Head (1968)

After NBC's series featuring The Monkees was not renewed after only two seasons, the four band members were open to anything new. Moreover, in 1968, protesting in the streets meant more than sitting in front of the television. Driven by a drug-fueled script by Jack Nicholson, which tells the supposed story of a band on the run and is interwoven with documentary footage from the Vietnam War, the film was a veritable flop upon its release. Nevertheless, Bob Rafelson's film captured the spirit of the times and simultaneously "documented" a society in flux: he blended his astute observation of the hysteria surrounding pop and fan culture with images of contemporary war crimes. With Head, he nevertheless laid the foundation for his own career and that of Jack Nicholson in the film industry. The timing was also astute, as the birth of the New Hollywood era was just around the corner. (E.S.)