ferbs54 Just reacquainted myself with one of the craziest movies ever made, 1968's "Head." This is the Monkees movie that was directed by Bob Rafelson and cowritten by Rafelson and Jack Nicholson. I'd seen it many years back on the big screen, I believe at the old uptown Thalia here in NYC, but had forgotten what a truly bonkers movie experience this is. The film has no plot whatsoever to speak of, and jumps around from one loopy situation to the next. It really is made for heads; for those stoned out of their mind or, preferably, tripping on acid. It is probably one of the most psychedelic films ever made. Besides The Monkees, other stars who pop up in cameos include Victor Mature, Annette Funicello, Frank Zappa, Sonny Liston, Timothy Carey, Nicholson himself, Logan Ramsey and Teri Garr. Four or five Monkees songs are spotlighted, but hardly the ones you might expect; no "Daydream Believer" or "Last Train to Clarksville," but rather a number of their more way-out and psychedelic numbers, including the truly trippy "Porpoise Song" (written by Carole King, of all people). The number entitled "Do I Have To Do This All Over Again?" is a particularly lysergic mindblower, replete with swirling lights and bizarre camera movements. The vignettes here range from war films, to boxing, to sci-fi, to Westerns and so on, with The Monkees continually getting plopped down in these bizarre backdrops, back and forth, the ending of the film looping back to the beginning. Seen without the benefit of drugs, it can all get a bit tiresome, but is never boring; the film moves much too quickly to admit of boredom, and one never knows what will pop up from one second to the next. Ultimately, it all means very little, but still, is quite the experience to sit through. Surely, a time capsule of its era....

dungeonstudio On viewing this movie again in the Criterion BBS Story, I've gained a new appreciation for it. I'd say it's a flawless commentary on the assembly, execution (in many literal senses) and the desires and integrity (if any?) of some or all of The Monkees in the 'system'. Highly surreal at times, but yet making perfect sense to anyone having strong opinions on 'pop stardom', 'television diffusion', and 'political/moral diversion tactics'. It's all brilliantly and subtlety interwoven in this film. It does more to justify what The Monkees were, and The Beatles weren't. Yet, if given the chance at the time - I think both bands would gladly switch their jackets for mere poops and giggles. Both bands could claim being 'groomed and doomed'. But is so interesting that one endured the 'caverns' for their status, while the other endured the 'casting offices'. And in a way, I think the later created more of a desperate bonding than the former for the two bands. The Monkees were definitely split on 'earning their bread' and 'getting their butter'. And had opinions and awareness of the world outside of their 'bubble' that they wanted to empathize and alert their fans of as well. But were caught in such a mechanism that could jeopardize their career, yet at the same time earn them credibility and expand their fan base. I think 'Head' straddles that hurdle amazingly, not only for The Monkees, but Raffleson, Nicholson, and all others involved. How to stay in a system they're trying to escape from? Take the food from the hand, and say the bite it was given was out of love? Really miraculous considering the shackles, context, period, and all the talent that was involved, and their own personal ideas and beliefs. Art for information sake? Or information with a chrome gallery frame around it? Either way, it stands as both - then and now.

gavin6942 The Monkees are tossed about in a psychedelic, surrealist, plot less, circular bit of fun fluff.The film comes from the collective that includes Jack Nicholson (who wrote the script), Bob Rafelson (who directed) and Dennis Hopper (who has a cameo). To see it play out in a surreal, psychedelic manner should be no surprise.Renata Adler commented that Head "might be a film to see if you have been smoking grass, or if you like to scream at The Monkees, or if you are interested in what interests drifting heads and hysterical high-school girls." Rather, it is more than that. The film turns all the genres on their head -- western, horror, war and more are all handled in a very different way.

Mike Kiker I love The Monkees, probably the most underrated pop group of all time. Well known for being TV darlings in the '60s, but not as well known for trying their best to shake off the image by actually playing their instruments in concert (unlike the pop stars of today, but that's for a different website), writing their own songs, supporting some major breakthroughs in music like the Moog Synthesizer, and helping give (at the time) struggling artists like Frank Zappa, Tim Buckley, and Harry Nilsson a fair shake.And for the evidence to everything I just said, look no further than 'Head', considered by many Monkees fans (including this one) and the Monkees themselves to be their crowning achievement. Yes, it is a plot less mess, but it's on purpose (or could you say "on porpoise"? Sorry had to get that joke out. Yes, it is terrible, but on porpoise. D@MN! Did it again, sorry, back to the review...) But within this plot less mess are some great shots taken at the entertainment industry, the faux spirituality that seems to run rampant with celebrities (And this was 35 years before Tom Cruise was promoting Scientology!) and the political climate of 1968. For example; the dandruff commercial, Mickey torpedoing the Coke machine, the War! cheer, the punching scene, the black box, the Swami and Peter know-nothing speeches, the Frank Zappa and Cow commentary. All present various allegorical statements on their treatment in the media, and what they've come to know in the world of fame, and are done brilliantly.As for the music and their accompanying scenes, top notch! First the Monkees' Theme parody "Ditty Diego-War Chant" is set to random television gridlock imagery. The scene for Mike Nesmith's "Circle Sky", intermingles footage of prepubescent female hormonal cacophony from a live Monkees show with the footage of war, "Porpoise Song" (written by classic songwriting team Carole King and Gerry Goffin), a song that's up there with the trippiest of pop songs, is set to solarized negative images of Mickey Dolenz and 2 mermaids, emphasizing the song's psychedelic nature. Great cover of Harry Nilsson's "Daddy's Song" set to an equally visually stunning dance number by Davy Jones and Toni Basil. "Can You Dig It?" by Peter Tork set to Middle-Eastern belly dancers. King & Goffin's serene "As We Go Along" is set to slow motion footage of The Monkees in the woods. And "Long Title: Do We Have To Do This All Over Again?" gets the best scene of all by subtly being overtaken by Mike Nesmith's grief during the trippiest of tripped out parties, only to end suddenly with Mike Nesmith berating everything, including Christmas! So, in a nutshell, expect everything you know and love about the Monkees to be shattered! But enjoy this ride, in a present state or an altered one!