IMDb > Wild in the Streets (1968) > IMDb user comments

IMDb user comments for
Wild in the Streets (1968) More at IMDbPro »

Filter: Hide Spoilers:
Page 2 of 4:[1] [2] [3] [4] [Next]
Index 40 comments in total 

2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Not great, but a slice of the 60's-as-we-wish-they-were, 13 December 2005
7/10
Author: Sperry23 from United States

Max Frost and his band want to run the country and with the help of their friends and some pharmacology, they take over the political structure of the USA. It's a reasonably well made cautionary tale of the late 60's. It briefly became a cult favorite and was said to have prompted then-mayor of Chicago, Richard Daily, to put guards around the city's water supply just prior to, and during the 1968 Democratic National Convention to prevent anarchists from "dosing" the water with psychedelics.

The storyline is fairly slick for the time; how do a bunch of don't-trust-anyone-over-30 kids take over the country? There's a little romance, a little angst, a little rock music, and a lot of scenery-chewing and overacting by the "Major Stars" including Shelly Winters and Ed Begley. Hal Holbrook was able to keep it toned down.

This was also one of the first major films the late Richard Prior appeared in. The other being Sid Cesar's "The Busy Body", released the same year.

The psychedelic aspects of "Wild in the Streets" make it a great film to pair with Peter Fonda's "The Trip" for a 60's double feature flashback fest. Enjoy and never trust anyone under 30. heh.

Was the above comment useful to you?

2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
There's a new voice, rising up angry in the sky, 21 March 2003
Author: John Browning (sloopjohnb37@yahoo.com) from New Jersey

My high school buddies and I drove into Chicago to watch this the day it opened in 1968 and were not disappointed. On the way, WLS AM radio played "Jumpin' Jack Flash", which was the first time any of us had heard that tune. I think we may have inhaled some contraband, but I remember this day like it was yesterday. It was good to be "young, dumb and full of ***!" (-to quote Mr Busey, from Point Break.)

Some epic bits from this movie: 1) Richard Pryor spikes the DC water supply with LSD, resulting in a congress-full of hopelessly tripped-out Senators and Representatives. 2) Ed Begley and Shelley Winters wander about in flowing robes and caftans at the "Acid Concentration Camp" for people over 30. 3) Extremely young Billy Mumy confronting the great lout, Max Frost and declaring "We're putting everyone over 8 out of business!" 4)Diane Varsi cavorting nude in a fountain 4) Future Brady Buncher Barry Williams as the young terrorist Max.

See, this is one highly-lacking-in-credibility enterprise, but you have to love it. Watch and remark to yourself how this movie could only have been made in that halcyon year, 1968. Nothing this wonderfully over-the-top crazed and ridiculously sublime has been made since nor will ever grace the screen again.

For comparison (and companion) purposes, view this superb teen psychodrama in series with other 1968 befuddlements such as: "Planet of the Apes", "2001: A Space Oddysey", "Rosemary's Baby", "Putney Swope" and "The Savage Seven".

Christopher Jones only immortal role was the highly Hitleresque rocker, Max Frost.

Jeez, gimme the DVD already! This glorious cinematic potato is out of print!

Was the above comment useful to you?

2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Tries to Shock..., 16 March 2003
3/10
Author: Space_Mafune from Newfoundland, Canada

This film has the unlikely premise of a popular young musician using his charisma, youth and influence to win over the American public to a more youth-inclined culture, a one with no time or patience for adults. Basically this is out to shock and it succeeds in this respect..however there's really very little message or meaning here beyond that.

Was the above comment useful to you?

2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Crazed '60s Classic, 9 January 2000
Author: Thomas Merritt Scofield (carolsco@concentric.net) from Olathe, Kansas

Nobody could crank'em out like AIP, nobody. Done on a surprisingly big budget, this is one of the company's most fun pictures. It is a classic portrayal of the late '60s and has a great script and performances. The songs are a lot of fun, and Les Baxter's delirious underscore, especially when Shelly Winters is sent to the LSD old folks home, is truly unique, proving him once again to be one of the most underrated composers working in films in the '50s and '60s.

Was the above comment useful to you?

3 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Deserves recognition as an interesting misunderstanding of the hallucination generation, 20 January 2007
6/10
Author: TimothyFarrell from Worcester, MA

"Wild in the Streets" comes from the same school of film making that spawned other attempts to connect to the counterculture such as "Skidoo" and "Candy". The difference between this and the aforementioned films is that "Wild in the Streets" is reasonably clever and well-made. It isn't sympathetic to the counterculture and will likely offend those with fond memories of the time. Surprisingly, it was a big hit when released and appealed to the youth whom it ridiculed so much. Unlike "The Trip" and "Psych-Out" (two other AIP films), its not an accurate representation of the movement at all. However it does work as social satire.

The direction by Barry Shear is good and makes innovative use of split screen photography. Plus, he keeps everything moving at a quick pace. In its funny moments, the film works well. In its attempts at drama, its helplessly dated and just as funny as the humorous moments. Christopher Jones underplays his role and Shelly Winters overacts. Hal Holbrook offers the best performance and Diane Varsi achieves the right note of "grooviness". The script by Robert Thom has its moments, especially the ending (easily the most ingenious part of the film). "Wild in the Streets" isn't perfect, but deserves recognition as an interesting misunderstanding of the hallucination generation. Those into this kind of kitsch will enjoy it the most. I'd rather watch "The Trip" or "Psych-Out" however. (6/10)

Was the above comment useful to you?

is it wrong to read this (if only in retrospect) as a jaded satire on youth culture and politics?, 29 March 2009
8/10
Author: MisterWhiplash from United States

I was curious to read some reviews of Wild in the Streets from when it was released (i.e. Ebert's) to get an idea of what the movie was thought of at the time. There was a good line that nails what is probably at the core of the film, which is "the fascist potential of pop music," but it can be taken a step further to what the fascistic potential is of anyone who appeals to a section of the culture that can be galvanized. The movie wasn't well received- it was, granted, an AIP picture dumped on the masses as a hippie exploitation flick along the likes of Psych-Out- but now in looking back I wonder if the writer, Robert Thom (also responsible for the cult classic Death Race 2000) and director Barry Shear (mostly a TV director) were much ahead of their own audience. It skewers the old and politicians, yes, but it also skewers pop music and LSD and hedonism and even communism to a certain extent. It's a fun, absurdist nightmare 'trip' on what would happen if the "kids" took over, which leads eventually to the question: what happens when they're too old.

Four sentence summary: Christopher Jones plays Max Frost, a pop star who had one of those shaky childhoods that led to a lot of acid and blowing up his parent's car. His band, a bunch of Monkeeys rip-offs (yes, that's right), are filled with a bunch of who's whos, like a 15 year old super-genius account and a black anthropologist played by Richard Pryor. At a political rally for a "youth" senator (Hal Holbrook) who wants the voting age lowered to 18, he comes up off the bat with a rallying song, "14 or fight" to lower the voting age to 14! And then everything soon spirals into a youth-controlled congress and presidency (think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with over-ecstatic flower children), with all the "old" pulled into camps where they're doped on acid and given frocks to wear.

Trippy, man, trippy. Contrary to what some have said, and perhaps I read more into it than was necessary or warranted, Wild in the Streets takes a hold of its principal subjects as something that is meant to be mocked mercilessly. While nowhere near the brilliance of Network, it does have the same kind of super jaded view of humanity below the surface. Everything becomes so exaggerated that the only conceivable way to take it is as a satire; if it is meant as a "serious" look at politics and the youth culture then only a few moments stand out (actually the "Shape of Things" song is ironically powerful in the context of where it comes which is right after a few students are shot at a rally - a foreshadowing to Kent State?), but on its terms of it being a nutty but oddly lucid spoof on the political scene then it works really well.

If for nothing else the cast is a hoot: Shelley Winters hams it up as the star's mother who in one scene literally crashes through security gates to get to her son who really doesn't want anything to do with her, especially after she basically kills a kid with a car! Also big props to Hal Holbrook who takes the quasi William Holdon in Network role (the one "serious" guy amid the chaos) and Ed Begley as a crusty old politico who quickly gets run out to the old-folk farm singing in circles. Along with Pryor look out for Larry Bishop and Millie Perkins. It's not high art, but Wild in the Streets has some scenes that are excruciatingly funny (I was dying during the 25 year old "chick" speaking to congress about lowering all ages to run for office to 14), and there's even some good pointers made about the state of the nation. It's exploi-satire, baby!

Was the above comment useful to you?

Hilarious & corny & more, 11 September 2008
7/10
Author: peterlonglongplong from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

I was a kid when this movie was made, but I understand a lot of it. The plot is so out there it had me laughing all the time. What's great about it, is that through the shielding of a ridiculous storyline, the director was able to touch on some very important subjects, some of which are still relevant today. Drugs are drugs (including alcohol), and we're given more reminders of how stupid people can get when they're high. The movie glances on that frequent occurrence with the human race, MASS INSANITY. Many find it amazing that people like Hitler, or Stalin, or some currant day CRAZY LUNATICS, can gain such power in the government. Obviously, most parts of this movie were symbolic and would never hit reality. But, the masses (through fear) accepting leaders who are proved to be extreme in their behavior, people getting shot, or large groups with similar characteristics (the Japanese Americans in WW11) being forced into prison camps; that is the real world. The age factor in this movie is a beautiful metaphor on how society divides up people into classes; how they can consider some to be higher than others & some to be the untouchables. Many scenes are difficult & ugly to view. Through dark humor, we see some of the most disturbing realities of human existence. Fortunately, the plot is so "Wild in the Streets" & unbelievable, viewers get slap-in-the-face reminder of how loathsome & hideous we humans can be. This is a "CULT MOVIE" for one huge reason, the majority of people in this country (& maybe beyond) are too frightened to even face our undeniable shortcomings.

Was the above comment useful to you?

Wild In Streets 1968 - I know where you can get it!, 1 August 2008
10/10
Author: jcenso from United States

I grew up in the sixties and even though I was 8 years old when this was made, I still remember the song "14 or Fight" and all that was happening during that time.

Definitely the drugs and clothes and music are true to the time period and the movie is more of a Docudrama than anything else.

The young people of the late sixties knew what a potential threat they were to their elders. I believe it was their raising to respect their elders that kept the ideas presented in this movie from actually coming about.

Today or I should say when Bill Clinton was President, the idea of lowering the voting age to 14 was again raised as an issue that needed consideration.

I have read here that people would like to have this movie, I can give information how you can get it in very good quality! Email me at

jcenso at hotmail dot com

Was the above comment useful to you?

Amazing spirit of the times, 12 June 2004
Author: geoff-161 from Dallas Texas

If you weren't a teenager in the 60's , you may never get this movie.

I was 17, in college, and scared to death about what was going on in the world. The 60's were the hey-day for kids who thought adult idiots were destroying our country and planet. It isn't the first time that teens thought this. But, it may be the first time in history that teens and young adults took to the streets to stop the inevitable world destruction.

I'm not aware of another film that talked to us directly about what was bugging us unless it was Fritz the Cat.

Of course, Wild in the Streets has the look of a throw away teen flick - it was. Shelley Winters was right at home at her tackiest. Hal Holbrook and Ed Begley are stereotypically evil senators.

At one level Wild In the Streets was literally a battle cry for my generation. Within a few years, I had teemed up with Senator Max Cleland and was being tear-gassed in Washington DC protesting the Viet Nam War.

At another level, it is a satire of youthful exuberance, naiveté, and the youthful thought that the world is new and in danger of extinction at any moment at the hands of clueless and evil adults. (Is there any generation that hasn't thought this?)

If nothing else, Wild in the Streets is worth seeing just for the scene in which the U. S. Congress is attempting to enact legislation while tripping on LSD.

Was the above comment useful to you?

Amazing spirit of the times, 12 June 2004
Author: geoff-161 from Dallas Texas

If you weren't a teenager in the 60's , you may never get this movie.

I was 17, in college, and scared to death about what was going on in the world. The 60's were the hey-day for kids who thought adult idiots were destroying our country and planet. It isn't the first time that teens thought this. But, it may be the first time in history that teens and young adults took to the streets to stop the inevitable world destruction.

I'm not aware of another film that talked to us directly about what was bugging us unless it was Fritz the Cat.

Of course, Wild in the Streets has the look of a throw away teen flick - it was. Shelley Winters was right at home at her tackiest. Hal Holbrook and Ed Begley are stereotypically evil senators.

At one level Wild In the Streets was literally a battle cry for my generation. Within a few years, I had teemed up with Senator Max Cleland and was being tear-gassed in Washington DC protesting the Viet Nam War.

At another level, it is a satire of youthful exuberance, naivete, and the youthful thought that the world is new and in danger of extinction at any moment at the hands of clueless and evil adults. (Is there any generation that hasn't thought this?)

If nothing else, Wild in the Streets is worth seeing just for the scene in which the U. S. Congress is attempting to enact legislation while tripping on LSD.

Was the above comment useful to you?
Page 2 of 4:[1] [2] [3] [4] [Next]

Add another comment

Related Links

Plot summary Ratings Awards
External reviews Plot keywords Main details
Your user comments Your vote history