In this instalment of our Showstoppers! series, we’re bringing a glam rock spectacle by way of a staggeringly ambitious rock opera back to the big screen!
Written and Directed by Ken Russell and adapted from The Who’s album of the same name, the film follows Tommy (The Who frontman Roger Daltrey), who suffered from a traumatic incident as a child, leaving him without sight or speech.
One day finds himself in an unlikely place: the world of professional pinball. As it turns out, he’s a “Pinball Wizard” and soon fame and fortune follow for Tommy, as he becomes a champion and later the messiah of a religious cult, which views his pinball skills as a miraculous sign of divine intervention.
Visually overwhelming, with an astonishing production design, and a vibrant cast including Elton John, Tina Turner, Ann-Margret, and Jack Nicholson, Tommy tells a compelling narrative of the cult-like, parasocial relationship we have with celebrity.
