QUADROPHENIA (Criterion, 1979) D: Franc Roddam, w/ Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash. Rating: NNNN DVD package: NNNNN Rating: NNNN
Quadrophenia’s evocation of mods in 1964 London crackles with energy due to director Franc Roddam’s documentary-based style and the judicious use of both period pop and chunks of the title concept album – the Who’s Quadrophenia – all beautifully remastered for 5.1 sound.
At the same time, it takes a layered look at the teenage search for identity, a perennial theme in the Who’s music.
Seventeen-ish Jimmy (Phil Daniels) loves being a mod – the sharp clothes, the motor scooter and getting fried on any kind of uppers he can get. He’s hoping to start something with Steph (Leslie Ash), who’s dating someone else. Jimmy attains mod nirvana amid a giant mods-versus-rockers street fight on the May holiday weekend in Brighton.
An appealing mix of pseudo-toughness and naïveté, Jimmy isn’t articulate, but Daniels makes every mood shift and twitch of anxiety plain on his face.
The commentary with Roddam and his cameraman, plus the interview with producer Bill Curbishley, provides details about their creative methods, but the real treat is all the material on the mods, including a half-hour 1964 French TV show, a print essay by one of the original mods, and Who member Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia liner notes.
EXTRAS Commentary, producer interview, on-set interviews, sound restoration interview and demonstration, essay booklet, more. English audio and subtitles.
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