Mood: celebratory
Topic: #HEADat55
HEAD (prod. #8888), a motion picture starring that popular TV rockband The Monkees, a theatrical spin-off of their 1966–68 television series and a swan song (series finale), had a World Premiere Engagement at the Studio Cinema and Greenwich Theaters in New York City, just 2 months after the series ended on NBC. A gala was held at the Columbia Pictures studio on West 54th Street attended by The Monkees, Janis Ian, Andy Warhol, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart (who didn't contribute any tunes to the film!), Carole Bayer, Lester Sill, Bert Schneider, Bob Rafelson, Peter Fonda, Peter Tork's brother Nick Thorkelson, and his grandmother.
A Raybert Production of A Columbia Pictures Release, directed by The Monkees' TV producer Bob Rafelson (his first film), written and produced by Rafelson and Jack Nicholson, and executive-produced by The Monkees TV series' co-producer Bert Schneider, it featured many movie, sports and TV icons by the likes of Victor Mature, Sonny Liston, Annette Funicello, Carol Doda, Ray Nitschke, and a youthful Teri Garr (billed in the movie as Terry Garr). The songs featured in the movie were "Porpoise Song" by Gerry Goffin & Carole King, "Circle Sky" by Michael Nesmith, "Can You Dig It" and "Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again" by Peter Tork, "As We Go Along" by Carole King & Toni Stern, and "Daddy's Song" by Nilsson.
Trivia Footnote: The principal photography was a 3-month, 10-day shoot between February and May 1968 at Screen Gems Studios, Paramount Studios and on location in California (Gerald Desmond Bridge, Long Beach; Pasadena Rose Bowl, Pasadena; Playa Del Rey; Bronson Canyon; Palm Springs; Columbia Ranch, Burbank; Grand Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles), Utah (Valley Music Hall, Salt Lake City), and Paradise Island, The Bahamas.. Unfortunately, a misleading ad campaign (a balding man's face? No indication of the group appearing in the film?) and a mistimed release date, due to a painfully prolonged postproduction process (November 6, 1968? Two months after The Monkees TV show's official cancellation [and the day after Richard M. Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey in a knockdown, dragout vie for The Presidency!]?) helped sabotage this otherwise fun-loving crowd pleaser, which landed with a tumultuous thud at the box-office with a meager $16,111 in ticket sales. But HEAD has over the years developed quite a cult following among moviegoers and Monkees fans.