FATHER GEEK here to satisfy your quest for more hip
imagery from those “Shag-a-delic Sixties.” Judging from the
boxoffice returns a huge portion of you geeks out there have been
to see Mike Meyers and AUSTIN POWERS II: THE SPY WHO
SHAGGED ME. If you haven’t I’m sure you’ll make that journey
back in time in the next week or so. It’s a fun filled trip that captures
a touch (sadly only a touch) of that cocky, carefree spirit of the
1960’s when the birds in their best Twiggy outfits traipsed the
streets of London, Haight-Ashbury, and the Village on the lookout
for Mods and Rockers. Father Geek was 19 when the British
invaded in 64 and I caught the crest of the wave attending concerts
with THE DAVE CLARK FIVE, HERMAN’S HERMITS, FREDDIE
AND THE DREAMERS, LULU, PETER & GORDON, and my
personal faves of the day ERIC BURDON & THE ANIMALS and the
original ROLLING STONES.
My father (80 this year and better at design than my Mother)
converted some of my Levis into bellbottoms using red Python skin
to fill the cuff to knee triangular gaps in the denim, and the love of
my life at the time regularly wore a snakeskin micro-mini with knee
high gogo boots. Later Ol’ Father Geek sported a fine collection of
puffy sleeved shear swashbuckler shirts and pants with more
patches on them than a wedding-trunk quilt, while Harry’s Mom
poured herself into leather “HOT” pants and tissue thin blouses.
That shag-a-delic knitted mini featured so well in AP II? Well,
Helen had one exactly like it and another in purple, both of which
she customarily wore nothing under.
Our pad featured Hot-Pink inflated chairs, Hot-Pink and
purple furs scattered about, gold-lamme’ beanbag chairs, an
awesome (for its day) stereo, (3) 8mm movie projectors, (4)
Kaleidoscopic projectors, a blacklight strobe, (7) slide projectors, a
kingsize waterbed (on the floor of course), a brass “cathouse” bed
with black satin sheets, about (20) goose-down stuffed pillows,
stained-glass in all the windows, and homemade projection
screens made from 7’ X 2” strips of white butcher paper hung from
the ceilings so that the air-con would ripple the images like
scattered puzzle pieces on all four walls. Oh yeah, we didn’t have a
single white light bulb in the place.
Those of you who have been regular readers of my columns
for AICN probably already know this, but for those who don’t, it was
at this time that Harry’s Mom and I enrolled at the University of
Texas film school and started the premiere psychedelic lightshow
in the south, “MIND’S I”, going on to perform 100’s of mindblowing,
consciousness expanding, image shattering gigs with most of the
top pop groups from 1968 thru 1971 across the nation’s underbelly
from New Mexico to Georgia. So you see I should certainly know of
what I speak concerning this era of American youth culture. When
we weren’t in school, or performing at some concert, club, or
private party we were in a Movie Theater. That meant 5 hours a
day, 7 days a week we were watching movies, over and over again
if we liked it.
That brings Father Geek to the purpose of this article. There
is a happening out on the West Coast from June 25 thru July 4 at
Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. between Las
Palmas and McCadden. If Austin Powers lit an interest in the 60’s
for you then you have got to attend their FAB FUN FILM FEST.
Unsure if you are a MOD or a ROCKER? Find the answer at this
festival. 23 films that describe the British influence on American
youth of the 1960’s perfectly. If you lived it, revisit it one last time. If
you missed out on the days of strawberry fields forever, then you
have simply got to find out what Hendrix meant when he asked,
“Are you Experienced?” Do you Know about the “Memo for
Turner”? Want to live thru an out of control Yardbirds concert with
Jeff Beck? How about a tour of Haight-Ashbury during the summer
of love led by Jack Nicholson? Who were the Carrie Nations? Ever
hear British flower-pop band Nirvana?, or Cliff Richards and the
Shadows?, or the pre-Cream Jack Bruce?, or George Harrison’s
shimmering sitar laced score to 69’s Wonderwall? No? You won’t
either, if you miss this cinematic shindig! So you think the women
in Austin Power’s world are shag-a-delic? Come get an eyeful of
the real 60’s girls; Jean Shrimpton, Anita Pallenberg, Jane Birkin,
Cynthia Meyers, Rita Tushingham, Barbara Ferris, or Jacqueline
Bisset, Charlotte Rampling, Susan Strasberg and Vanessa
Redgrave in their prime. You’ll discover why all those boppers put
flowers in their hair and headed to San Francisco. But enough of
this old hippie’s purple haze of memories. For 10 days this summer
if you can get there a single block of Hollywood is going to be
transported back to the sex, drugs, and rock n roll flower power
days of the late 1960’s. Here’s the list of groovy goings on... miss it
and you’ll be square.
Friday, June 25th
Our pad featured Hot-Pink inflated chairs, Hot-Pink and
purple furs scattered about, gold-lamme’ beanbag chairs, an
awesome (for its day) stereo, (3) 8mm movie projectors, (4)
Kaleidoscopic projectors, a blacklight strobe, (7) slide projectors, a
kingsize waterbed (on the floor of course), a brass “cathouse” bed
with black satin sheets, about (20) goose-down stuffed pillows,
stained-glass in all the windows, and homemade projection
screens made from 7’ X 2” strips of white butcher paper hung from
the ceilings so that the air-con would ripple the images like
scattered puzzle pieces on all four walls. Oh yeah, we didn’t have a
single white light bulb in the place.
Those of you who have been regular readers of my columns
for AICN probably already know this, but for those who don’t, it was
at this time that Harry’s Mom and I enrolled at the University of
Texas film school and started the premiere psychedelic lightshow
in the south, “MIND’S I”, going on to perform 100’s of mindblowing,
consciousness expanding, image shattering gigs with most of the
top pop groups from 1968 thru 1971 across the nation’s underbelly
from New Mexico to Georgia. So you see I should certainly know of
what I speak concerning this era of American youth culture. When
we weren’t in school, or performing at some concert, club, or
private party we were in a Movie Theater. That meant 5 hours a
day, 7 days a week we were watching movies, over and over again
if we liked it.
That brings Father Geek to the purpose of this article. There
is a happening out on the West Coast from June 25 thru July 4 at
Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. between Las
Palmas and McCadden. If Austin Powers lit an interest in the 60’s
for you then you have got to attend their FAB FUN FILM FEST.
Unsure if you are a MOD or a ROCKER? Find the answer at this
festival. 23 films that describe the British influence on American
youth of the 1960’s perfectly. If you lived it, revisit it one last time. If
you missed out on the days of strawberry fields forever, then you
have simply got to find out what Hendrix meant when he asked,
“Are you Experienced?” Do you Know about the “Memo for
Turner”? Want to live thru an out of control Yardbirds concert with
Jeff Beck? How about a tour of Haight-Ashbury during the summer
of love led by Jack Nicholson? Who were the Carrie Nations? Ever
hear British flower-pop band Nirvana?, or Cliff Richards and the
Shadows?, or the pre-Cream Jack Bruce?, or George Harrison’s
shimmering sitar laced score to 69’s Wonderwall? No? You won’t
either, if you miss this cinematic shindig! So you think the women
in Austin Power’s world are shag-a-delic? Come get an eyeful of
the real 60’s girls; Jean Shrimpton, Anita Pallenberg, Jane Birkin,
Cynthia Meyers, Rita Tushingham, Barbara Ferris, or Jacqueline
Bisset, Charlotte Rampling, Susan Strasberg and Vanessa
Redgrave in their prime. You’ll discover why all those boppers put
flowers in their hair and headed to San Francisco. But enough of
this old hippie’s purple haze of memories. For 10 days this summer
if you can get there a single block of Hollywood is going to be
transported back to the sex, drugs, and rock n roll flower power
days of the late 1960’s. Here’s the list of groovy goings on... miss it
and you’ll be square.
Friday, June 25th
That brings Father Geek to the purpose of this article. There
is a happening out on the West Coast from June 25 thru July 4 at
Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. between Las
Palmas and McCadden. If Austin Powers lit an interest in the 60’s
for you then you have got to attend their FAB FUN FILM FEST.
Unsure if you are a MOD or a ROCKER? Find the answer at this
festival. 23 films that describe the British influence on American
youth of the 1960’s perfectly. If you lived it, revisit it one last time. If
you missed out on the days of strawberry fields forever, then you
have simply got to find out what Hendrix meant when he asked,
“Are you Experienced?” Do you Know about the “Memo for
Turner”? Want to live thru an out of control Yardbirds concert with
Jeff Beck? How about a tour of Haight-Ashbury during the summer
of love led by Jack Nicholson? Who were the Carrie Nations? Ever
hear British flower-pop band Nirvana?, or Cliff Richards and the
Shadows?, or the pre-Cream Jack Bruce?, or George Harrison’s
shimmering sitar laced score to 69’s Wonderwall? No? You won’t
either, if you miss this cinematic shindig! So you think the women
in Austin Power’s world are shag-a-delic? Come get an eyeful of
the real 60’s girls; Jean Shrimpton, Anita Pallenberg, Jane Birkin,
Cynthia Meyers, Rita Tushingham, Barbara Ferris, or Jacqueline
Bisset, Charlotte Rampling, Susan Strasberg and Vanessa
Redgrave in their prime. You’ll discover why all those boppers put
flowers in their hair and headed to San Francisco. But enough of
this old hippie’s purple haze of memories. For 10 days this summer
if you can get there a single block of Hollywood is going to be
transported back to the sex, drugs, and rock n roll flower power
days of the late 1960’s. Here’s the list of groovy goings on... miss it
and you’ll be square.
Friday, June 25th
1967’s BEDAZZLED is the definitive Mod comedy, with Raquel Welch as “Lust” and filled with leaping lesbian nuns it screens at 7pm. At 9:30 visit 1965 London and an 18 year old Mick Fleetwood in the ultra-rare MODS & ROCKERS. That will be followed by TONITE LET’S ALL MAKE LOVE IN LONDON featuring Michael Caine, Vanessa Redgrave, Julie Christi, Allen Ginsberg, the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the original Pink Floyd.
Saturday, June 26th
At 4pm in super-marionation CinemaScope we have 1965’s THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO! The very defination of the 60’s Mod/Sci-Fi look this is a must see on the big screen. Then at 6pm Kali inspired killers are chasing the BEATLES in Richard Lester’s irreverent color fantasia HELP. Producer Walter Shenson will appear in person to answer your questions about the Fab Four. Then at 8:15 Director Joe Massot will be there to present his glorious headtripping madness, WONDERWALL, a surreal journey back to the age of altered consciousness with an incredible score by George Harrison. Just try and find this one on CD.
Sunday, June 27th
At 4pm Michelangelo Antonioni’s most famous film BLOW-UP will fill the screen with the riddle within a riddle as David Hemmings shags his way through half the models in London. THE JOKERS invade the theatre at 6:30 and Oliver Reed offers up a dazzling satire of privileged London youth in this 1967 motion picture. Speaking of PRIVILEGE that just what’s up next as Paul Jones and super super model Jean Shrimpton give us a hypotically prescient look at a sinister media controled future.
Thursday, July 1st
Perhaps the wildest most deeply layered psychedelic movie ever made, PERFORMANCE (1970) starring Mick Jagger begins at 7pm and proceeds thru some prodigious drug taking and psycho-sexual mindgames accompanied by incredible bottleneck guitar work by Ry Cooder. After the large doses of psylocibin ingested in this film it seems only natural to follow it up with a freak-out double feature so at 9:15 the stately Egyptian offers us the 1968 classic PSYCH-OUT with Bruce Dern, Susan Strasberg, and Jack Nicholson. That will be followed up with the gang of drugged-out hippie scum of the RIOT ON SUNSET STRIP. (1967)
Friday, July 2nd
This is a night not to miss! At 7pm its Russ Meyer in person with his BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS. This is arguably Meyer’s most entertaining, pop-culture sex-fest. (click over to the AIC Museum to see my review of Meyer’s live appearance in Austin) This is that infamous script by Roger Ebert, I love it! At 9:30 1966’s LORD LOVE A DUCK will fill the hall with belly-laughs galore as we are shown one of the 60’s darkest black-comedies. Just how did this film ever get the green-light to be made? That will be followed by 1965’s THE KNACK, AND HOW TO GET IT. A virtual handbook on how to get laid in the swinging 60’s this is one of Richard Lester’s best.
Saturday, July 3rd
Micky Dolenz will be on hand for HEAD at 4pm. Yes, a live Monkey will be on stage for your pleasure with HEAD. Written by Jack Nicholson and starring a mind-blowing collection of 60’s icons this is an insane collage of surreal sketches and visual puns. Tooo Cooool!!! At 6:15 we will be treated to the only surviving print of 1968’s psychedelic sexualis, THE TOUCHABLES. What do you want? Its got a quartet of pop-art princesses living in a see-through plastic bubble-house. Not enough? Well lets throw in a gay wrestler to boot. Now at 8:15 we have the US premiere of the 1965 Mod epitome of swinging 60’s silliness GONKS GO BEAT. Its really an inter-gallactic war movie, no its Romeo & Juliet, no its simply an excuse for lunacy by comedians in bizarre sci-fi costumes. Sound familar? Then we have a 4th film, THE GHOST GOES GEAR.(1966) This is another US premiere and its pure pop trivia featuring the Spencer Davis Group with a very young Steve Winwood, a fun filled little film.
Sunday, July 4th
An independance day filled with wild British pop, a Fab Fun Family Film Finale starting at 12 noon with 1963’s SUMMER HOLIDAY, a double-decker bus full of rock-n-laughs featuring Cliff Richard and the Shadows and directed by 1st timer Peter Yates. That will be followed by 1965’s HAVING A WILD WEEKEND starring the Dave Clark Five in John Boorman’s 1st film, an anti-pop study of the pressures of Mod-Stardom. Then at 4pm and again at 8:00 we have the legendary pop rock movie 1965’s GO GO MANIA ! with the Beatles, the Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Peter & Gordon, Billy J Kramer, The Honeycombs, and others. There will be real British food and drink served, Live Beatles music from a top-tier tribute band, a 60’s fashion show, a costume contest with groovy retro prizes, and Gordon Waller of Peter & Gordon and other extra-special guests. Just Waaaay Toooooo Coooooool !!!
