Mondo Hollywood

Long considered a cult classic, "Mondo Hollywood" captures the underside of Hollywood by documenting a moment in time (1965-67), when an inquisitive trust in the unknown was paramount, hope for the future was tangible and life was worth living on the fringe.

An interior monologue narrative approach is used throughout the film, where each principal person shown not only decided on what they wanted to be filmed doing, but also narrated their own scenes.

The film opens with Gypsy Boots (the original hippie vegan - desert hopping blender salesman), and stripper Jennie Lee, working out 'Watusi- style' beneath the 'Hollywood' sign -- leading into the 'sustainable community' insight of Lewis Beach Marvin III, the S&H Green Stamp heir, who lived in a $10 a month garage while owning a mountain

The movie is also peppered with stock footage from Hollywood events and pretend to "star" these actors! Huh? What a rip off.

The original segments are largely filmed silent and overdubbed with some creepy overacted voice over.

This movie is so tedious, it's beyond belief. The "underbelly" of Hollywood isn't underbelly at all. Surfers? A guy who lives in a garage? Who cares? I suppose Beuasoleil is the only draw for this film. An somehow this cold blooded murderer who is now in prison for life, has a facebook and web-page selling his crap! Huh?

I was also on the look out for Rodney Bingheimer, but never saw him, except in the credits. Guess I blinked.

This movie is absolutely the lowest of the low in movie-making.

Just watched this rare documentary of Tinseltown during the late '60s on fancast.com. With scenes of surfing, political meetings, premieres, and other events common to Hollywood, this film seems to have it all for anyone interested in what it was like there during a time of turbulence. We also go to Universal Studios where Alfred Hitchcock is filming Torn Curtain with Paul Newman and Julie Andrews, go to a luncheon where retired cowboy musical star Gene Autry talks about the Watts riots while Carol Cole-an honoree of some kind who's the late Nat King Cole's daughter and therefore also future star Natalie's sister-listens on. There's also a musician named Bobby Jameson who performs a protest song in front of a rich, middle-aged audience that seems to not really listen to him as they're ignorant of the scathing lyrics. I could mention others but there's so many things going on that this review would just be too confusing to many of you reading this. So I'll just say that Mondo Hollywood was a fascinating time capsule to this writer who was born during this era.

Mondo Hollywood is a magnificent display of Sixties self-indulgence. Timothy Leary wannabees, rootless rich kids, druggies and thrill-seekers join to make Hollywood seem like the center of the cultural universe. Too bad it's only in their addled minds.

For those who want to see footage of Jay Sebring, Manson victim, and Bobby Beausoleil, Manson family member and killer, well, look quick or you'll miss them.

There's some skin showing for fans of frumpy, dumpy, uninspiring women, and footage of Jayne Mansfield near the end of her troubled life.

There's even footage of a Ronald Reagan speech, just to cover the entire spectrum.

Oh, and if you love tedious untalented rock 'n roll, this is your flick.

Overall, the movie's a mess. I don't know what other description to use. There's no structure I could detect, just a bunch of clips thrown together, some interesting, most not. A voice-over or some kind of chapter structure would have helped. Producer Cohen seems to think if he throws in enough nubile breasts at least the guys won't care. Well, it did work for me for a while, but even that eye-full got repetitious. There's also little on anti-war or free love, themes that animated much of the counter-culture, and much in evidence among Hollywood types as I recall.

One well-covered topic is the effects of LSD, a mind-altering drug then making inroads among both young and old. But then there's nothing on marijuana, also making inroads. I also like glimpses of an aging Gene Autry, cowboy hero of my youth, and the iconic Alfred Hitchcock directing Torn Curtain. Nonetheless, snapshots of the many movie celebrities come and go in an eye blink-- in fact movie magazines furnish just as much momentary glitz for those who care. At the same time, too much of the remainder also comes and goes mostly in haphazard fashion. As a frequenter of Hollywood's Strip during that era, I was certainly looking forward to more than I got. So unless you don't mind wading through an aimless travelogue for a few rewards, skip it.

Artsy, wobbley, nostalgic, authentic, weird. Action and tension without violence. Interestin characters and thoughtful dialog.