Psych-Out

At the same time you had blaxploitation movies you also had hipsploitation films too ... actors who understood NOTHING of what was going on ( Nicholson is a great actor but NOT a hippie him and his mates here look like jocks going to a costumed ball ) acted in movies written by studios trying to cash in on the latest in their eyes fad ... most of these 60's films used "straights" in hippie drag and that is never going to be convincing; it is literally a travesty...

Also it must be strange they felt they had to sample scenes from West Side Story in effect .... the final message was do not do drugz kidz they will fork u up ... fine by me but not done this way ... watch The Strawberry Statement instead or Zabriskie Point or More 1969 by Barbet Schroeder more honest films about the period & simply better films ...

This movie rocks for 2 reasons: The Seeds and Strawberry Alarm Clock This is pretty much the only time we ever get to see these two 60's bands in action. The plot is good too although the end is pretty far out. I definitly recommend this to anyone who likes to stimulate their mind and watch a good movie. Jack Nicolson is even in it, I mean how cool is that? And this takes place in Haight Ashbury back in the day! Most privately owned video stores still rent this. I have gotten really inspired by this movie because I'm in a psychedelic band.

A 17 year old deaf mute (Susan Stasberg!?!) tries to find her brother (Bruce Dern) in 1968 San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury area. A musician (Jack Nicholson) and his friends try to help her.

The plot is unbelievable from the word "go" and, despite location shooting in Haight-Ashbury, this is a very Hollywoodized look at hippies. Everybody is so healthy, friendly, helpful and they live in colorful, spotlessly clean huge houses happily. That was NOT the way it was--any documentary on the 60s could tell you that. Realism aside, this is one of AIP's best pictures.

The dialogue is VERY dated (and hysterically funny) as are the situations, but the film never stops moving, is shot in deep rich color, has good acting (considering) and is never once dull. Check out a most interesting "funeral" in the film and a very funny sex sequence. However, at the end, it gets VERY serious and has a depressing ending. Too bad--it's totally at odds with the rest of the film. Still--well worth seeing.

It also stars Dean Stockwell (who has the best lines) and Garry Marshall (!!!) in a bit as a cop! Produced by Dick Clark!

My name is George Cox and I was the lead singer for the Storybook who recorded the majority of songs for this movie. We were a local San Fernando Valley band who were brought into the production by Ronald Stein and Dick Clark to help produce the music for this movie. It seems that the Strawberry Alarm Clock and the Seeds got most of credit for the music in this movie. My group and I really enjoyed all the recording sessions to produce the music for this soundtrack album. We also enjoyed watching the film once it was produced as it showed the life in San Francisco and Haight-Ashbury as it was in the 60s.

It's a rock band - hippie gang trying to protect a deaf runaway girl while on the search for her missing brother, but instead, they're taking The Trip to nowhere. Director Rush, who gave pony-tailed Nicholson some star treatment in HELL'S ANGELS ON WHEELS, delivers this pretty good view of offbeat, sublime hysteria pertaining to the drug frenzy that popularized late 60s culture. One troubling factor, though: it was made to immoralize society as we once knew it. Just say "wicked", and you'll enjoy this cinematic acid trip that isn't half-bad. RATING: * * 1/2