Saturday, May 29, 2010

H E A D - Peter Tork - "Can You Dig It?" (1968)

"Head" is one of the most difficult films to try and present to you in this format because it has so damn much going on, so many twists and turns, so much great music, so many cameos, it's just impossible, the only real option you have, is to watch the film yourself! It's all pretty confusing, even this title card was actually at The End of the movie!!

"Head" starts at The End, and ends at the beginning, and that's pretty much what you can expect through the whole film, or as the boys in The Firesign Theatre would say, "Everything you know, is WRONG," and they would be right about that!!

In this scene, Mike Nesmith is having trouble sleeping, so.......

Davy, Mickey, and Peter decide to throw him an unappreciated surprise birthday party!

There is way too much cool music in this movie, The Monkees had their TV show cancelled, and jumped off that last Boyce & Hart Train To Clarksville, and started writing their own music like this song composed by Peter Tork, "Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?"

Sounding more like vintage Quicksilver Messenger Service or Country Joe and the Fish on this song, the timeless soundtrack for this movie stands alone and is also well worth checking out!!

"Head" is anti-war...

"Head" is anti-corporation....

And hopeful for one world unity, all through the power of satire, parody and Pop culture!

You can just read it all over Mike Nesmith's face!!!

"Head" is filled to the brim with appearances by a Who's Who of 60's Pop icons! People like Carol Doda, seated on Mike Nesmith's left, who stunned the world 4 years earlier with her topless Go-Go act at The Condor Club in San Francisco, giving new meaning to the term topless jerk! Carol was a shrewd businesswoman and was called Sally Silicone in this film, because by recognizing her assets she became wildly popular, and one of the first strippers to bounce her 34D's up to 44 Double D's!!

With a record of 50-4, Heavyweight Champion Of The World, Sonny Liston scared the crap out of me as a kid. Floyd Patterson had put his Heavyweight title on the line and they broadcast the big event on the radio. Liston devastated Patterson, and knocked him out in the first round! In this nightmare sequence, Sonny towers over Davy Jones, even though he was supposed to take a fall!

There have been few people throughout history who were so famous, they only had to use one name, like Houdini, Dali and Bono, and I would venture to say that Disney sweetheart Annette was one of the chosen few, although sometimes she would be referred to by her whole name, Annette Funicello!

Pro Football Hall OF Famer Ray Nitschke was the Middle Linebacker for the Green Bay Packers for 15 years from 1958 to 1972!!

Davy's partner in this scene was dancer and choreographer Toni Basil, who would make it to #1 in the Billboard Charts in 1982 with the novelty tune, "Hey Mickey," you know like in Dolenz!!

Even Frank "No Commerical Potential" Zappa would find time to do a walk through with a cow!!

Jumper June (Pretty Maids In A Row)Fairchild has been known for also coming up with the name "Three Dog Night" for her boyfriend's band!

Timothy "The World's Greatest Sinner" Carey makes an indecipherable appearance as "Lord High 'n Low!"

Even director/producer/writer Bob Rafelson and producer/writer Jack Nicholson make a small appearance, and the list of cameos goes on and on with names like Tor Johnson, Terri Garr, Rona Barrett, professional wrassler Tiger Joe Marsh, Dennis Hopper( Who I just read died of cancer today, Damn!) and a whole bunch more people with their names spelled backwards!!

When the boys become dandruff, is it all about crass commercialism or a tribute to "The Incredible Shrinking Man?"

Hey Mickey, is it really "The Beginnning Of The End" or are we all just "stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues again?"

There are also references to Bela and Boris, and Universal Horror as evidenced by this shot, and don't forget about the The Radio City Rockettes, in fact I'm not sure if there is anybody who is not in this picture!!

Victor Mature takes on the role of the "Amazing Colossal Man!" So, is it the beginning or the end, is it big or is it small, is it commercial or non-commercial, ass backwards or bass ackwards? It's been 42 years, and I'm not quite sure if anybody has ever figured it out yet!!You can get "Head" from Netflix, and I have no idea what you are waiting for!

5 comments:

Prof. Grewbeard said...

i absolutely love this movie but haven't seen it lately. and remember folks, use "Head" to make music snobs realize how cool the Monkees are- works every time...

Prof. Grewbeard said...

oh yeah and Gary Coleman died today, too. who's on third? i can only hope it's Tom Cruise...

Eegah!! and Tabonga! said...

My wife says it was Art Linkletter, because he just passed on the 26th, I'm afraid Tom's going to be around for awhile yet..

RODAN! said...

That bug Mickey's looking at is a Jerusalem Cricket!

Christopher said...

this is one of my fave movies to throw on when I can't think of anything else..Great souvenir of the 60s..some great laugh out loud moments..especially Timothy Carey..

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