The Kids Are Alright (1979)

This "documentary"--I don't like using the word when talking about this film--is like a box of chocolates: there are delicious ones (live performances), and foul-tasting ones (those awful interviews with smug TV presenters). I looked at the booklet and whenever we were about to see Russell Harty or another one of his ilk I used the track skip button on my remote. I subtracted two stars for the interviews, thus 8/10. The performances are glorious. I've never heard Entwhistle's bass sound so vibrant, and Moon is playing the hell out of the drums--great sound. Won't Get Fooled Again is my favourite song, it's given a great rendition here. Townshend is often inspired, Daltrey's in good voice. What a treat.

Whatever the hell it is the Who play, it isn't rock. It's not. The musical tapestry spanned in Townshend's song writing is far too broad and varied to pigeonhole it with a genre label. His father played the music of his time. Townshend himself fell in love with the R&B singles that made their way to Britain from America. His mentor, Kit Lambert loved pop but also carried the influence of his father, Constant Lambert, a composer who worked in film and theatre. Lambert also loved the Baroque and Classical styles, all of which he passed on to Townshend. Townshend has his own ideas. All of it shows. This is not music of any one genre-it's a genre unto itself. But, when the Who plays it, it becomes rock.When they play it on stage it becomes the greatest and most powerful rock music imaginable.It was no surprise (not to Who fans anyway) that their DVD release from the fall 2000 show at the Royal Albert Hall was one of the most celebrated concert videos from that year. The band was firing on all cylinders on the 2000 tour and played at a level closer to what they achieved during their glory years than they'd ever managed since Keith Moon died. That alone was enough to put then back at the forefront.The "Kids are Alright" shows what it was like in the first place. It was the oddest of musical relationships. With the exception of the friendship between Moon and Entwistle none of them really liked each other, at least not in the early days anyway. Townshend's temper was enough to keep anyone away and everyone hated Roger. It reached a head in 1965 when they tossed Roger out for beating up Moon only to realize (to a man) that they were throwing away something that might go beyond anything any of them could imagine. It was their Waterloo and it happened before any of them passed twenty-one.It produced greatness.The Who had what it took to go places, always; everyone in the fold knew that. When they made that commitment they took it beyond what anyone could have dreamt. Throughout their (active recording) career they never followed a formula, never stopped pushing musical boundaries, and, in concert, always tried to do better than "last night". They became the most astonishing rock band ever to step on the stage.This film concentrates on showing that.It doesn't preach. There's no narration going through historic details. There's not even a chronological order to the piece. All it does is try to show the Who, and the ingredients that formed their magic to the world. The live footage is electrifying. The interviews are illuminating and hilarious. How could anyone (or anything) contain Keith Moon? How could an interviewer ever hope to step into the middle of the way the core group constantly challenged each other? They couldn't. This was four strong personalities merged into something larger than life. Their relationship wasn't harmonious but an outsider stepping into it found found themselves confronted with, the whole. When they stepped onstage that "whole" was what audiences got. Jeff Stein has been criticized for just "putting what was around" together. That's crap. Jeff Stein is a brilliant film maker who had the sense to let his subjects speak for themselves. That shows all the way through the film. You get the music, a sense of who the band are and a great sample of why their performances are the stuff of legend.How much more is needed? See it as soon as possible!.

Insightful look into one of rock's most successful acts. Or were they? I have heard that they never had a number one hit and only one track in the top ten. Two of these guys were so obnoxious I doubt I could stay in the same room with them for more than 5 minutes, especially Keith Moon, if only because of his constant hyperactive blather. Townshend was little better as he battered the listener with his silly, smart ass comments; what an arrogant loser. He was, however, on the money with his admission that The Who was more loud than they were competent. Interesting documentary even though it was limited in it's scope. The boys could have at least have done a rousing version of Entwhistle's "Boris the Spider".

The Kids are Alright is a great documentary about the greatest band in the world........ The Who (Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, John Entwistle, and Keith Moon). It really captures The Who from their "My Generation" days all the way to their "Who Are You" days. There is lots of classic Who moments, interviews and tons of great concert footage...... One complaint though......... The film completely ignored "Quadrophenia" the best Who album ever IMO other than that i give "The Kids Are Alright" a strong 10/10!! A must have for any Who fan!