Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who

[Shaun Ponsonby]

Film One:
AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO
Spitfire Pictures Unveils Film for World Premiere
At Toronto International Film Festival


Film Two:
AMAZING JOURNEY: SIX QUICK ONES (sister film)
A Feature Taking the Viewer, In-Depth, Behind What Drives
The Who’s Magic


Available in Highly Collectible Two-Film DVD Set On November 6, 2007
From Universal Studios Home Entertainment


UniversalCity, California, August 30, 2007 – AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO and AMAZING JOURNEY: SIX QUICK ONES, two exhilarating feature-length films about one of the seminal and most influential rock bands in history, produced by Spitfire Pictures in association with Trinifold Management, will be released by Universal Studios Home Entertainment on DVD on November 6, 2007.

Marking 40 years since The Who's first U.S. appearance in North America, AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO will make its worldwide debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2007.

Spanning over four decades, AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO reintroduces The Who now and to generations-to-come, as it tells one of the greatest stories of rock. The film tells the unfolding story of The Who and how they have straddled the rock world for forty years, in a tale as gripping in adventure, life and personality as the searing power of their music. The film features all-new, exclusive, never-before-seen interviews with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and others, rare and recently discovered concert footage, artist profiles and much, much more, all in 5.1 Surround Sound.

“AMAZING JOURNEY transcends all generational barriers and offers a profoundly personal account of rock history,” commented Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Universal Pictures Digital Platforms. “As an authorized piece, the film is the definitive anthology of one of the most important bands of our time. We are very pleased to be able to make this film available to those who already love the band, and perhaps more importantly, to showcase its legacy to those who may have not had the good fortune to have seen them perform live.”

The companion feature film, AMAZING JOURNEY: SIX QUICK ONES takes the viewer inside the mysteries that drive a rock band to the pinnacle of musical achievement.

Deliberately conceived as two complimentary pieces of work, one film for a wide audience and one for the die-hard rock fan, the two films present a complex and complete picture of the legendary musicians as they have never been seen before. Music greats including Sting, U2’s The Edge, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Oasis’ Noel Gallagher, offer insightful commentaries on The Who’s indelible influence. Alongside a companion booklet and additional DVD bonus content, this set comprises one of music’s most collectible and comprehensive compilations ever assembled about one of rock’s greatest bands.

AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO was produced by Spitfire Pictures’ Nigel Sinclair, and Trinifold’s Bill Curbishley and Robert Rosenberg. It is directed by Paul Crowder (ONCE IN A LIFETIME) and Academy Award® winner Murray Lerner (FESTIVAL). The film is presented by Universal Pictures, and was produced by Spitfire Pictures in association with Trinifold, VH1 Rock Docs, MLF Productions and Pony Canyon.

Amazing Journey: Six Quick Ones was produced by Spitfire Pictures’ Nigel Sinclair, and Trinifold’s Bill Curbishley and Robert Rosenberg. The film is presented by Universal Pictures, and was produced by Spitfire Pictures in association with Trinifold.

Added Nigel Sinclair: “If there are four legs to the table of the 60's rock movement that has inspired and defined popular music ever since, they are The Who - as well as, of course, The Beatles, The Stones and Dylan - and it was both daunting and thrilling to be charged with producing the authorized story for this work. As part of the foundation of rock n' roll, The Who's legacy is still evolving, of course, as they continue to fill houses and inspire artists all over the world. Part of the power of The Who's music is its honesty and authenticity and we have tried our hardest to remain true to that spirit while making these two films.”

Beginning with their first hit single 'I Can’t Explain,' The Who emerged from Mod-Era London to electrify the world with their unique sound. The music and live performances of Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle and Keith Moon tore through the existing boundaries of rock. The band has recorded 11 remarkable albums, including the world’s first rock opera Tommy , and the ensuing masterwork Quadrophenia . The British legends produced some of the most compelling and original music of the era, including the songs, 'Won’t Get Fooled Again,' 'Happy Jack,' 'Pictures of Lily' and the immortal 'My Generation.'

The two-disc set is priced at $29.98 SRP. Pre-Order close is October 2, 2007.

ACCOMPANYING FEATURE FILM

The band’s monumental legacy is celebrated not only by flagship title AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO but also by a second feature film, AMAZING JOURNEY: SIX QUICK ONES. The films will be released side-by-side on two discs in 5.1 Surround Sound. The two features represent approximately four hours of must-see materials, much of which have never been seen before.

AMAZING JOURNEY: SIX QUICK ONES takes us through, in four individual pieces, the virtuoso musical abilities of each band member: Roger Daltrey; Pete Townshend; John Entwistle; and Keith Moon.

Then, in “Who Art You,” the fifth constituent part of this feature, the viewer is taken into The Who’s trademark bullseye, and the Mod and Pop Art movements, as The Who’s 1960s journey to become a band as visual as they were musical is explored;

Finally, in a coup de grace, during 2003, The Who allowed legendary filmmakers, the Pennebakers, into the studio to film them record the hit song 'Real Good Looking Boy.' Recorded for the album Then and Now , this work was the band’s first new studio recording in over 20 years. 'Who’s Back' – the sixth 'Quick One' – is the intimate portrait that emerged of these artists at work.



IN ADDITION, THE DVD SET CONTAINS THE FOLLOWING ADDED BONUSES:
The Scrapbook: Five Additional Insider Insights into the World of The Who:

Dinner with Moon
A Legal Matter
Won’t Get Fooled Again
Cincinnati: The Whole Story
Royal Albert Hall 2000
The High Numbers at the Railway Hotel : The earliest footage of the band known to be in existence, seen in its entirety here for the first time.

SYNOPSIS

AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO is the definitive, authorized film of the iconic rockers. The filmmakers amassed a wealth of never-before-seen personal images, all-new interviews and rare and unreleased concert footage to tell the story of how four diverse Londoners – Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle and Keith Moon – combined to create their own style of rock music, building a dedicated fan base the world over, and, as a result, surviving at the top for over 40 amazing years.

Whether they were The Detours, The High Numbers or The Who, their music and their story is the ultimate rock and roll tale. The film chronicles it all: from their roots as a 1960s pub cover band, through their meteoric rise, encompassing all the fascinating ups and downs, twists and turns, stops and starts, successes and failures that made this band one of the greatest in the world. Follow them as they evolve four decades of rock.

The narrative of AMAZING JOURNEY: THE STORY OF THE WHO and sister-film AMAZING JOURNEY: SIX QUICK ONES are both driven by compelling new interviews – with surviving members Daltrey and Townshend, and those close to the band – in which thoughts and memories of The Who, their music, and their history are shared with the viewer. These eyewitnesses include The Who’s manager Bill Curbishley (the film’s Executive Producer), and Chris Stamp (with Kit Lambert, one of The Who’s original co-managers). Additional insight is provided by close friends, family and colleagues; and commenting on their musical legacy are Sting, U2’s The Edge, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Oasis’ Noel Gallagher.

Spitfire is currently in post production on Addicted , a sexy psychological thriller starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Grudge, Cruel Intentions). Spitfire is also responsible for the Grammy Award-winning documentary of 2005, No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Spitfire’s partners Nigel Sinclair and Guy East's acclaimed projects includes Sliding Doors, The Wedding Planner, Iris, The Life Of David Gale, The Quiet American , and the box officesmash hit Terminator 3, The Rise Of The Machines. For more information, visit www.spitfirepix.com.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and Entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.



www.thewho.com


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Heard about this a year-18 months ago, glad to see it's finally ready for release. Really have been looking forward to it.

[Terry]

Sounds great, although I'm tiring of interviews where musicians from other bands and crtitcs get screen time to blather on about a band they weren't even in.

Don't need Eddie Vedder or Sting's insights on The Who taking up disc time because I don't give two shits what they have to say or think about the band, good, bad or indifferent.

Chuck that shit and serve up more Who live clips, promo clips, whatever.

[jharp84]

Originally posted by Terry
Sounds great, although I'm tiring of interviews where musicians from other bands and crtitcs get screen time to blather on about a band they weren't even in.

Don't need Eddie Vedder or Sting's insights on The Who taking up disc time because I don't give two shits what they have to say or think about the band, good, bad or indifferent.

Chuck that shit and serve up more Who live clips, promo clips, whatever.

Right On! Give us the performances not the "talk"!!

[Shaun Ponsonby]

Originally posted by Terry
Sounds great, although I'm tiring of interviews where musicians from other bands and crtitcs get screen time to blather on about a band they weren't even in.

Don't need Eddie Vedder or Sting's insights on The Who taking up disc time because I don't give two shits what they have to say or think about the band, good, bad or indifferent.

Chuck that shit and serve up more Who live clips, promo clips, whatever.


I think its good to dedicate a little time to it, to show the band's influence on other artists.

I remember when they started making it about 18 months ago...they put out a statement asking for any footage people have which has never been commercially released...so it looks like there could be a lot of rare footage in this film.

[Nickdfresh]

I just wanna see the live stuff...

[Shaun Ponsonby]

Well, I actually really like documentries when they are done well...so Im looking forward to the whole thing, even though I probably know the majority of the stuff in there.

[Shaun Ponsonby]

Review http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review.php?ID=31215

THE MOVIE:

I never get tired of hearing good rock 'n' roll stories. That early rush of creativity, the gang mentality, success and ambition, the fall and inevitable return. Like any type of story, the general outlines tend to be the same, it's the personalities and how things are told that makes them different. After the tremendous success of Martin Scorsese's exhaustive portrait of Bob Dylan, No Direction Home, a couple of years ago, I was happy to hear the producers were next turning their attention to one of my all-time favorite bands, The Who. Sure, I've heard their tale multiple times, but it's one so rich in excitement, passion, and turmoil, there's always going to be more to explore. Plus, with a good rock documentary, one where the band has participated, you also get the music, and even if the story lands on familiar beach, the crashing of the waves always sounds great.

How exciting for me as a Who fan, then, that Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who has material that surprises even me. I've seen my fair share of Who profiles, watched compilation tapes and live DVDs, and yet Amazing Journey dusts off quite a few clips that I had not seen before. There are early, fiery performances as the High Numbers and footage of singer Roger Daltrey walking offstage when his band is too high on amphetamines to keep the proper tempo; there is also later footage of the first performances after the deaths of drummer Keith Moon and more recently bassist John Entwistle. Plus, so much more in between.

Directors Murray Lerner and Paul Crowder (who also edits and narrates) go back to the very beginning, laying the groundwork by explaining the post-War British childhood that would later inspire the rebellion of Pete Townshend's most incendiary and heartfelt tunes. They dig up old photos, talk to family members of the various band members, including the mothers of Entwistle and Moon, and try to set the scene for how four unique personalities would come together and form one of the greatest rock bands of all time. That was always one of the fascinating things about The Who, how they never really fit together as people, yet somehow they turned that tension into spectacular music. It's something even Townshend would try to get at in my favorite of their albums, Quadrophenia. Lerner and Crowder chronicle all the punch-ups, quirks, demons, and personality flaws that informed the band's rich discography. It's both humanizing and honest, while serving to fan the flames of legend even further.

The filmmakers structure Amazing Journey as a four-sided record, from youth to early fame to the tragic downfall and the perseverance into later years. In addition to archival footage and photos, they have new interviews with various members of the Who camp, such as manager Chris Stamp, producer Glyn Johns, and replacement drummer Kenney Jones. They also bring in more contemporary musicians to elaborate on the Who's influence. These include Sting, the Edge, Noel Gallagher of Oasis, Eddie Vedder, and Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols, who was there the night Townshend made a drunken fool of himself that led to the elder statesman writing "Who Are You," putting his fear of the rising tide of punk on record. The visual style is usually pretty straightforward, sometimes mimicking the scratches and stutters of a skipping record in ways that work really well, and sometimes going a bit clich, such as when LSD is discussed. Still, Amazing Journey is a smoothly constructed documentary, moving along at a steady rhythm. Its main focus is on the first twenty years, with the band's off-and-on career following the loss of Keith Moon in 1978 covered in only the final quarter.

Both surviving members of the band, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, sit down for new interviews. In addition to the rare performance footage, it's these candid talks that are the main draw of Amazing Journey. Both of the rockers open up about their careers, discussing how their various insecurities led to some of their decisions, owning up to mistakes and misbehavior, and also scraping away at the veneer to expose what drove their music. I was surprised to hear Townshend say he had considered quitting music to make movies, as well as hearing the real explanation why the group has consistently reformed over the last two decades. The band doesn't shy away from the bad times, either. How John died and the false accusations Pete suffered in recent years aren't necessarily personal high points for the band, and yet there they are.

The perfect music documentary is one that speaks to the lingering excitement of longtime fans while also serving as a primer for newcomers to experience the music. By that criterion, Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who has no equal. I immediately scrambled for my copy of The Who Sell Out when the film was over and let it be my soundtrack for writing my review. Though I had heard plenty from and about the Who during the two hours Amazing Journey ran, it just made me want more. Encore, please!




THE DVD

Video:
This DVD is super-duper in terms of image quality. Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who was made to be seen widescreen, and the anamorphic transfer is at a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. It looks great, and the directors even thought ahead as far as the old footage. They created an unobtrusive, stylish frame for the fullscreen performance footage that allows them to integrate it into the newer widescreen material. Also, whenever possible, they cleaned up the archival items so they look brand new.

Sound:
Naturally, the sound here needs to be as good as the picture, and the 5.1 Dolby Digital mix is good and loud without distorting the music. There are also English subtitles for the deaf and hearing impaired.

Extras:
Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who is a two-disc set, with each DVD coming in an individual slimline case and packaged together in a cardboard box cover. A 12-page color booklet of liner notes, including photos and a breakdown of what is on the DVDs, also comes with it.




DVD 1 has the main feature on its own, while DVD 2 has two more hours of extra material, keeping the same sound and video specs of the main disc. The main portion of the second disc is titled Amazing Journey: Six Quick Ones, a collection of six more mini documentaries, giving each band member more individual air time and delving into specific elements of the Who's artistry. Together, these run close to 90 minutes (you can watch each segment alone, or all at once). The compact biographies of Roger, John, Pete, and Keith are all from the same pool as Amazing Journey proper and contain more performance footage, but with a specific intention of getting to the heart of what made each individual player sound the way they did. I was particularly pleased to see a more recent acoustic version of "Real Good Looking Boy" that showcases Roger's more aged voice.

"Real Good Looking Boy" is also the subject of D.A. Pennebaker's Quick One, "Who's Back." The recording of the song for the Who's most recent greatest hits compilation (2004) was captured by the director who chased Dylan in Don't Look Back and filmed the Who for Monterey Pop.

Lastly, "Who Art You" explores how the band joined the mod movement and its pop-art leanings. It includes bits of the commercial they did for Coca-Cola, which then lead to The Who Sell Out. This features commentary from Richard Barnes, author of many a Who-related book, including the quintessential photo book on the youth movement, simply titled Mods.

21 more minutes are given to "The Scrapbook," deleted and extended stories from the documentary. These are in five segments:
1. "Dinner With Moon" - Manager Bill Curbishley's story of an extraordinary Keith Moon bender and John Entwistle's response to it.
2. "A Legal Matter" - Shel Talmy and Glyn Johns recall the contractual fight between Talmy and the band.
3. "Won't Get Fooled Again" - Peter Townshend relates the real inspiration behind one of his more popular numbers.
4. "Cincinnati: The Whole Story" - Curbishley relates in full his perception of what happened when concert-goers got trampled at a show in 1979.
5. "Royal Albert Hall 2000" - Noel Gallagher's amusing anecdote about being invited to play with the guys at a charity gig.

Finally, "The High Numbers at the Railway Hotel" is nearly 8 minutes of the recently unearthed footage of the band in 1964, playing two R&B covers uninterrupted. This very early film was shot for a proposed movie Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp wanted to make, a chronicle of an up-and-coming rock band that never happened.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
Simply put, Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who rocks. The Who is one of the greatest bands of all-time, a rightful member of the original holy trinity of the British Invasion. Unlike the Beatles and the Stones, however, there was something incendiary about the Who, something dangerous. They were almost like both bands in one, a clear gang of four, bustling with creativity, and yet out on a rough-and-tumble edge. This fabulous documentary, along with its disc of six bonus films, tracks their remarkable career from humble beginnings through massive success and on into the twilight years. Rare performances and candid interviews give us a glimpse behind the curtain like never before. Highly Recommended.

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[FORD]

They showed this (or at least the first disc of it) on VH 1 last weekend. Have to admit I was surprised at some of the stuff they dug up, including the early "High Numbers" gig. Excellent quality footage, considering it probably wasn't done on high end equipment at the time. Hard to believe someone actually thought to film the thing.

"You know.... maybe, just maybe.... these guys might be huge some day. Guess I better film this shit....."

Also did a good job of illustrating the fact that it started out as Roger's band and pretty much remained that way until they needed their own material, and then Daltrey couldn't step up, but Pete did.

[philouze]

Nothing NEW for the fan that I am. We already know the Kilburn '77 footage.
Lerner "told" us that everything in the movie would be NEVER SEEN BEFORE footage.
BULLSHIT ! He didn't do shit to improve this movie. Oh yeah, he said "We'll get the Paris 1972 footage, don't worry.."
Bottom line: he got nothing.

I won't buy it. Sorry. It's sad, cuz I'm a hardcore Who fan.

BTW, it seems to be a great DVD to discover the band, if you don't know them. I prefer The Kids Are Alright, though..

[Shaun Ponsonby]

I hear ya..."The Kids Are Alright" is possibly the greatest rock film ever.

But, as far as conventional documentaries go...this is a good 'un...

Isn't really much I didn't know already...although I found the "Real Good Looking Boy" studio footage interesting (how HUGE is Greg Lake now, BTW?). Great for beginners, good for fans.

[thome]

rock docs....... on VH1 rite now.....

[PumpedUpMidget]

Originally posted by Shaun Ponsonby
"The Kids Are Alright" is possibly the greatest rock film ever.


"Elvis, That's the Way It Is" would give it a strong run for its money....

[Terry]

Have read that Amazing Journey has very few full-length song clips, outside of the High Numbers stuff; most of the other live clips are interrupted before the song concludes by interview segments.

That's a big minus.

I may get it from Netflix and dup it, but between The Kids Are Alright and 30 Years of Maximum RnB, I've already got the best two Who docs already; haven't read one review that said Amazing Journey came even close to either one.

[Terry]

Originally posted by PumpedUpMidget
"Elvis, That's the Way It Is" would give it a strong run for its money....

Elvis in Vegas circa 1969-1970. That's The Way It Is. Too fucking right! He really was the King at that point. Outstanding.

Flip side is the documentary This Is Elvis, which has some footage of one of his last 1977 shows. Seeing him totally bloated and obviously fucked up, slurring through the spoken mid-section of Are You Lonesome Tonight on some prescription pill addled, stream of semi-consciousness monologue, laughingly oblivious to both his surroundings and how much he has let himself go...yikes:elvis:

[DLD]

If you buy it at Best Buy.. you get a 3rd disc with 90 mins of Chicago '79

[Terry]

Did. in fact, end up getting at Best Buy with the Bonus Chicago 1979 disc.

The Kilburn 1977 footage was of interest, mostly because I'd never seen it before...wish there had been far more of it used. Was nice to see the entire Chicago 1979 show, too, rather than the few cuts that made it onto the Maximum RnB tape.

Not a terrible effort. In the end, I still prefer more actual band footage than just a bunch of people (including the band members themselves) sitting around TALKING about the Who.

[Shaun Ponsonby]

Yes...but we've already got that twice.

I think they wanted to make a conventional documentary...and I think they've done a bloody good job of it. It's not a re-make of "The Kids Are Alright", and they ensured that it wouldn't be. This is actually the telling of the Who story as opposed to this was us in 1964, this is us in 1969, this is us in 1971, this is us in 1973, this is us in 1978 etc...