Rating: 
Summary: You have to watch it more than once
Review: ...if you're going to comprehend what's going on in this film. It seems completely arbitrary and non-linear at first(granted, some of it is), but a second viewing shows the Monkees trying desperately to escape from their television image as Your Parents' Favorite Goofballs. Theyre stuck in their own show's inanity, forced to endure such indignities like silly cowboy and indian scenes, crummy birthday parties, and getting sucked into a vacuum cleaner after impersonating dandruff in Victor Mature's hair. The Monkees are far from cute in this one- instead, they're cynical and cranky. Theyre also occasionally disturbing-they jump off a bridge in the first 5 minutes of the movie(which also happens to be the last 5 as well), not something you'd expect the Monkees to do. Stellar soundtrack, some of which was actually written by the Monkees. Curious enough to be watched about every 6 months or so, to make sure you didn't miss anything.
Rating: 
Summary: Head - A Tale Like No Other
Review: This is now one of my favorite movies. If you're looking for more of the innocent hijinx from the show, this movie might not be for you. If you're not a fan of the Monkees, but you're into the whole 60's thing of not making any sense due to being on hard drugs for most of the decade, or if you're an obsessed fan of the Monkees and looking for many different ways to obsess, then this movie is definitely for you. The plot is really muddled, but was intended to be anyway. It starts out with Davy, Micky, Mike, and Peter running from a mob of people, onto the Brooklyn Bridge and committing suicide over the edge and into the water below. The music is good. Songs written by Peter Tork, Carole King, Mike Nesmith... Watch for cameos by Annette Funacello, Frank Zappa, Jack Nicholson (he helped write it). Good cinematography, good songs, good movie. Didn't do well at the box office due to promotion issues and lack of similarity to the show. Developed a cult following in later years.
Rating:
Summary: The Definitive Anti-Masterpiece
Review: When this film was made the career of the Monkees was already in decline as their show had been cancelled and their music was no longer charting ('Porpoise Song' from the "Head" soundtrack got up to number 62 on Billboard). The group was tired of their squeaky clean image as the 'Pre-Fab Four', and they just wanted out. This film was conceived in an effort to reach out to more adult audiences, and to hasten their departure from the scenes as the prototype MTV 'boy band'. The film itself is a quirky, stream of consciousness movie that treads the line between anti-war statement film to over the top comedy in scenes where, for instance, they have to frolic on the scalp of Victor Mature (in a sequence known as 'dandruff') and are subsequently sucked into a giant vacuum cleaner by Victor Mature's hairdresser. There is no plot as such, but there is some redeeming social commentary such as when Frank Zappa tells Davy that he needs to work on his music more (but compliments his dancing, done with Toni Basil). At the end of the scene Frank Zappa's cow offers her opinion of the Monkees, in a scene that must be my favorite of the movie. Some of the music is great, with the Nesmith tune 'Circle Sky' getting top mention. It's a great song, filmed live in a scene designed to show how the boys had been devoured by their public image. Other musical numbers are a bit lacking, particularly 'Daddy's Song' and 'As We Go Along.' Highlights in the film are in the cameos. Not only do Toni Basil and Frank Zappa put in appearances, so do boxer Sonny Liston (who fights Davy), Terry Garr (who pleads to have poison sucked from her finger), Annette Funicello (who pleads tearfully with Davy in a love interest scene), and Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper in a cantina scene. Most peculiar of all credits are for writers and producers, namely longtime Monkees collaborator Bob Rafelson, and Jack Nicholson, who later collaborated on "Five Easy Pieces" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice", among other projects. There are also extras consisting of theatrical trailers, including one in Portuguese, and television ads for the film. The film was essentially not promoted, certainly didn't connect with the typical Monkee demographic, and was a disaster at the box office. This didn't trouble the band, as it gave them a clear path out, with Peter quitting very shortly after the movie was released. This is as unlike the Monkees TV show as can be imagined, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a trippy sixties flashback stranger than most any other. I was fortunate enough to see this in a theater, and have loved it ever since. I recommend the film to people who know about the Monkees or just think they do. I guarantee that it will shatter your preconceived notions of the band.
Rating:
Summary: A Monkee-Maniac Must See Movie!!!
Review: This is a totally great movie. The first time I watched it, I was a little confused. Now that I watch it over and over it makes perfect sense. I absolutely love the Monkees. Most people find this hard to believe since I'm only 17. The guys are all great actors and perform (in concert) very well. This is my favorite group of all times. I have just about every show and cd by the Monkees. My favorite Monkee is the terminally cute Davy Jones. He looks so good in this movie. He looks even better in person. I saw him 3 times last year. I like the way the movie changes scenes so much. It also has an awesome soundtrack. I think the whole idea behind the movie is that the Monkees are trying to escape their "teenie bopper" image. This is a must-see movie for anyone who likes the Monkees. It's an enjoyable movie for all ages. Trust me, you can't just watch it once. I've watched it time and time again. It is a movie that I just can't get tired of.
Rating: 
Summary: Frobis
Review: Precisely not the kind of movie anybody would have expected the Monkees to make, this film (co-written by Jack Nicholson, and featuring Frank Zappa and Victor Mature, in the same film, together!) was either a calculated go at making the Monkees counterculturally acceptable, or just an inspired set of non-linear, 'Python'-esque sketches on the subject of manufactured fame. Released at the same time as the Beatles' 'Help', this is closer in tone to the unstructured 'Magical Mystery Tour', but whereas the latter Beatles movie was curiously joyless and forced, 'Head' is actually pretty funny, in both senses of the word. Attempting to describe it is pointless - it opens with a Monkee leaping from a bridge, and ecompasses war, a Coke machine in the desert, and a giant eye in a medicine cabinet. Think of it as a set of short bits of the television show, edited by a man with no idea of structure, only weirder. And you're half-way there. It's a shame it isn't out on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Hardcore Fun - Sixties Style!
Review: That person who wrote 'Brooklyn Bridge' in the other review SURE didn't do their homework! Hey, you know, there ARE other towns in the USA BESIDES NYC! The Monkees run across the 'Vincent St. Thomas Bridge' in Long Beach, CA, when the bridge was first built [late 60's] It's kind of historic for us Southern Californians!
Anyway, The Monkees ORIGINATED in Southern California and used some great scenery in this film [i.e. 'the Desert' -- when was the last time you saw a 'Desert' in NY state? :-)] And they had the quirky assistance of Jack Nicholson to help with the project. Yes, a definate 'psychedelic' film, quite unlike their more famous TV show, it's still great to watch if you like '60's stuff' and don't necessarilly want a 'plot'. Just good hip[?] fun! Great new[er] set of songs that differ from the TV series too. There's also strange quick edits of 60's TV commercials, Vietnam War newsreel clips, 'Bela Lugosi' films & 'Loopy De Loop' cartoons! Watch for Annette Funicello, Frank Zappa, Teri Garr & Victor Mature! Even Jack N. makes a cameo.
If you like this you should see other films from the era: "What's New Pussycat?" "2001: a Space Odyssey" [mainly for the similiar 'solarizing' effects!] & "The Trip & Psych-Out" which are on another good DVD [double feature]. Watching 'George Michael Dolenz' [Braddock??] kick the krap out of a Coke machine is worth the whole film! [:-)]
Rating:
Summary: "Never Loan Money to a Man with a Sense of Humor"
Review: The following quote from the movie is spoken by Peter Tork. A lot of this movie was made to literally (and figuratively) take the Monkees out of the box they'd been trapped in. If you're expecting the same loveable happy-go-lucky "long-haired weirdos" as you saw on the TV series, you'll probably be disappointed. The humor here is harsher and drier. Mickey seems fed up with movie cliches (fake arrows and empty Coke machines in the desert). Peter resents having to clobber a surly waitress in the script and takes up Eastern philosophy ("I know absolutely nothing!"- perhaps a pun on the "Peter is the dummy" cliche in the TV series). Davey appears charming and cute (especially while performing "Daddy's Song") but he's also sick and tired. But the most cynical of all is Mike. When the other Monkees surprise him on his birthday, he chews them all out- "and the same goes for Christmas!". Vietnam is satirized, the views of society are questioned, and as the Monkees say in the opening chant "When one story ends, another one begins!". Yes, it's that weird! The soundtrack includes the psychedellic "Porpoise Song" (sung by Mickey and Davey), Davey Jones' vaudevillian "Daddy's Song", Micky Dolenz's ballad "As We Go Along", Mike Nesmith's country/psychedellic "Circle Sky", 2 songs from Peter Tork- "Can You Dig It?" (based on the Tao writings) and "Long Title (Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?)". This movie may be a little dated by today's standards, but it was way ahead of its time for both the year 1968 and the Monkees.
Rating:
Summary: Head is a trip!
Review: What is so unique about HEAD is that it's dreamlike in a way that few movies are. A uniquely crafted film inspired by the underground films of the 50s & 60s. Few movies manage to be entertaining solely on the strength of editing, but here a series of dreamsequences are seemlessly strung together in a fun and innovative way. The most revolutionary part has to be the way the beginning and end sequences were connected by the events between them yet are the same scene with only slight variations. Huh? As the Monkees put it, "when you see the end in sight the beginning may arrive". How they do it is masterful. If you try to make sense of this movie, you'll be missing the point. The best thing to do is just mellow out before you watch it and allow HEAD to mess with your head a little. It will if you give it a chance and that makes for a truly rewarding viewing experience. Outside of the Monkees trying to escape their manufactured image, nothing really makes sense in this strange little movie. However, criticising HEAD for it makes about as much sense as critising your dreams for being equally strange and nonsensical. Where comedy is concerned, HEAD is not funny in a humorous way but rather in a peculiar way, similar to the way dreams have you saying, "what was that all about?" later on. If this had been a hit, it could have taken popular filmmaking in a whole new direction.
Rating:
Summary: The Definitive Anti-Masterpiece
Review: When this film was made the career of the Monkees was already in decline as their show had been cancelled and their music was no longer charting ('Porpoise Song' from the "Head" soundtrack got up to number 62 on Billboard). The group was tired of their squeaky clean image as the 'Pre-Fab Four', and they just wanted out. This film was conceived in an effort to reach out to more adult audiences, and to hasten their departure from the scenes as the prototype MTV 'boy band'. The film itself is a quirky, stream of consciousness movie that treads the line between anti-war statement film to over the top comedy in scenes where, for instance, they have to frolic on the scalp of Victor Mature (in a sequence known as 'dandruff') and are subsequently sucked into a giant vacuum cleaner by Victor Mature's hairdresser. There is no plot as such, but there is some redeeming social commentary such as when Frank Zappa tells Davy that he needs to work on his music more (but compliments his dancing, done with Toni Basil). At the end of the scene Frank Zappa's cow offers her opinion of the Monkees, in a scene that must be my favorite of the movie. Some of the music is great, with the Nesmith tune 'Circle Sky' getting top mention. It's a great song, filmed live in a scene designed to show how the boys had been devoured by their public image. Other musical numbers are a bit lacking, particularly 'Daddy's Song' and 'As We Go Along.' Highlights in the film are in the cameos. Not only do Toni Basil and Frank Zappa put in appearances, so do boxer Sonny Liston (who fights Davy), Terry Garr (who pleads to have poison sucked from her finger), Annette Funicello (who pleads tearfully with Davy in a love interest scene), and Jack Nicholson and Dennis Hopper in a cantina scene. Most peculiar of all credits are for writers and producers, namely longtime Monkees collaborator Bob Rafelson, and Jack Nicholson, who later collaborated on "Five Easy Pieces" and "The Postman Always Rings Twice", among other projects. There are also extras consisting of theatrical trailers, including one in Portuguese, and television ads for the film. The film was essentially not promoted, certainly didn't connect with the typical Monkee demographic, and was a disaster at the box office. This didn't trouble the band, as it gave them a clear path out, with Peter quitting very shortly after the movie was released. This is as unlike the Monkees TV show as can be imagined, and I recommend it for anyone looking for a trippy sixties flashback stranger than most any other. I was fortunate enough to see this in a theater, and have loved it ever since. I recommend the film to people who know about the Monkees or just think they do. I guarantee that it will shatter your preconceived notions of the band.
Rating:
Summary: Trippy
Review: This is one great movie... Head the turning point in monkees history was not that great of a success in its time but has now become a cult classic... I personally love this movie because its trippy... like after u ate a crap load of shrooms yes... very fun... the monkees were known for being funny and with only 2 seasons of there show its not hard to see why they made this movie... Written by jack Nickelson, They start out with the mayor opening the new bridge, and the monkees come running threw and micky jumps off...then there are some mermaid who rescue him and etc.. they are inside a vacuum and stuff its really wierd...
But this movie is not funny... Not at all like there show and the music is differnt on the show not at all like previous things... some monkee fans have been shocked but i was very excited to see it and was very Surprised afterward the movie had more meaning and was not just them running around like crazed freaks but this movie really makes you think and u have to watch it many times and u still will not fully understand Each time u watch it u notice something else... I suggest this movie to anyone Monkee fan or not
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