By Liz Lopez
Rating: B-
The legendary rock band from England formed in the 1960s, The Who, was at the Frank Erwin Events Center in Austin, TX on Monday, April 27th and subsequently, director James D. Cooper’s debut feature-length documentary, Lambert & Stamp, was set to release days later. I really entered the theater anticipating a bit more about the band itself, but in fact, the focus is on the two business partners Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, two aspiring filmmakers who started out with an idea for a project and from that arose the music legends that draws fans to this day. As the viewer is introduced to how Lambert and Stamp proceeded to roll out their idea and find the band, the barely known individuals that comprised the band named the High Numbers with no recordings to their name, evolves into The Who that decades later was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
I know there are many individuals who are still not fans of documentaries and shun away from them. I enjoy them for all the history I discover from all of them, some more than others, but I walk away from each one knowing more than when I first start to watch them. Lambert & Stamp is one of the feature documentaries that I am not raving about, but it is certainly one I recommend for anyone, music fan or not, who thinks The Who is just one of the many 60s rock groups with a story similar to others.
It really is interesting on how two individuals with different life/lifestyles and family histories were drawn together creatively and set out to “make it” despite the many challenges. This was the 60s, so there are plenty of scenes with drink, drugs and rock & roll activity – thus the R rating for the 117 minute film. Even though Mr. Lambert passed away in 1981, there is so much footage and photographs available from his youth that provides so much history, along with that of Chris Stamp, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, among others in the film. I love the black and white footage and the clothing of the era.
Be ready to be taken back in time and see how The Who came to be.
The Sony Pictures Classics film opens at the Arbor Cinema 9828 Great Hills Trail (512-231-9742).
Film Screened Courtesy of Sony Picture Classics