The Monkees

Hey, Hey! It's the 40th anniversary of the Monkees' only movie, ...

Hey, Hey! It's the 40th anniversary of the Monkees' only movie, Head. The American Cinematheque will present a special screening of the motion picture on November 12, 2008 at the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Boulevard . The program, which will feature a brand new 35mm print of this seminal film, begins at 7:30 PM . Tickets are $10 and are available online from www.fandango.com or at the Egyptian Theater box office.

 

The evening's program will also feature the first ever theatrical presentation of the Monkees' Emmy award winning television series from rare 35mm versions of four episodes, as well as assorted Monkee film rarities (including a Make Friends With Kool Aid short). The episodes have been unseen in this form since 1973 and feature alternate soundtrack songs.

 

Monkees Davy Jones and Peter Tork will appear in person for a Q&A, alongside several of the film's creative cast. These include: Bobby Hart (songwriter of "Theme From The Monkees," "Last Train To Clarksville," "Valleri" and "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone"); Steve Blauner (Columbia Pictures executive who green lighted The Monkees series and went on to produce such films as Drive, He Said and The King Of Marvin Gardens with Head writer and producer Jack Nicholson); Actress June Fairchild (who plays the jumper in Head and later appeared in such films as Cheech & Chong's Up In Smoke). Several other special guests will be announced soon.

 

Head debuted in November 1968 to a quizzical commercial response and mixed reviews. The film found its cult following only a short time later when the team (Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider, Steve Blauner) who created this enigmatic classic scored big with a string of films cut from the same cloth: Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces and The King Of Marvin Gardens. Revival screenings of Head brought about a critical reappraisal of the work. Soon the film became required viewing for all who examined "The New Hollywood" movement of the late '60s/early '70s.

 

Head features a quirky cast of cameos from such pop culture luminaries as Frank Zappa, Annette Funnicello, Terri Garr, Toni Basil, Sonny Liston and Dennis Hopper. The motion picture's Hollywood premiere took place on November 19, 1968 at the Vogue Theater (located directly across the boulevard from the Egyptian, where the 40th anniversary screening is scheduled). Simulcast live on the radio, an unlikely cast of celebs were on hand to greet the debut of this off-beat creation, including: The Byrds, Robert Redford, Tiny Tim, Ruth Buzzi, Dennis Hopper, Peter Lawford, Donna Reed and Carl Reiner (to name just a few).

 

The American Cinematheque is a non-profit, viewer-supported cultural organization dedicated exclusively to the public presentation of the Moving Picture in all its forms. The Cinematheque presents the best of film and video - ranging form the classics to the outer frontiers of the art form.