Alice's Restaurant

Rating:
Summary: A Product of the Times
Review: I come from the '60's era and found Alice's Restaurant to be kind of camp, and somewhat reminiscent. Arlo suggested in an earlier review that we should boycott it. However he indicated to me in Sept. 2003 that it would be okay now to buy it. He was right that I enjoyed his commentary 30 years later. He separates the fiction from reality, such as those who only re-enacted the reality in the movie felt they were present at the original event.

I was glad to have bought it. While it isn't something that is has intrinsically deep meanings, it mixes a humorous story with a couple of serious subplots. It also gave me a chance to compare the young Arlo with my son, who has more than a passing resemblance to Arlo and is a fine musician to boot. PPS.

While one might not realize it from watching this movie, Arlo is also a pretty accomplished guitarist, besides the storyteller-folksinger-hippie type you see in this movie. If you get a chance to see him on tour, it's well worth it. Arlo probably won't sing much of "Alice's Restaurant" though, as it takes up too much time of a show and he has much more repertoire than "Alice". If you want that, buy this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: A Product of the Times
Review: I come from the '60's era and found Alice's Restaurant to be kind of camp, and somewhat reminiscent. Arlo suggested in an earlier review that we should boycott it. However he indicated to me in Sept. 2003 that it would be okay now to buy it. He was right that I enjoyed his commentary 30 years later. He separates the fiction from reality, such as those who only re-enacted the reality in the movie felt they were present at the original event.

I was glad to have bought it. While it isn't something that is has intrinsically deep meanings, it mixes a humorous story with a couple of serious subplots. It also gave me a chance to compare the young Arlo with my son, who has more than a passing resemblance to Arlo and is a fine musician to boot. PPS.

While one might not realize it from watching this movie, Arlo is also a pretty accomplished guitarist, besides the storyteller-folksinger-hippie type you see in this movie. If you get a chance to see him on tour, it's well worth it. Arlo probably won't sing much of "Alice's Restaurant" though, as it takes up too much time of a show and he has much more repertoire than "Alice". If you want that, buy this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: With the sixties coming back...
Review: I did like this movie, although it isn't as much of a masterpiece as they want you to think. With the talk of the draft coming back, this movie gives this new generation of hippies (my generation, a.k.a. the young "kids" into politics and against the current war) a reason to feel there are backed by the older hippie generation. I know the music of Arlo, and enjoy it a lot. Like others have said, the song is a bit better, for it isn't as dramatic. I like to compare this movie to the Graduate, for that is a much more light hearted, 60s drama, though not about the war. All in all, I'd say I may come to own the movie, if I watch it a few more times and enjoy more and more, but I may just keep it in my head to rent again sometime in the future.

Rating:
Summary: Great DVD - But...
Review: I had fun doing a running commentary for this new DVD release which I know you'll enjoy. However, because MGM/UA would not allow our small company to purchase the DVD at a decent wholesale price, they've cut us out from selling the product through our own retail outlet (we can buy it cheaper here at Amazon) where we've been selling our CDs and VHS movies (including Alice's Restaurant) for years. We are boycotting the sale of the DVD until changes can be made. Stick with us and wait. Then buy it here or anywhere. Thanks, Arlo Guthrie

Rating:
Summary: I did not remener it right
Review: I saw this film for the first time 24 years ago when I was a boy. I remembered it as a fantastic film. Now I have seen it again.

There are no head and tail in the story. It starts fine, but it never leaves the start. However, it does have a few nice shots and surely the music is really good. So, the two stars are really for the music, and the one star is for the film.

Rating:
Summary: A Child of the 90's Review
Review: I was a child of the 90's , graduating in 2000 from Terrell High School (Jamie Foxx's ol' stompin' grounds ) and I found myself identifying mmore with this movie than with the putrid teen bile spewed across the screen that was intended for me and my people. I love this movie, and when I finally got to meet Mr. Guthrie while working for the mouse in Orlando (you know the one) I was overjoyed. He was as personable and entertaining in person as I had always hoped he would be. For some, I guess the movie would be considered a bit odd, but all in all, it's a grade A piece of counterculture from a bygone era.

Rating:
Summary: Brings back a lot of memories
Review: I was in high school when this movie was released and watching it now brought back a lot of memories about a very mixed-up time in our country. This movie was pretty special when it was released, and it looks even more special today, now that most Hollywood films rarely concentrate on human emotions (particularly tenderness) and adult relationships. I was a bit disappointed in the quality of the print transfer to DVD, but the commentary is a big plus. I wish Arthur Penn had directed more films. I bought the DVD before reading Arlo Guthrie's comments or I would have waited.

Rating:
Summary: You Can Get Anything You Want, At Alice's Restaurant...
Review: I was one year old when this movie came out. Growing up I had all the influences of the 60's and none of the benefits. So I can understand how someone in their early 20s during the late 60's could identify with this movie, but I really can't relate to the lifestyle. Some of the "free spirit" attitudes just made no sense to me. The hippies seemed to have no sense of responsibility or accountability - maybe that was the point, but certain scenes didn't really stress the negative aspects of this attitude. The young mother dragging on a joint holding a newborn, or Alice hooking-up with the junkie behind Ray's back. These scenes were at the parts meant to accentuating the positive side of free spirits, not the negative; but I can't see anyone in any decade thinking a woman getting stoned holding a baby is cool. Also, the hippies seemed a little over the top in begin jerks to poor Officer Obie. Chill out, the guy's only doing his job. After all, for being hippies, Arlo WAS littering up nature. And I couldn't really get over the fact that a bunch of kids who have no jobs (Alice seemed to fail miserably at the Restaurant) could afford a huge Thanksgiving dinner or that megaparty-wedding. Where'd they get the money? Since this movie in part idealizes hippie life, I can only wonder about the reality of hippie life.

I guess I really didn't know what to expect when I rented the movie. Since the song is satirical and a little caustic, I expected the movie to be the same; but it bounced back and forth all over the place. The song "Alice's Restaurant" is fantastic as a biting commentary on the draft and the establishment, but the movie jumps from enacting the song, to showcasing the free hippie life, to a drug overdose death (which is distinctly NOT funny), to slapping women and becoming an ugly drunk. Nor was there any character development, not even with Arlo, who at the end makes the comment "I've got a lot of hard traveling to do" (like, what have you been doing so far?). The director's many messages were ultimately muddied and lost. Other period movies with much the same themes ("MASH", "Catch 22", "Harold and Maude", "Easy Rider") were more successful in getting their underlying messages across.

Ok, maybe I'm overanalyzing. It would have been pretty cool to be at that Thanksgiving dinner (although I wouldn't have wanted to deal with the War). And there are some absolutely great aspects to this movie. Probably the best is Arlo's commentary. I saw the movie a second time with the commentary on and it is an absolute riot. 35 years later that guy is STILL a crackup. The music is really very good too, especially the folk music with Pete Seeger. Arlo is a great musician. And Tina Chen is gorgeous - she's worth renting the DVD alone (kudos to the director for hiring an Asian-American to play the girlfriend at the height of the Vietnam War). So I give the DVD a solid 3 stars. It's worth a view if you have any interest in the 60's scene, and I'm sure many people will love it and want to own it.

Rating:
Summary: Captures the true spirit of the 60'S.
Review: I wish I was there for Thanksgiving Dinner

Rating:
Summary: What Great memories this film brought back
Review: I, too, escaped military service in Vietnam not because of littering, but multiple parking tickets. I was told it showed a chronic disregard for authority. Since Tet was just about to begin, I count myself lucky indeed. Thanks Arlo, I have always loved you music!