In 1968, with the psychedelic and political revolution at its peak, even The Monkees, who were previously known as a standard commercial-pop group were working on a psychedelic film with revolutionary themes.
“Head” (1968), was very different from anything the Monkees have done before. It was psychedelically inspired and this is noticeable both in terms of music, as well as in terms of narrative and the character of the film.
The movie actually makes fun of the commercial plastic image of the monkees in a silly sounding song which goes:
He, hey, we are The Monkees
You know we love to please
A manufactured image
With no philosophies.
[…]
You say we’re manufactured.
To that we all agree.
So make your choice and we’ll rejoice
in never being free!
Hey, hey, we are The Monkees
We’ve said it all before
The money’s in, we’re made of tin
We’re here to give you more!
The money’s in, we’re made of tin
We’re here to give you…
The final “We’re here to give you…” is interrupted by a gunshot, and footage of an execution of a Viet Cong operative. The line between commercialism, revolution and psychedelics becomes blurred again and agin. Such messages are interspersed throughout the film, which has a variety of subversive moments.
The Porpoise Song which appears near the beginning of the film features Micky Dolenz and some beautiful psychedelic underwater colors. A prime example of 1960s psychedelic film aesthetics.
(Link: Morningloria. Thanks!)
The Daily Psychedelic Video 