As part of its cult film showcase "TCM Underground", the classic movie channel will air the Monkees' 1968 feature "Head" this coming Friday night/early Saturday morning at 2 am EST. If you are a fan of Mike, Micky, Davy, and Peter and haven't seen this movie, it's worth checking out. However, let me say up front that if you are expecting a 90 minute Monkees episode you will be sorely disappointed. Even though I knew that "Head" was totally different from their sitcom, my first time watching it still left me feeling as if I had just eaten a mushroom. In the years since then, I have seen "Head" a few more times and have grown to appreciate it.Sticking with the 60s vibe, TCM will show the Herman's Hermits 1968 film "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" immediately following "Head". For more details on the movie "Head", please click the following link:
Head
Below is a clip of one of my favorite sequences in the film. Recorded live in Salt Lake City, the Monkees perform the Mike Nesmith-penned rocker "Circle Sky".
8 comments:
Must stay awake...all night...must stay awake all night.
I love the Monkees! Thanks for this Head's up (pun intended)
I can't believe I've never seen this! Thanks for letting me know! Also, did you get a chance to hear the Wanda Sykes prank calls?
Head is a mindblow, with a script written by Jack Nicholson, and surrealist lineup of co-stars: from Annette Funicello to Sonny Liston.
It's a relly clever work in which the Monkees show a keen self-awareness of their commercially viable image, and their frustration of being seen as a bubblegum version of the Beatles (lots of illusions to the Fab Four in this flick).
It's like sipping whiskey. The more times you see the movie, the better it gets.
Mistress of the Dark: I hear that propping open one's eyes with toothpicks is a good sleep deterrent.
Barbara: Very punny indeed.
Holly: Let me know what you think of the movie when you get the chance. I listened to 4 of the Wanda Sykes prank calls (Conjugal Visit, Porn Junky, Karate, and Pictures). Funny stuff! I didn't realize that she worked on "Crank Yankers" until I went to her website.
X. Dell: "Head" definitely had an eclectic list of cameos. You probably know that Toni Basil appears with Davy Jones in the "Daddy's Song" sequence (one of my favorites in the film). Another Monkee rarity is their 1969 TV special "33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee".
Wow, I haven't watch this in years ... 15 years at least. (I had a bootleg copy in the mid-80s.) You're right, it's definitely not what you'd expect. Definitely not for kids (unlike the TV show).
Now, I have NOT seen 33 1/3 ... may have to track that down sometime.
I recently listened to an interview with one of the Monkees--not sure which--where he complained that the Rock and Roll Music Hall of Fame refused to take them seriously because of their roots. I scoffed at the time, but the clip you selected makes me think the band might deserve a second look. Thanks.
Book Mama: I had "33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee" on VHS. I can't remember if I misplaced it or gave it away. Here is a link to a clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFENPi3V0MM
Marc: Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I think you may be referring to a Peter Tork interview from this past summer. According to Tork, Jann Wenner is singlehandedly keeping The Monkees out of the RRHOF. There will always be people who will slam The Monkees because of the prominent use of studio musicians on some of their albums. However, these same people overlook the fact that RRHOF inductees such as The Byrds and The Beach Boys used studio musicians as well.
Not only were The Monkees influential (I have heard people such as R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe say that they were one of the reasons he got into music), they were also at the forefront of the country-rock sound. Some of my favorite Monkee songs are "Papa Gene's Blues", "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round", and "Good Clean Fun".
Whether or not The Monkees belong in the RRHOF is up for debate, but I don't see the harm in the voters at least considering them.
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