The Trip

Once again, like many films of the same time, The Trip is often misunderstood for a campy, cheap exploitation of a once vibrant time 'too often reduced to nostalgic simplicities.' The Plot goes as follows: Peter Fonda plays a film director that is bummed out by his wife (Susan Strasberg) and pending divorce. So to cool out, he takes LSD from a psychologist-type who is making records of 'controlled' LSD experiments (played by Bruce Dern). The film seems to hold it together during the first 30 minutes or so, but loses it's place when the weird acid trips happen (note the creepy scene where Fonda dies and goes to some kind of hell inhabited by horsemen, knights, and dwarfs). Overall, this is an entertaining little time capsule filled with twists and old film techniques. But I still cannot stress enough the arrogance of a man who tries to capture an LSD trip on camera for the silver screen. Even though the film did do moderately well at the box-office (for 1967, that is), mind expansion enthusiasts, like myself, might find the LSD depictions to be a bit funny at times, and the dialogue to be typical for a film of its kind. But for all personal shortcomings, I recommend this film because it is a true original.

Paul Groves (Peter Fonda), a television commercial director, is in the midst of a personality crisis. His wife Sally (Susan Strasberg) has left him and he seeks the help of his friend John (Bruce Dern), a self-styled guru who's an advocate of LSD.

The film was directed by Corman, written by Jack Nicholson, starring Bruce Dern with a beard, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. How can that be bad? The biggest problem is that the plot is relatively weak and relies heavily on some wild kaleidoscopic visuals. That may not be a problem -- I mean, there are still great actors and a dwarf -- but it is a noticeable flaw.

Great cast, although Fonda wasn't cool yet (acting-wise) about LSD and "drugs & hippies & all that stuff", but Hopper is interesting and this trippy flicks rolls down the valley without too much effort (penned by Jack Nicholson). Nothing wrong with this one a budget wouldn't have cured in '67. Along the same lines as the WILD ANGELS (biker flick) "exploitation film" (Corman), but not insulting, or even pandering, but more trying to grab on without really reaching (film-wise), and a joy to see nowadays (and it's not pro-drugs or anything), even for the time.

Best performance = Dennis Hopper. Don['t sell it short if you were born before Chuck Berry and Elvis started Rock 'N Roll or you will wonder!

This is an interesting film that will entertain. 'The Trip' has a 'Reefer Madness' quality to it, with a strange message about acid and it's effects.

Sets for this film have an expressionist imagery to them. The art direction is an explosion of patterns and colors. You get a psychedelic fun house feel all through the film. The use of lighting/shadows and old film techniques give a dreamy quality to the scenes that you will not forget.

Although dated by today's standards, the film is easy to watch and quite creative. And 'The Trip' does have a message: "I'll deal with it tomorrow."

Unapologetic rendering of an acid trip, told without much melodrama and a great deal of nervy style. A square television director (Peter Fonda, trying his best to look like a nerd in a V-neck sweater that would do father Henry proud!) takes LSD and drops out. Screenplay (by Jack Nicholson!) certainly cuts right to the chase--no pussyfooting about here--but there's no story to tell. The film is less an essay on the drug culture than it is a chance for director Roger Corman to get "freaky". In a way, this is an early precursor to "Easy Rider", but it was made by a lot of talented people all with bigger fish to fry. ** from ****