Want to see a biopic about the manager of The Who, directed by Cary Elwes? As you wish. That’s exactly the project that the former Westley has chosen to be his first directorial project. He’s teaming up with producer Orian Williams (who notably produced the fantastic Ian Curtis biopic “Control,” and has projects based on the lives of Jeff Buckley ("Mystery White Boy") and Jack Kerouac ("Big Sur") on their way to the screen) to tell the story of Kit Lambert – the man who discovered The Who and made them one of the most famous rock bands of all time.
Apparently both Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey have read the script, approve, and are on board to contribute biographical details and allow the use of their music in the film. The script has been penned by Pat Gilbert who used to edit the British music magazine Mojo, who based his debut screenplay on interviews with the managers of The Yardbirds, Marc Bolan, Japan and Wham!.
Lambert discovered The Who when he was attempting to make a movie about a band, but instead decided to launch their musical career and then repeatedly encouraged them to explore more experimental avenues. His lifestyle seems to have been the typical rock 'n' roll lifestyle of that era, and towards the end of his career he fell foul of drink and drug abuse which ultimately resulted in his death in 1981. It sounds like an interesting project, and Elwes clearly agrees with that assessment. We’ll be hoping he finds success behind the camera, and teaming up with Williams seems like a wise move for this subject matter. [THR]
