The Monkees - Head

Rating:
Summary: Things that make you go..huh?
Review: I like this movie, mainly for the music. I think the music for "Head" was some of the Monkee's best. The movie I think is something one has to be stoned to truly understand. It cuts back and forth to different scenes, and I sat there for the entire 1hr 30mins trying to figure out if the Monkees were in a movie *within* a movie (there are scenes where they walk through sets and you see the directors etc) or if its all just one big headtrip. I understand that the Monkees were trying to say something with this movie, that they weren't all pegged in a box like society and the media were making them out to be. Perhaps they felt their lives were one big movie, and this film stood for something so hugely figurative that its hard to understand in one shot.

I think I have to watch this movie a few more times to understand it, but its probably one of the strangest movies I've ever seen. I like it because the music is fantastic, and its The Monkees, if it were anyone else I doubt I'd give this movie a second chance because I wouldn't have the patience to watch it again to understand it.

But, I think its kind of funny because this movie is a kick in the pants for teeny bopper fans who were expecting them to be like they were on TV. Theres a funny line where a waitress says "if it isn't God's gift to 8 year olds!" to Peter, which is obviously a jab at the Monkees image. Another funny part is where Micky is in the desert, and is so thirsty. Up ahead is a Coke machine, he puts in a quarter and nothing comes out. He freaks out at the machine for a bit and lets it go. Finally these Italian men come up in a tank and surrender. Micky takes the tank and blows up the machine! I think a lot of this movie is figurative and you have to read between the lines, perhaps this is Micky taking "aim" at commercialism.

Reguardless of me not really being able to tell you what this movie is exactly about, I did enjoy it. Its definitely something that you'll have a hard time understanding the first time you watch it, there are some parts that are funny, and do make sense, but a lot of it is confusing! Get out your acid for this one.

Rating:
Summary: What the.....?
Review: Um, okay, I guess it IS kind of entertaining in it's own strange way. I'm assuming that this was the Pre-Fab Four's way of basically saying, "Okay, the Monkees shtick has run its' course, time to blow it to bits" and, boy. does this film do that in a big way. But my biggest question is how in the world were they and Bob Rafelson able to get away with getting it released in 1968? Were we all that besotted on acid?

Rating:
Summary: This movie DOES make sense!
Review: I'm not saying that there wasn't somethin being smoked when they wrote this but it's NOT just gibberish. The movement of the Monkees away from just being a pre-fab band was considered "suicide" by some and thus this film begins with Mickey jumping off a bridge. Get it? The direction the Monkees are moving in is "suicidal" because it's a major step in a completely different direction. They were no longer simply over dubbing voices on pre-written and performed musical tracks and in the film after Mickey takes the plunge the lyrics of Porpoise Song tells us that he wants to feel and know what's real because "an over dub has no choice it can not rejoice". RCA Victor wanted the Monkees to remain manufactured and a money making pop machine so in this film the Monkees make fun of that idea with lines like "the money's in - we're made of tin" and by blowing up what is portrayed as a highly popular but unsatisfying money making pop (Coke) machine. Get it? They also portray themselves as dandruff on the head of Victor (Mature) who are used to sell product and make money. Victor as in RCA Victor. Get it? Victor menaces the Monkees who try to get out of the box they keep being put in. Get it? There's more: there's a scene with rabid fans who rip them to pieces, there's satire of the idea that each Monkee has a sterotypical role to play (Pete's "the dummy"), Zappa gives excellent advice to Davy, there's war footage (more career suicide since their handlers wanted them to stay 'safe' and not be political) and even the age old saying that a hugely popular musical act could "sing 'Happy Birhday'" is here. Every manufactured movie cliche is spoofed also. This is an extremely symbolic but meaningful film. It's trippy and unlike anything else BUT it has something to say and DOES make sense if you get it.

Rating:
Summary: One of the most underrated films ever
Review: I loved it! It's one of my favorite. Truly a trip.

Rating:
Summary: Parents Beware
Review: I thought this G-rated movie would be fun to share with my child, as an introduction of sorts to the beginnings of music videos. What I didn't expect was the Vietnam War newsreel footage spliced into the Monkees' soundstage skit. The unedited news footage included the (in)famous execution of a Vietnamese soldier: we see a close-up of his fearful face as he is held with a gun to his head, the trigger is pulled, he is killed and falls down dead. How this movie got a "G" rating is hard to understand. Beware, it's not what you would expect a "G" movie to be.