Stars: Phil Daniels, Mark Wingett, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Michael Elphick, Sting, Kate Williams, Ray Winstone

Director: Franc Roddam

Summary: This film caused a sensation when it was released. It accurately recreates all the excitement and aggression of the Mods and Rockers in the 60s. Includes an 8 minute montage.

It's the Mods versus the Rockers in this striking adaptation of the Who's classic rock opera about alienated youth in the 1960s. The film follows Jimmy (Phil Daniels) an angry young man who feels that he can only achieve a sense of identity and meaning in life through his gang and rock & roll music. This edgy time capsule also features Sting (in his acting debut), Leslie Ash, and Ray Winstone. In addition to Who songs such as "Love, Reign O'er Me," "The Real Me," and "My Generation," the soundtrack includes R&B classics by James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and others. Acting debut for rock musician/performer Sting.

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Franc Roddam's terrifically energetic movie, set to music from the Who's Quadrophenia, is--at the very least, the best film ever based on a rock album (and, yes, that includes, Tommy, Pink Floyd: The Wall, and Jesus Christ Superstar). Actually, this tale of the battle between two early '60s youth subcultures--Mods and Rockers--in the seaside teenage wasteland of Brighton, England, isn't so much a cinematic "version" of the Who's 1979 double-record rock opera as it is a story based on the sequence of songs on the album. Quadrophenia is about that crucial time in teenhood when the lion's share of your sense of identity is tied up in the music you listen to, the clothes you wear, and the groups you hang out with. Jimmy (Phil Daniels) identifies himself with the sharp-dressing, scooter-riding Mods, who listen to American soul and British pop-rock (The Who themselves were once rather Mod). The Rockers, on the other hand, are leather-jacketed, black-booted, motorcycle-riding tough guys who listen primarily to classic American rock & roll. The film captures this minor pop-culture revolution perfectly. Look for Sting as a club-hopping slickster, who's shameful secret is that he's a hotel bellboy by day. --Jim Emerson

Aspect Ratio:	4:3 Full Frame
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Additional Montage
Year:	1979
Release Date:	September 20, 1999
Runtime:	115 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	051 835 2
Keywords:	General, Quadrophenia, Drama
Genre:	Drama