TOMMY: 50TH ANNIVERSARY (1975) 

• Director: Ken Russell
• Cast: Roger Daltrey, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Tina Turner, Elton John
• Film: 111mins | UK | No Subtitles + Intermission
• Doors: 6pm | Intro + Film: 6:30pm – 9:30pm [18+]

Cult film night BAR TRASH continues at Beer Merchants Tap with CELLULOID JAM!, an unofficial celebration of 50 years of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (1975).

“YOUR SENSES WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.”

A traumatised child loses his speech, vision and hearing before growing up to become a master pinball player and, subsequently, the figurehead of a cult.

1975 gave birth to not one but two epic rock movie musicals, THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and TOMMY, Ken Russell’s gloriously giddy film adaptation of The Who’s extravagant concept album (released in 1969). The album was given several stagings — including a live tour by the band from 1969 to 1970 — but it’s the film version that has stood the test of time with its wall-to-wall music sung by some of the era’s most iconic names. 

Then of course, there’s master of celluloid extravagance, Ken Russell, who literally throws everything at this screen. If you’ve ever wanted to hear Jack Nicholson sing, or marvel at the sight of Swedish film star Ann-Margaret drunkenly cavorting in a cascade of baked beans, TOMMY is the movie you’ve been waiting for. We’ll be playing it loud. 

“An essential time capsule of Britain in the ’70s; a nation as morally paranoid and panicked then as it is now.”

BP Flanagan, Little White Lies

Polite notice: We are showing TOMMY without subtitles from the best available digital source. TOMMY contains scenes of child sexual abuse, drug addiction, and other offensive mayhem. But that’s kinda the point.

// Part of BAR TRASH: CELLULOID JAM, a fan-powered celebration of THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. Hosted by queer film fanatic Token Homo (creator of BAR TRASH and QUEER HORROR NIGHTS), all films screen with an introduction, intermission, and subtitles/captions (where possible!). Tickets £6. Adults 18+ only. Follow @tokenhomo on Instagram for news and updates. //