But he obviously doesn’t think they have resulted in a botch-up, and nor do I. The tensions between Parker, Waters and Scarfe have been well advertised, mostly by Parker. At least something exists on celluloid, and millions who bought the album will see it.

Which is a very good reason why people like Alan Parker should exist, even if his collaborators on this extraordinary film, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and Gerald Scarfe, the artist, found his conception of it different to their own. It is simply not the sort of project the Spielbergs, Scorseses and Coppolas would interest themselves in.

N o American director would or could have made Pink Floyd The Wall (Empire, AA).