Quadrophenia

D: Franc Roddam

Brent Walker Film Distributors / The Who Films / Polytel (Roy Baird & Bill Curbishley)

UK 🇬🇧 1979

120 mins

Drama

W: Dave Humphries, Franc Roddam, Martin Stellman & Pete Townshend [based on the album by The Who]

DP: Brian Tufano

Ed: Sean Barton & Mike Taylor

Mus: The Who

Phil Daniels (Jimmy Cooper), Leslie Ash (Steph), Philip Davis (Chalky), Mike Wingett (Dave), Sting (Ace Face), Ray Winstone (Kevin Herriot)

Unlike 1975’s Tommy (qv), Quadrophonia is not a musical rock opera, but more a dramatic adaptation, inspired by and featuring music by The Who.

Phil Daniels stars as the young protagonist, Jimmy Cooper, a Mod (Modernist) growing up in 1960’s London and spending his free time riding his scooter, partying with his pals, taking drugs and brawling with the Rockers - opposing gangs on the other side of the Mods & Rockers divide.

His escapades eventually take him to the Brighton seafront, where he eventually gets arrested and sees his life spiral further out of control.

Whilst some will watch and enjoy this film due purely to their love of The Who’s music, what made it engaging for me was completely due to it being filmed in areas of West London where I grew up and my parents lived before my birth, and for that reason it’s a perfect Time Capsule of a period that I didn’t get to see.  It obviously helps to like The Who’s music, but I wouldn’t consider it a pre-requisite.

7/10