SMC32

If you like weird movies from the 60s, then this is probably as weird as they come. One scene starts, then it's suddenly chopped off and another begins, in a totally different setting with completely different characters doing completely different things. Some scenes might last just 5 or 10 seconds. A lot of interesting real-life footage or old movie clips are also interspersed throughout the story. It continues in this way pretty much throughout.

The cast of characters is interesting to say the least. The majority are extras, ranging from young people in their late teens/early 20s portraying hippies or bikers, to middle aged, middle-class people hosting orgies in their homes. We also have a couple of well-known actors or personalities - Kasey Kasem, Terry-Thomas and an elderly Edward Everett Horton, who died the year after this movie was made (you might remember his voice from his narration of the Fractured Fairy Tales section in the Rocky and Bullwinkle show).

The movie is chock-full of extremely cheap and amateur visual effects. Some examples include a man in a chariot which was quite clearly a toy. A light in the sky was a sparkler. An explosion was very obviously a jug of milk poured into a container of water - evident by the drips of water pouring out of the container.

And not to mention the music, which is as bizarre as the rest of the film.

As for the story: it basically begins when a Roman warrior is transported into the future (ie 1969) via way of a "spinnin', pulsatin', GY-ratin'" light over Los Angeles which is starting riots all over the city. A TV variety show (one of the most bizarre, free-form shows I've seen, mind you) grabs him as a special guest and he becomes more and more exploited by the cast and other special guests as the show progresses.

It took me a good 13 years of repeated watching to get over the actual novelty and sheer fun of watching this movie to realise there was a message in there. I believe it is basically a commentary on materialism and how it ruins our society and its values. A message just as poignant (if not more poignant) today.

Movies like this (that weren't even released on video, let alone DVD) don't get shown on TV much, if at all, anymore, which is a real shame. A critically-acclaimed movie it definitely ain't, but when appreciated for its merits, it's a very interesting time capsule but with a modern message. I congratulate and thank Bert Tenzer for his amazing creativity which resulted in this film.

When I first saw this movie in 1979 aged 9, I found it terrifying but at the same time it became one of my all-time favourites from my childhood. It's the ultimate children's fantasy story, but it's not all fun and games: it sends out a strong message which would be particularly poignant in today's society.

And a warning: make sure you have a few boxes of Kleenex handy for the very last line in the movie - it's a killer. I'm getting choked up just thinking about it!

This movie is one of my faves, it captures the essence of the late 60's/early 70's perfectly. It's a lighthearted look at the whole student activism era, and the generation gap, us-against-them attitudes of young people at that time.

I'm sorry but I would have to disagree with Richard about the New Mexico shooting location - I think the movie wouldn't be the same without those desolate, wide-open, huge blue sky and mountains backdrops and stark university buildings. It makes the movie for me and if I ever came to America NMSU and Las Cruces would definitely be on my list of places to visit. I think it symbolises the hopelessness of one student against the president of a university with the blind faith of a whole state behind him.

Joan Collins, Larry Hagman, Judy Pace and Nira Barab are lots of fun but it was pretty obvious that the character of Colin Slade was one of the first big roles for Wes Stern.

If you're thinking of buying Angus Hall's novel "The Late Boy Wonder" because the movie is based on it then you might want to think again. After searching for the book for years I found it on the Barnes and Noble site and bought it. I wish I hadn't because first of all it is so different to the movie and secondly it has an ending which is nothing like the spirit of the movie at all.