Tina Turner - Acid Queen
Since I was a teenager, a spring of my life has never gone by without revisiting this Ken Russell adaptation of The Who's epic rock opera Tommy. As cinematic adventures go, this is one of the most blisteringly over-the-top movie musicals ever created -- perfect for sparking an L with your friends and laughing for two hours straight. It's one of those films that people either love with all their heart or consider one of the worst pieces of filmic excess ever invented. It started as a rock opera in 1969, one that Pete Townsend swore during a 1971 concert would never be performed again. If only he knew.... Instead, it launched an all-star London Symphony Orchestra interpretation, a latter-day Broadway and West End smash musical, and this cinematically intense (and often unintentionally hilarious) piece of film. Regardless, this 1975 film is filled with fascinating (and frequently bizarre) versions of The Who's rock opera sung by a plethora of non-singers and non-actors. The storyline is just crazy enough: Tommy is a deaf, dumb, and blind pinball wizard who becomes a messiah to millions when he can suddenly hear, talk, and see again. The cast is remarkable: Oliver Reed, Ann-Margret, Jack Nicholson, Tina Turner, Elton John, Eric Clapton, and Roger Daltrey as Tommy. The best part of the film, and what I really like about it, is hearing people like Jack Nicholson and Ann-Margret sing! Of course it's going to be somewhat awful! But it's just the right kind of awful, no more kitschy than a William Shatner record in my opinion. When I was a kid, I used to dig hearing this version of Tina Turner as the Acid Queen singing, "If your child ain't all he should be now...this girl will put him right." Her scene in the film, in particular, is unforgettable film madness. If you've never seen it, it's worth a rent. If you have seen it, you know it's worth owning on DVD. If you have always loved the soundtrack as performed by the actors, the soundtrack is conveniently available here. Here's a couple of teasers from the original motion picture soundtrack to the film.
Laffomatic Extra: Jack Nicholson, Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret - Go To The Mirror
