Quadrophenia
Directed by: Franc
Roddam.
Written by: Dave
Humphries & Martin Stellman & Franc Roddam.
Starring: Phil Daniels (Jimmy), Leslie
Ash (Steph), Phil Davis (Chalky), Mark Wingett (Dave), Sting (Ace Face), Ray
Winstone (Kevin), Garry Cooper (Peter), Gary Shail (Spider), Toyah Willcox (Monkey),
Trevor Laird (Ferdy), Kate Williams (Mother), Michael Elphick (Father).
Every
generation will continue to make films about teenage angst and alienation –
because every generation will continue to feel like the ones that came before
them just cannot understand what they are going through. No teenager wants to
end up like their parents, yet, most of them will do just that. Quadrophenia,
based on the 1973 Who concept album, belongs in the same category as films like
George Lucas’ American Graffiti (1973) and Richard Linklater’s Dazed and
Confused (1993) – films that are in many ways nostalgic for the previous times,
and yet realizes that while you’re in them, things can miserable. The film
seems to have been design to be the polar opposite of Ken Russell’s Tommy
(1975) – the previous film based on a Who rock opera, as this one is stripped to
the bone filmmaking almost in the style of a kitchen sink drama. There’s no
real musical numbers at all.
The film
stars Phil Daniels as Jimmy – a “Mod” in 1964 England. He works as a mailroom
clerk for a big company, but doesn’t like his job (of course). He lives for his
nights and weekends, when he can hang out with his friends, drink, dance and
screw – and occasionally get into fights with the “rockers”. Why are the mods
and rockers getting into fights? Why, because they’re mods and rockers of
course. The film is largely plotless as it follows Jimmy through his various
exploits – his partying, his mind numbing job, his drug use – his continual
pining after Steph (Leslie Ash) – who is seemingly whisked off by her boyfriend
whenever he turns his back for a second. He is after something pure and real.
In many
ways, the only things that separates something like Quadrophenia from a modern
day movie about the same issues is the fashion and the music. Teenage angst is
teenage angst, and every generation comes up with their own symbols of what
that means to them. This is why many of these films end up feeling dated – they
are so tied to a specific time and place that they become hard to relate to for
future generations. One of the things that makes Quadrophenia work better than
most is – that like American Graffiti and Dazed and Confused – it’s already a
period piece when it was made. The film therefore can be a little bit more
clear eyed about what is ultimately futile rebellion.
Not that
it feels futile to Jimmy and his friends at the time. Like all teenagers, they
believe that they are future of the world, and it revolved around them. They
don’t want to be locked into jobs and careers and marriages, etc. – they want
to be free to do what they want. The differences between mods and rockers is
vitally important – even if no one quite knows what it is (a young Ray Winstone
says something similar in the film).
Quadrophenia
is perhaps a film that I have arrived at too late in my life for it to have the
impact it may have as a teenager. The film has become a cult item in England –
lesser so here, but still somewhat – and it’s easy to see why. What Jimmy and
his friends are going through it still relatable to youth in any era. If you
come to this as a teenager – or someone who lived through the era – you’re
probably going to like it more than I did. I think Quadrophenia is a fine film
to be sure – much of that thanks to Daniels performance (the rest of the cast
is uneven, but he’s terrific). Yes, in many ways he’s playing a young brat –
but he’s a relatable one. This is a good film – not a great one.
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