Head
About The Movie Head
Head was the Monkees only feature film debut released in 1968. This psychedelic plot less bizarre satire of many different movie genres, musical numbers and escapades was co-written by the Monkees, Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson and directed by Rafelson. Although it flopped in the box office during its original release it since become a popular cult flick for die hard Monkees fans. Still to this day though, Head remains a strange unusual meaningless mystery since know one knows for sure what it was trying to say or what it meant although some critics and fans have certain ideas what it was stating. The idea for the movie all began in 1967 on a weekend visit to resort in Ojai, California when the Monkees, Rafelson, Bert Schneider and Nicholson brainstormed ideas for a movie into a tape recorder while smoking marijuana. Filming began between February and May of 1968 at Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems Studios and various other locations. The film stars popular acts like Annette Funicello and Teri Garr and cameos by Nicholson, Rafelson, Singer Toni Basil(the film’s choreographer), Dennis Hopper, Frank Zappa and Victor Mature portrayed “The Big Victor” in the film. There were, however some problems of the set during the filming, one particular which the Monkees not giving any credit as had co-written the film, they decided to rebel by going on one day strike on February 18 the day of filming except Peter who was the only one who showed up on the set. The following day the showed up thinking they proved their point but the relationship with Rafelson and Schneider was damaged.
The plotless film seemed to basically shows different meaningless story clips and musical numbers and appears to deal with topics such as media treatment and commercialization, Vietnam war, poking fun of the phony images in the show business, trapped in typecasting and basically the deconstruction of the Monkees images themselves along others.
The screening of the film aired in August 1968 where it was edited to run an hour and fifty minutes but it received a negative response from viewers. For fear it would drive away more serious movie fans and critics, the film was edited again to 86 minutes long. Head made a world premiere in Manhattan on November 6, 1968 then was released in Hollywood on November 20, 1968 but it became a huge failure largely due to it being very different from the Monkees TV and therefore it wasn’t what fans expected. It also seemed to deconstruct the Monkees images and fans just didn’t seem to get what it was saying. Another factor was that it was given an R rating when it originally aired making it harder for its young fans to view the movie. It also seemed to be the deconstruction of Monkeemania, as after its release, Monkeemania started dying down and by 1970 it was gone as all the members split up by then.
Despite its failure, Head was eventually released on RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video in 1986 during the Monkees 20th anniversary and later by Rhino Entertainment in early 1995. The soundtrack for the film had already been re-issued in 1985. Whatever the reason it was made or what it meant, “Head” is now quite popular among Monkees fans despite its nonsense. Young and old generations of fans alike seem to enjoy appreciate this film as it continues to be a huge phenomeom just like the Monkees TV show.
Click here_____for list of entire cast and crew and songs. Click here____for full summery of the film.
Trivia Notes
The live cut “Circle Sky” performance was filmed in front of a live
audience in Utah on the last day of filming on May 18.
Prior to the release of film on November 20, there was an invitation
only release the night before in L.A. at the Vogue Theatre on Holly-
wood Blvd inwhich attendance included the Monkees, some of their
spouses, Cass Elliott and Denny Doherty of the Mamas and Papas a-
mong others and few cast members of the film.
The reprisal of Goffin’s and King’s “The Porpoise Song” near the end
has a third lead vocal added by Micky. This song as well as King and
Stern’s “As We Go Along” were both released as Colgems unsuccessful
singles in October.
There’s an un used scene in this film just right after the girl kisses the Mon-
kees in the pad, which as them each looking in the mirror and seeing what
the public sees,with Peter dresses as a clown, Mike wearing a tux with top
hat and cane, Micky as a satyr and Davy as a sheik.
Davy’s number “Daddy’s Song” is a tribute to the late director Vincente
Minnelli, father of actress Liza Minnelli. The girl dancing with Davy in
that number is sin-ger Toni Basil who was also the film's choreographer.
Basil would later on make her hit song "Mickey" first in Britain then it
reached the top of the American charts in late 9182.
Director of photography Michael Hugo would later go on to become the
chief cinematographer for the ABC primetime soap opera “Dynasty”.
The late actor Victor Mature(The Big Victor) starred and numerous old
classic films including as Doc Holliday in 1946’s “My Darling Clementine”
and as Samson in 1949’s “Samson And Delilah”.
Veteran character actor Timothy Carey(Lord High ‘n Low) played minor
roles in several films including 1955 “East of Eden” as Joe and appeared Annette Funicello(Minnie) in another flick 1965 “Beach Blanket Bingo”
as South Dakota Slim.
The late Percy Helton(Heraldic Messanger) portrayed Homer Crachit on
CBS's classic sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies".
Actress Valerie Kairys who appeared in numerous episodes on The Mon-
kees also makes a cameo in the film. Another actress June Fairchild(The Jumper) also appeared in the Monkees episode “The Chaperone” as the
party guest who winds up the dummy Mr. Schneider. She also dated Three
Dog NIght member Danny Hutton in late 1967 and suggested the name for
the band. Other actors in the film who appeared on the Monkees TV show
were Vito Scotti( I. Vitteloni) and Frank Zappa(Critic).
