paul Crowder draw on the essential themes of The Who's music and lyrics to craft a definitive audio-visual document of the influential band's timeless legacy. From their origins as a 1960s R&B cover band to their transformation into the band that changed the course of rock and roll history, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon, and John Entwistle's unstoppable, arena shaking juggernaut is followed as the men behind the music experience triumph and tragedy over the course of the following decades. Authorized by the band, the film speaks with family and friends to explore the meteoric rise of The Who as unreleased performance footage from Monterey, Woodstock, The Concert for NYC and other landmark concerts show fans the scenes that, until this release, they have only been able to read about. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In 2000, the Who staged one of their periodic reunions, and the highlight of the British leg of their world tour was a date at the Royal Albert Hall, in which the band was joined on-stage by a number of guest stars (among them Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Noel Gallagher of Oasis, Paul Weller, Bryan Adams, and Nigel Kennedy) for a special show to Britain's Teenage Cancer Trust. This video presents highlights of that evening, as well as behind-the-scenes footage of the rehearsals for the show, and a glimpse of the goings-on backstage. Selections include "I Can't Explain," "Pinball Wizard," "Behind Blue Eyes," "Baba O'Riley," "So Sad About Us," "Magic Bus," and 17 others. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This film version of the Who's rock opera Quadrophenia makes a few tentative stabs at "explaining" the alienation of 1960s British working-class youth, but its major selling point is its nonstop rock-and-R&B musical score, including the hit single "Love Reign O'er Me." Phil Daniels (replacing the original opera's Roger Daltrey) plays Jimmy, a member of a well-dressed, drugged-up teenaged gang called the Mods, forever duking it out with the cycle-punk Rockers. The rivalry between the two gangs comes to a head during three tempestuous days in the seaside town of Brighton. Here Jimmy makes love to lovely local Steph (Leslie Ash), and forges a strong friendship with unofficial Mod leader Ace Face (Sting). A series of disappointments and setbacks in his own London neighborhood convinces Jimmy to return to Brighton to pick up the pieces. If you aren't fascinated by the visual pyrotechnics of Quadrophenia, just close your eyes and revel to the soundtrack music of the Who, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, the Chiffons, Manfred Man, and many others. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In 1977, while Jeff Stein was compiling The Kids Are Alright, his excellent documentary on legendary British rockers the Who, the filmmaker felt he lacked strong film footage of several classic Who tunes and wanted performances that would bring the picture up to date. With this in mind, Stein arranged for the Who to play a show to be filmed for the movie, and six 35mm film cameras were on hand when the band took the stage at the State Kilburn Theatre on December 15, 1977. However, Pete Townshend was openly disappointed with the Who's show that day (even saying on camera "This wasn't f--king worth filming, Stein -- might as well send the cameramen home" midway through their set), and they shot another concert several months later that was used in the movie. However, more than three decades later the Kilburn State Theatre set has finally been made available on the DVD release The Who at Kilburn 1977. Compared to the Who's best work on film, The Who at Kilburn 1977 does capture the band on a relative off night -- Keith Moon is clearly out of shape and has trouble keeping up with the band, while John Entwistle and Roger Daltrey appear to be a bit out of practice -- but Townshend is on fire throughout the show, and this footage confirms that the Who were a powerfully exciting act even when they weren't delivering one hundred percent. The Who at Kilburn 1977 has been given a widescreen transfer to disc, letterboxed at the 1.78:1 aspect ratio on conventional televisions and enhanced for anamorphic play on 16x9 monitors. The original film elements are practically spotless and the depth and clarity of the 35mm film image is truly impressive, as is the vivid but realistic color balance. The audio (which was recorded using a 16-track mobile truck) has been mastered in three formats, Dolby Digital Stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, and DTS 5.1 Surround. The stereo mix sounds tighter and more powerful than the 5.1 version, but either way the results are impressive and capture the force of the Who on stage with admirable accuracy. The performances are in English, with no subtitles or multiple language options. As a bonus, this package comes with a second disc featuring another show from the Who's archives -- a December 1969 performance at the London Coliseum Theater in which the band performed the recently-released rock opera Tommy in full along with a set of their bet known tunes. The 1969 show was filmed in 16mm by a small crew who didn't use any additional lighting; consequently, the image is often dark and grainy and at times the band is all but invisible, while the print is in rough shape and there are bits where the editors have to make do with "stylized" substitute footage when both cameramen ran out of film. But the Who are in excellent form in this bonus gig, and while the audio is sometimes boomy and distorted, it inarguably captures a more interesting concert than the one on disc one. (It's also presented in widescreen, with both stereo and surround options.) The Who at Kilburn 1977 delivers two flawed but fascinating shows from one of the greatest bands in rock history, and serious Who fans will certainly want this in their collection. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

The struggles of a disillusioned young mod to come of age in the tumultuous 1960's is portrayed with musical thunder as The Who's Quadrophenia comes to the stage in this filmed version of the live performance taken from the band's 1996-1997 U.S. concert tour. Then-unknown actor Alex Langdon steps into the lead role of troubled youth Jimmy, with PJ Proby and Billy Idol dropping in for special cameo appearances. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi