A new documentary, "Pete Townshend: Behind Blue Eyes," directed by Frank Marshall and Nigel Sinclair, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, offering a lively but somewhat unfocused portrait of the Who's guitarist. Rather than dwelling on his famed on-stage ferocity, the film leans towards Townshend's introspective and artistic side, tracing how his childhood trauma and art-school background shaped works such as the rock opera "Tommy" and his broader ambitions to elevate rock music into a more serious art form.

The film draws on previously unseen archival material, including 16mm footage shot at Holmhurst Manor in 1972, Townshend's home movies, and outtakes from the Who's 1970 Isle of Wight performance, alongside a present-day interview with the 81-year-old musician and contributions from bandmate Roger Daltrey. The review, however, flags notable omissions: the film never mentions "My Generation," despite discussing the Who's influence on punk; it attributes drummer Keith Moon's death to a drug overdose without addressing his heavy drinking; and it overlooks the impact of Ken Russell's 1975 film adaptation of "Tommy." The reviewer suggests these gaps stem from the film largely deferring to the earlier definitive Who documentary "The Kids Are Alright" (1979), leaving this new effort feeling Who-centred despite its billing as a Townshend biography.