Quadrophenia | | Cast : | Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting | | Director : | Franc Roddam | | Studio : | Rhino Video | | Format : | Color, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | November 02, 1979 | | DVD Released Date : | September 25, 2001 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), English (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | January 22, 2005 | | Summary | All the Young Mods | Content
 | Franc Roddam's adaptation of the the Who's concept album(not "rock opera") "Quadrophenia" is a great depiction of young adulthood during a specific time and place. This film not only gets all of the physical details right but it also touches on all of the emotional ones, too. The themes here are universal. Who among us has not, to some degree, wasted our lives by trying to forge an identity by associating with a clique and make all the wrong decisions not by personal choice but through imagined peer pressure? Our everyman here is Jimmy Cooper, masterfully played by Phil Daniels. Jimmy, when not working at his dead-end mailroom job at an ad firm, lives for the opportunity to club and get an amphetamine high with his mod friends. The climax of this life choice is a weekend at Brighton Beach on the English coast where Jimmy and his friends can intimidate vacationers and rumble with their chosen rivals, the leather-clad rockers. What Jimmy doesn't anticipate is that after all is said and done you have to wake up the next morning and return to reality. I was fortunate to have seen this film as a teenager in the theatres but it didn't do much box office outside of the arthouses. The Cockney accents here are a little thick so you have to strain your ears somewhat. But there is no mistaking the powerful lyrics by Pete Townshend that act as a greek chorus to what is happening on screen. The film and it's soundtrack some thirty years on have lost none of their staying power. |
| Rating | | | Date | October 13, 2004 | | Summary | OVERLOOKED COMING OF AGE MOVIE | Content
| Quadrophenia is an overlooked coming of age movie. It is the type of movie that is usually always available at you local video store, because most people don't know about it. This film was made by the Rock Group THE WHO!! Completely different format than THE WHO's Tommy. Quadrophenia is also historically acurate, in that it takes place in Great Britian during the Mod and Rocker gang riots. Quadrophenia is about a mod teenager named Jimmy who is questioning authority and life in general. He is taking drugs, kicked out of his house by his parents and is contimplating sucide. This film is very relivent even today to most teenagers. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 24, 2003 | | Summary | An unforgettable teen angst classic | Content
| When "Quadrophenia" first came out in 1979, I think most people were expecting a "Tommy"-like rock opera, with music by The Who blasting from the speakers and Roger Daltry playing pinball adorned in a mask. Much to most people's surprise, "Quadrophenia" is a story about teen angst in England, with background music by The Who. The story is the key, and "Quadrophenia" details the historic Mod/Rocker riots of the 1960s. The riots were fueled by teen rebellion, rock music and a youthful generation seeking its identity. The beauty of "Quadrophenia" is the film's themes of youths trying to find their place in the world is timeless and internationally identifiable. You don't have to be a British lad to love this story. Several scenes are so emotionally harrowing as to be disturbing. The protagonist Jimmy Michael Cooper (brilliantly played by Phil Daniels) begins to self destruct as the movie progresses. He loses his home, his job, his girlfriend and eventually his identity in a haze of drugs and misguided motivation. The scene where he begs his ex-girlfriend to explain herself, to which she answers "It was just a giggle" will bring a tear to most eyes. It is the saddest form of rejection and as emotionally truthful a scene one is most likely to see. I think many teenagers eventually go through a process similar to what is seen in "Quadrophenia." One's identity when growing up is always related to the music, the parties, the mode of dress and the friends one chooses. The world is seemingly yours. As the Mods begin their march in Brighton, chanting, screaming, arms wrapped around one another, they are a force. They can change the world. So when the world rudely interrupts the dream, as the police break up the riots, as people move on to the next day, one uncomfortably realizes it really was all just a "giggle." This is the sad quandry Jimmy Michael Cooper must confront. When watching "Quadrophenia," specifically the final scene where he rides the stolen scooter along the cliffs of Brighton, you're never sure what choice Cooper is going to make. The Mods most certainly fueled the eventual punk movement, and I think many people who love this film came from that 1980s generation. The clothes and the hairstyles (including Sting, in an early role as the coolest Mod) are identifiable to the punk generation. What Jimmy Michael Cooper eventually confronts is similar to the conflicts of the punk generation (or any teen generation for that matter). Sadly, the movement must be left behind and we must ask ourselves what the meaning of it all was. To reach maturity, many of us must travel the same path of Jimmy Michael Cooper - and he's faced with some difficult choices. The Who produced this film, and they must be applauded (as should director Franc Roddam) for creating a classic work about teen rebellion. The music of The Who, including "The Real Me," "Love Reign O'er Me," "Bell Boy," and "I Am the Sea" has been expertly used throughout. "Quadrophenia" is a great film not just because it details British teen angst, but timeless, international teen angst. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 03, 2003 | | Summary | Corrections | Content
| Michael Gillis here with a small request. Having already written a review fof Quad sp edition, i would like to point out that my review is featured twice. I did some grammer changes after I submitted my review thinking the changes would become automatic, instead a second review appeared with the changes in place. Could you please remove the first review as it is now irrelevant. Thank you kindly. Michael Gillis. |
| Rating | | | Date | October 29, 2003 | | Summary | what is special about this special edition | Content
| Quadrophenia is not so much an account of mod (or modernisim as it was originally known). It is much more of a conceptual piece centering itself around the experiences of Jimmy cooper, a multi faceted personality, with the mod aspects giving a base to his predicaments. It was a story developed by Pete Townshend in the 70's with the 60's mod movement in mind. This is further developed by the use of director Franc Roddam's use of a contempory setting.
Some people have criticised the film for not being firmly rooted in the 60's, but I think the crossover works well, allowing the mix to sit in with the overall themes of the film. By using this approach the film can also unite people form different generations. I think this is important. And now to the film.
Quadrophenia opens where it closes, above the clifftops of brighton. From here we are transported back to sheppards bush where we are introduced to Jimmy as a character. We see his surface side as he enters the goldhawk club, well dressed and self assured. A Mod. As the film continues though we see him repond differently to various situations, be it his home life, at work, with his friends or when chasing his dreamgirl Steph ( played by Leslie Ash.). He is basically dissatisfied and in search of what's elusive. It is during the second half of the film we see this becoming more obvious. Set in Brighton on a bank holiday weekend Jimmy and his friends join together with an army of mods, for a weekend of dressing, dancing, pills and punchups. It is when Jimmy gets evicted from the dance for jumping of a balcony he begins to drift away from the numbers.
For me this is where Quadrophenia begins to take on its poetic quality. Jimmy wanders the beach at night until dawn by which point the dancing has ended and the majority of mods are re-congregating at the beach front cafe for a quick egg sandwich and the days itinerary. It is here Jimmy reconnects and the day unfolds.
Heading for Brighton peer, with Jimmy in centrefield, the mods unite with their chants of glory not only atracting media glare but also the attention of their stylistic opposites, the rockers. A huge battle erupts and the beach is invaded by mods and rockers at war with each other with not even the sea being able to separate them. It is Jimmy's role in all of this that is the most significant. Having joined up with Steph, he becomes euphoric, reinacting the violence for her. " I was there". For Jimmy it in this moment that everything becomes crystalised. He is a mod, he is part of the action and now Steph is by his side.
This is further enhanced by the film's most famous scene when Jimmy and Steph enter an alleyway and have sex together.
It is when leaving the alleyway that Jimmy gets nabbed by the police and things start to go wrong. It is only when the Ace Face ( played by Sting) gets locked in the same van that things seem a little brighter. This does not last.
Upon returning home from court, Jimmy is confronted in a series of incidents that will lead to his undoing. Firstly by his mother who spots his picture in the paper, then by his pompous boss who tells him how grateful he should be for being allowed to peform menial tasks, and finnaly by Steph who has now deserted him for His so called best mate Dave (as played by Mark Wingett)All of this ending in personal destruction.
With no place to call home and no one to be with, Jimmy Returns to Brighton where for that short period everthing was golden.
The film now becomes truly poetic, by replacing dialogue for images, of beatiful wind swept Brighton beach, upon which Jimmy treks and wonders where it all went wrong. It is in these final scenes he makes his fatal discovery that will allow him to make his ultimate decision.Quadrophenia is a doccument of a time and place that for the most part no longer exists. The film plays an important role in allowing us to visit that place. In saying this I think the real relevance of the film lies in its exploration of youthful themes. Jimmy cooper is a complex character but he is no more comples than any person in search of a real identity or an ideal place. It is for this reason I think it Quadrophenia will be relevant to future generations, to Identify with and to enjoy. Afterall it is a wonderfully youthful cinematic composition. EXTRAS UPPERS; There are quite a few interesting things contained on this special edition of Quadrophenia.
The US trailer is good ( except for the dialogue)
An interwiew with Sting is also interesting ( Pity it wasn't Phil Daniels though)
The directors commentary and archival photo's were of real interest to me. Nice one.
Also the trip form London to Brighton was great fun as was the 'Are you a mod or a rocker quiz"
Finally the Restoration which on the whole was good though a little visually dark in certain places. DOWNERS: This is a big disappointment. Has anyone even noticed there are 4 sucessive scenes missing from the US print. Wake up.
The scenes in question take place from where Jimmy exits the cafe after talking to Kev through to the start of the party at Kitchener road. Consult your English or Australian standard edition, they are all present. I would assume this had something to do with the original US cinema print but for me this is the major upset for after all, 'I am one of the faces'. Reviewed by Michael Gillis. |
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