Quadrophenia hit the big screen 40 years ago, but it’s still fondly remembered by many
Full of gaffes, too many scooters and still the ultimate film about freedom on two wheels
Forty years ago this autumn the shooting of one of the most memorable, twowheeler-related, British youth movies of all time – Quadrophenia – was completed before being released the following summer and going on to inspire a whole new Mod movement.
Born out of The Who’s 1973 album of the same name and produced by the band themselves under the Who Films banner following the success of their earlier Tommy rock opera, it’s a tale of discontented London youth in early 1964 leading up to the infamous bank holiday Mod v Rocker beach riots. And although focused on the Mods, and in particular the character Jimmy (played by Phil Daniels), it was criticised for a raft of errors which include a 1978 Cortina and a cinema showing Grease in supposedly 1964 Britain. But Quadrophenia still packs a punch and is fondly remembered by two-wheel fans today.
The riding was real
Part of that appeal is down to the largely convincing portrayal of 1960s London and Brighton and the mod/rocker scene. First-time feature director Franc Roddam had a background in drama-documentary and went to great lengths to be authentic. Most of the locations are real with just two interior ‘sets’ created. All of the key cast could ride or were taught how to by, oddly, the police training school at Hendon. And while the lead Rockers are actors (albeit ones who could ride, including Ray Winstone who’d just bought a bike) all the extras were real bikers recruited from local clubs. It’s also worth adding here that Roddam strove to create a real camaraderie among his young cast, clearly evident on screen, by having them live together and immersing them in the old mod scene.
Another factor was how Quadrophenia tapped into the vibrancy and energy of the late ’70s punk scene to recreate the similar vibrancy and energy of ’60s Mods. It’s no coincidence than many of the lead roles were played by the likes of Sting and Toyah, for example.
While a further part of the appeal is the music. Released as a double album in 1973 and entirely composed by Pete Townshend, the rock opera LP is regarded as one of the band’s best and was bolstered further by having three additional tracks recorded for the movie. Incidentally, the whole album was re-recorded for the film and was new drummer Kenney Jones’ (Keith Moon tragically died of a drug overdose just before filming began) first recordings with the band.
But for most of us into two wheels the biggest reason of all is Quadrophenia’s credible and authentic depiction of youth exploring freedom via two wheels; even if most of it was on scooters.
Two-wheeled freedom
Not only are the Lambrettas, Vespas and bikes the vehicles without which Quadrophenia literally goes nowhere, the key theme of going from London to Brighton simply couldn’t happen without them. They’re also symbolic: Jimmy’s riding of the stolen ‘Ace Face’ Vespa over Beachy Head at the film’s conclusion symbolises his ultimate disaffection with the Mod scene. On top of that, all of them, as we all as bike fans know simply too well, are desirable objects in their own right. The lead scoots; Jimmy’s Lambretta and the ‘Ace Face’ Vespa, are today probably the most famous and replicated scooters anywhere, with the original Jimmy bike most recently selling for well over £30,000.
Yes, as bikers, we identify more with rocker Kevin (Ray Winstone), admire his BSA A7 far greater than the ‘hair driers’ of the Mods – ‘Hang about, I’ve got a toolkit on the bike’ – and probably lust after ‘Lead Rocker Girl’ Linda Regan in her leathers more than shallow Steph in her Hush Puppies. But, if we’re completely honest, it’s the whole two-wheeled ‘freedom’ thing, that resonates most and which no movie since has recreated as well. Happy birthday Quadrophenia, you’re aging well. Continued over
‘All the extras were real motorcyclists recruited from local clubs’