WATCHED them again: “The Commitments.” / “Tommy.” / “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”

“The Commitments” (1991, Sling) Irish musical comedy-drama film based on the 1987 novel by Roddy Doyle; directed by Alan Parker. Set in the Northside of Dublin, the film tells the story of a young music fanatic who assembles a group of working-class youths to form a soul band named The Commitments. 



       At the 1992 British Academy Film Awards, the film won four of six BAFTA Awards for Best Film, Best Direction, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing. It also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Film Editing. The film has since gained cult status.

       I saw this movie in the year it was first globally released. In those years, I was into putting together bands and managing them. So this movie hugely inspired me. 

       I think I bought the cassette tape of the soundtrack first. Although all covers of soul/blues standards (1950s-1960s), the songs are very enjoyable; lead singer Andrew Strong (as Deco) has a powerful, bluesy howl. 

       The movie is doubly entertaining. A hilarious mix of characters that seems so real as the bands that I organized then. 🎥💻📽


“Tommy” (1975, Roku) British musical fantasy drama film written and directed by Ken Russell and based on the Who's 1969 rock opera album about a psychosomatically deaf, mute, and blind boy who becomes a pinball champion and religious leader.


       The Who's vocalist Roger Daltrey is Tommy. The star-studded cast: Oliver Reed, Ann-Margret, Robert Powell, Elton John, Eric Clapton, Jack Nicholson, and Tina Turner. This wild ride of an absurdist movie earned Ms Margret a Golden Globe Award for her performance and was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Pete Townshend was also nominated for an Oscar for his work in scoring and adapting the music for the film. 

       Although I get the film's overlying message, I get impatient with Mr Russell's playfully irreverent visuals. Overproduced even. A whacked pop art that only Ken can conjure (at least in those years). This is not Ken Russell of “Women in Love” (1969) or “Altered States" (1980), which I both enjoyed. 

       But then, Mr Townshend's music is kickass. How can one argue that? 🎥💻📽




“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975, Roku) British comedy film based on the Arthurian legend, written and performed by the Monty Python comedy group. Before my Left-wing homies evolved into SNL and Kimmel/Colbert laughing emojis, they loved the Monty Python gang as I did. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.

       For sweet nostalgia, I revisited the movie. No, I didn’t see Mr Idle’s Tony Award-winning musical “Spamalot” (2005), although I was in New York City that year. Anyways, this is comedy before there was (probably) “political humor,” otherwise Donald Trump would be a focal subject here, right? Thank God! So watch again, if you can afford to rest your fingers (and eyes) from clickin’ and sharing Trump memes. 🎥💻📽


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