Who payed the critics

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

I was very disappointed in this film. I may not be a Who fanatic, but I am a big Who fan, and "Who's Next" is my favorite all-time record album. So I thought I'd really enjoy this movie and learn more about The Who.I may have learned a few more things, but the film was a bore. I almost fell asleep around the 40 minute mark, so I turned it off, and finished it the next day, but it didn't get much better.I think part of the problem is that it's kind of a Who film, but not really. Lambert and Stamp are definitely the focus of this film, and when their life intersects with The Who (which is a significant part of their lives), then they'll talk about The Who. But even then, we hear Chris Stamp droning on and on and on about things, Barney Barnes droning on and on about things, etc. As others noted, this could have easily been cut down to 60 minutes, and might have been more enjoyable.And since this is about Kit Lambert's life, why didn't the director tell us how he died? I had to look it up after I saw the movie! Maybe the director wanted to show Lambert in a positive light, but since he's one of the stars of the movie, it was a glaring omission, and obviously an intentional one.Finally, as noted by Richardburkhard in his April, 2015 IMDb review, I would say there are almost definitely fake reviews that were submitted. Slobbering ratings of 10 for a movie where the person has reviewed no other films is kind of the giveaway. Don't be fooled by them.

Who are The Who? They're Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp. Of course, you first come up with the names Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey because they actually play that wickedly-good rock. However the first two names in this essay are the founders of The Who, filmmakers with a dream to make a rock documentary but sidetracked into managing one of the best rock bands ever.Director James D. Cooper hits the right notes: plenty of talking head from handsome, articulate Chris Stamp (brother of famous Terence, who appears with commentary), entertaining clips from the band's early years, and a thriller of a break up story (almost required of all rock band stories, fact or fiction). Never could anyone be bored with such a complex, fascinating rags-to-riches tale.Pete Townshend, not much to look at as a young man but distinguished now with a naughty glint, gives as much as Stamp, especially when we try to understand the dynamic that led to the breakup. Although the posh Kit Lambert, whose dad was Constant Lambert the maestro, was an intrepid entrepreneur, he pushed himself to early death with cigs and drugs. During the growth times, however, he pushed the band into unknown territory. As did the better thinker, Stamp.Although Kit Lambert died before the making of this doc, he is so carefully edited in as to make it seem he was here all the time. Stamp is especially effective as we are taken through the creation of the mega-hit rock musical Tommy and the release of Lambert & Stamp from the organization. The Who buying Shepperton Studios, where the founders met, is a nice piece of irony. Lambert's brainy discussion of class and youth with its manifestation in the "mod" era directed by the youth of London elevates the documentary from curiosity to demanding to be heard to understanding the wild youth of London.

Greetings again from the darkness. Considering myself a big and long-time fan of the rock band The Who, this documentary from first time filmmaker James D Cooper caught me off-guard with the surprising amount of detail and behind-the-scenes insight into how the band broke out from the dingy club circuit to a world of gold records, massive arena shows, mansions, and international acclaim. The answer is in the title: Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp.Unless you are a Rock Music historian, these names are probably new to you. Lambert was the son of renowned British composer Constant Lambert and had a "proper" private school upbringing, including an Oxford education. Stamp, the brother of actor Terrence Stamp and son of a tugboat captain, was the polar opposite – blue collar family with a street-wise education. This odd couple bonded over their love of French New Wave films, and decided to create their own film project to capture the restlessness and rebellion of British teenagers in the early 1960's. Their idea was to film a band that captured the essence of the times, and this led them to put off the film project, and instead manage and mentor a group of "unattractive" mods known as The High Numbers … soon to the The Who.Much of the film is dedicated to interviews of the survivors. Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey from The Who, seem quite complimentary in their recollection of the influence of Lambert and Stamp, as well as the band's late members Keith Moon and John Entwistle. Since Kit passed away in 1981, the bulk of the interview time goes to Chris Stamp, who is unabashed in his respect for Lambert and how their differing styles but single vision helped drive the band's development through some pretty lean early years. Stamp passed away in 2012, so his interviews and recollections helped capture a time that would otherwise be little more than newsclips and home movies. His memories are a treasure trove for an era.The film opens with a perfectly placed 8th century quote from Hesiod. This band of misfits and outsiders was being managed by two fellows who were equally misfit – the result being musical genius and never before seen stage theatrics. There is a segment with Townshend and Daltrey conversing about drummer Keith Moon that drives home the frustration and sadness that these two felt towards their bandmate, who was an exceedingly troubled man (Moon died in 1978 at age 32). When Townsend says "Keith Moon wasn't a drummer … He was something else". We know exactly what he means.Director Cooper does a really nice job of keeping the focus on the two men behind the band, rather than the four lads on stage. We all know the music. We all know the tragedies. What we weren't aware of is how Lambert and Stamp managed this band to reach the huge heights of success … and this theme is never lost. One of the most fascinating clips has Townshend playing an early and very rough cut of a song that he is working on for the two managers. He is begging for their input and suggestions – a level of openness we rarely glimpse from artists, and one that clarifies just how much impact the titular characters had on the band … right down to the songs and the stage act.The film is a bit tough to watch at times what with all the quick cuts of photographs and clips … kind of dizzying and distracting. That reaction is probably a result of this being such a non-traditional … actually quite unconventional documentary. It is by no means a retrospective or tribute to The Who. Instead, and much more impressively, it's a rare look at the fearless approach of two British gents who set out to make a statement on the times, and instead helped create something timeless.

I found this documentary fascinating and on many levels. Chris Stamp seems like an amazing man, his energy leaps off the screen, and the editing is such that you really feel in the time of the discovery and launching of The Who with all of the craziness. The film is fun to watch and there is a tidbit in there about the early days of a band we all know that is, by itself, worth watching the whole movie. I'm going to see it again because the editing is the visual representation of what is being said by the interviewees and there's so much worth a second look that goes by quickly. My wife loved it, too. It's not often you get to see a documentary that is as real and relaxed and worth watching as "Lambert Stamp."