W2m Network

Tonight on Triple Feature, Mark Radulich and Chae Tate dig into three very different—but deeply connected—rock musicals: Rock of Ages, Tommy, and Jesus Christ Superstar. On the surface, these movies couldn’t be more different: an ‘80s jukebox fantasy built around arena-rock nostalgia, a surreal and abrasive rock opera about trauma and worship, and a countercultural retelling of the Passion filtered through late-60s skepticism and sound. But together, they trace the evolution of rock as both rebellion and product.The conversation looks at how Tommy and Jesus Christ Superstar treat belief, authority, and charisma seriously—even uncomfortably—while Rock of Ages repackages rebellion into something glossy, ironic, and audience-affirming. Radulich and Tate explore how rock music moved from a confrontational force challenging institutions to a safe, self-aware nostalgia engine, and what gets lost when subversion becomes branding. It’s a discussion about spectacle, sincerity, commercialization, and whether rock music