PSYCH
OUT
(1968)/THE TRIP (1967)Directors: Richard Rush/Roger Corman
MGM Home Video
PSYCH
OUT
(1968)/THE TRIP (1967)Glancing back at the cinematic
head trips of the 1960s, many of them have dated pretty shabbily. Big studio
embarrassments such as CANDY and SKIDOO are rarely acknowledged by those who
made them, but the films that now exist as fascinating time capsules are those
produced with a low budget. American-International Pictures had their fingers
on 
the
pulse of America's youth for years, delivering the BEACH PARTY films, monster
movies, and biker flicks to the drive-ins for the audience that the mainstream
studios ignored. Two of these films, PSYCH OUT and THE TRIP, peeked into the
world of San Francisco circa the Summer of Love. By the time the films were
released, the Free Love aura of SF was already turning sour, but cashing in
on the nationwide hippie/drug/free love craze seemed like a good idea at the
time and cult film fans will be jumping for joy at the chance to see these!
Susan Strasberg (daughter of famous acting coach Lee Strasberg) is Jenny, a deaf runaway who ventures to San Francisco by bus to find her missing brother (Bruce Dern in a pretty wild turn). As luck would have it, she falls in with a pretty good crowd: Jack Nicholson as Stoney (with an embarrassing pony-tail), Max Julien as Elwood, and Adam Rourke as Ben. They initiate her into the hippie society, buying her far-out clothes and letting her crash in their pad.
PSYCH
OUT is a real trip, to say the least. From the opening credits, with Susan Strasberg
first witnessing the magic in the streets of San Francisco, set to a marvelous
theme song, you know you're in for something special. Granted, there is very
little plot, but the groovy surroundings and incredible aura of a time long
gone will literally drown the viewer in good vibrations. There are a number
of incredible freak-outs (one guy sees his hand as a mangled bloody mess with
protruding bone, another has a brawl with a gang of thugs imagining they're
medieval knights), there is almost non-stop rock music by the Strawberry Alarm
Clock and the Seeds (unfortunately, little of it is any good; Jack Nicholson's
"group" even does a really bad imitation of "Purple Haze"!),
and Susan Strasberg's STP trip is very impressive, with plenty of firey effects,
edgy cinematography and visuals, and haunting music. Interestingly enough, not
only does the film praise the community of the love children, but also paints
them as lazy slobs who need to grow up and get a life! Cult film viewers will
already enjoy seeing former child star Dean Stockwell, future Oscar winner Jack
Nicholson, and wild man Bruce Dern in unexpected roles, but should also keep
an eye out for future director Gary Marshall as a plainclothesman cop and Al
Adamson regulars William Bonner, John "Bud" Cardos, and Gary Kent
in the gang of thugs.
MGM had previously released PSYCH OUT as a limited Amazon Exclusive VHS, considered by many to be a dumping ground promotion where the cult titles with the least likelihood of appearing on DVD were unleashed, making this disc that much more surprising. The 1.85:1 Anamorphic widescreen transfer on the disc isn't as impressive as some of their earlier efforts, with a good deal of grain, dirt and speckles, but colors are very strong (an important factor in this film) and is generally acceptable. The mono audio isn't strong enough, however, you'll have to crank the volume to hear both music and dialogue. In addition to including the theatrical trailer (which shows clips from a scene missing from this DVD, but present on the VHS, of Susan Strasberg trying on outfits in the hippie shop that probably inspired a similar scene with Julia Roberts in PRETTY WOMAN), there is a well-done featurette, "Love and Haight," discussing the making of the film. Producer Dick Clark, director Richard Rush, cinematography Laszlo Kovacs, and co-star Bruce Dern talk about the beginnings of the film, the various psychedelic camera effects, and all aspects of shooting, including locations, editing, music (both rock and Ronald Stein), censorship, and promotion. Some great anecdotes are shared (the Hell's Angels served as security on the set!), but little time is spent discussing the cast, and I was surprised that Jack Nicholson couldn't be persuaded into participating.....(snicker)....
Opening
with a disclaimer stating the dangers of LSD, I wasn't sure what I was getting
into with THE TRIP. I had been recommended it multiple times by friends and
for some reason just hadn't gotten around to seeing it. It has earned the reputation
of being the best LSD film ever made, approaching both the enjoyable and the
dangerous elements surrounding the hallucinogen. After seeing the finished product,
it certainly lives up to its reputation! The plotline is simple: TV commercial
director Peter Fonda is tired of just smoking grass, so decides to take the
plunge by taking his first acid trip, supplied by bearded confidante Bruce Dern.
Hallucinations fluctuate from erotic to surreal to horrific, and when Fonda
runs from Dern's apartment into the real world, things only get worse. There
isn't much reason to list other notable cast members, as the majority of them
are on-screen for very little time, but Susan Strasberg (PSYCH OUT) is Fonda's
wife, and Dick Miller as a bartender, Barboura Morris (A BUCKET OF 
BLOOD)
in a laundromat, Dennis Hopper as a pothead, Beach Dickerson, Peter Bogdonavich,
Luana Anders as a waitress, Michael Blodgett (BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS),
and Angelo Rossitto as a dwarf all make brief appearances, as does Fonda's ass
in some surprising nudity. Written by Jack Nicholson (wonder if he puts this
on his resume?), director Roger Corman saturates the film with bizarre color
opticals, sex with projected light shows on the bodies, and groovy dialogue,
and the editing and cinematography are absolutely superb! There is really no
way I can review THE TRIP. It is an experience, non-linear and completely off-the-wall
in every way! Does it advocate LSD or condemn it? See for yourself....
MGM's
1.85:1 Anamophic transfer for THE TRIP is considerably nicer than PSYCH OUT.
The colors are much richer and smoother, with little grain and no dirt or speckling
present. Every color burst and the vibrant set and costume design are all rendered
beautifully. Alas, the mono audio is weaker than PSYCH OUT, asking for much
more cranking to hear what is being said. The special features on this side
of the disc, though, are exceptional. The theatrical trailer, narrated by Peter
Fonda, is a mini-masterpiece by itself. The making-of featurette, "Tune
In, Trip Out" features interviews with costar Bruce Dern, director Roger
Corman, and cinematography Allen Daviau. Too bad Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson
couldn't come around to discuss this minor masterpiece. Regardless, in their
absence, there are plenty of interesting anecdotes to be heard here: Corman
discusses his first LSD trip to understand the drug in order to make the film,
Dern makes no secret 
of
his disdain for the drug culture (which surprised me) and does a great Nicholson
impression, and Daviau goes into detail about the light shows and color effects
used in the film. Daviau isn't used much in the featurette, so he is given an
entire featurette to himself: "Allen Daviau, ASC: Psychedelic Film Effects."
He talks about Bob Beck's light show effects and Peter Fonda's involvement in
the cinematography. The "Psychedelic Light Box" contains all the colorful
optical effects first witnessed by Peter Fonda during his trip, excerpts of
the psychedelic Fonda/Strasburg/Salli Sachse sex scene, and other visual wonders;
while not essential viewing, it's a nice little bonus. An excerpt from American
Cinematographer Magazine (March 1968) is an article covering the behind-the-scenes
creation of the visual effects of the film. More DVDs should contain magazine
articles about the film! But the extra to salivate over is the Roger Corman
audio commentary: it is one of few he has done, and it will leave many listeners
craving for him to record more! Starting off with disagreeing with the studio-imposed
disclaimer before the film, Corman discusses more in-depthly about his first
acid trip, his relationship with cast and crew, the various cost-cutting effects
and methods, and censorship problems he encountered with the film. Required
listening!
Despite PSYCH OUT being briefly cut and the audio being weak on both films, this is an indispensable double feature disc any cult film fan should not be without! Pass around the sugar cubes, turn on the lava lamp, and prepare for one of the best trips of your life! (Casey Scott)