Psych-Out (1968)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Richard Rush

Writers:

Betty Tusher (screenplay)
Betty Ulius (writer)

Release Date:

6 March 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Thriller

Tagline:

Hear! "Incense & Peppermints" by the Strawberry Alarm Clock

Plot:

A deaf runaway arrives in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury hippie district looking for her missing brother.

Plot Keywords:

Runaway | Brother | Haight Ashbury | Deaf | Psychedelic

Cast

Susan Strasberg	...	Jenny Davis
Dean Stockwell	...	Dave
Jack Nicholson	...	Stoney
Bruce Dern	...	Steve Davis
Adam Roarke	...	Ben
Max Julien	...	Elwood
Henry Jaglom	...	Warren
Linda Gaye Scott	...	Lynn (as Linda G. Scott)
I.J. Jefferson	...	Pandora
Tommy Flanders	...	Wesley
Ken Scott	...	Preacher
Garry Marshall	...	Plainclothesman (as Gary Marshall)
Geoffrey Stevens	...	Greg
Susan Bushman	...	Little girl
John 'Bud' Cardos	...	Thug (as John Cardos)

Also Known As:

Revolt of the Flower People (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Pathécolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:Not Rated | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Dick Clark Productions

Trivia:

The movie was meant to perform the same function in relation to The Trip (1967/II). Jack Nicholson had written a script that director Richard Rush thought was too "experimental" for mainstream cinema, so the concept of a 'youth" film based in San Francisco and dealing with flower power and drugs was taken over by other writers and Nicholson did not eventually receive a screen credit for his work, although he took what was essentially the male lead in the picture. But Nicholson wrote the part of Stoney for himself as part of the package.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the Strawberry Alarm Clock's "Rainy Day Mushroom Pillow" song, the lead guitarist's guitar changes halfway through the song.

Quotes:

Dave: Reality is a deadly place. I hope this trip is a good one.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Drug Years" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Beads Of Innocence

The Seeds cameo was too short

Most everything people have already said about this movie is how I think about it, too. However, I would like to say for the Seeds fans out there that might try to see the film so they can see the Seeds footage that it's way too brief. I love the Seeds and I wanted desperately to see some closeups of the guys in action. Maybe see some good dancing by Sky or even get a good group shot. I was pretty disappointed to see Sky rocking out to some bad synchronizing on part of the audio engineers. It makes him look like he has no sense of rhythm! And you only get to see him for half seconds at a time. And Daryl Hooper (organist) isn't even shown when the band plays! It spends more time showing Jan Savage's fingers playing guitar than it spends on the any other Seeds shot. Quite a disappointment, especially since there is hardly any footage of this amazing band anywhere. Aside from that, the Strawberry Alarm Clock get great coverage, which is nice.

The plot of the movie is really entertaining as well. But I wonder, why didn't Jenny talk like a deaf person? I guess it's because you're led to believe she really isn't deaf.

Either way, it's a good movie with some good tripping scenes and cool clothes and lines: "Why are you dancing alone?" "I'm not, I'm dancing with everybody!" yikes! that's heavy! haha